The home of Bearded Dragons - Pogona Vitticeps
Bearded Dragon - Frequently Asked Questions
In this page you will find Frequently Asked Questions with Answers which you may find useful. If you have a question you would like to add or ask, click here.
Q: Is my Bearded Dragon a boy or girl?
A: 
It's not at all easy to acurately tell the sex of a bearded dragon. Some are easy, but some can even fool experienced breeders. It is more difficult to tell with juvies than with adults. Try placing the animal on your open hand (your palm up). Then with the other hand lift the tail and bend it towards the head (never more than 90 degrees to the body) but not to far. With the tail pulled forward, look for the hemipene bulges on either side of the base of the tail. If they have 2 bulges, it's a boy, if not they may be girls or you may not be able to see them yet. Thin tails make it harder to tell and try this sexing guide to help 
Q: How much do Bearded Dragons cost?
A: The cost of a bearded dragon generally falls in the range of £30 for a normal morph to as much as £800 for the high quality newer morphs. Prices also depend on sex, size, colour, age and lineage.
Q: How big will my Bearded Dragon grow?
A: It varies due to many factors and they all grow at different rates. With proper husbandry, a Bearded Dragon of good genetic background can reach a manageable average size of about 18-22 inches (46-56 cms). Just like people, they grow at different rates and have growth spurts where they grow so fast you can almost see them grow. Some factors that can influence the growth rate of a Bearded Dragon include: Genetic background, cage size, amount and type of food, competition for food, amount of light, type and amount of UV light, proper vitamins and supplements, Being raised indoor or outdoor, stress levels and the general happiness of the animal.
Q: What are the dots on the underside of my Bearded Dragons back legs?
A: They are called femoral pores. Sometimes they are more pronounced on males but this should not be used as a sexing method. It is believed that they are used by the male to get a better grip on the female for mating.
Q: What are these weird dark markings on my Bearded Dragon's stomach? They look kinda like this (), or a snakeskin pattern?
A: Those are completely normal. They are called stress marks, but despite the name they don't really mean stress. They happen when a Bearded Dragon is cold, irritated, interested in something, and sometimes they just randomly show up just because. At any rate, they are nothing to be alarmed about. A dark Beard is the true sign of stress or upset, not these. These are just common markings, no worries.
Q: My bearded dragon recently started doing this thing were he shakes his head up and down really fast like its vibrating and gets his whole body going sometimes?
A: This is head bobbing, one of the many forms of Bearded Dragon body language. Head bobbing is a sign to show dominance, but, especially when young and just discovering body language, a Bearded Dragon may do it just because it enjoys doing so. I've caught hatchlings many times arm waving their submission to crickets and their own reflections.
Fast, complete body pumping (when they are not just doing it to experiment or entertain themselves) in cases of a male about to mate. If the dragon is housed with a female, I would recommend separating them if you are not planning to have eggs 30 days later and can stress a female in the long run.
