Sexing

[Steve]

Hey I'm just wondering how to sex BDs? Also can you only determine it after an amount of time or right after hatching? Thanks, pics would be great

[beth wallbank]

It is possible to sex hatchling bearded dragons as hatchlings through adulthood but takes someone that knows what to look for to properly and accurately to do so. There are some periods of time though in the 'ugly' growth stages when they are juvies that it is quite difficult to determine their gender. At a 90 degree angle up at the vent on the base of the tail, juvie beardies that are male have an inverted hour glass, where females have an extroverted (bump ib the center) hour glass. This method is about 95% accurate if you know what to look for.

[eyespy]

I wouldn't say it's 95% accurate. Males have these hemipenes that eventually grow long enough to fit into pockets at the tail base and some penes drop more quickly than others. They only get that hourglass look once the hemipenes are tucked into the pockets.

Some males are born "tucked in" and others can take 3-4 months. Before the hemipenes drop into place, they can hang together and look remarkably like the central bulge of a female's oviduct.

I just got "burned" in August when I bought a girl from a very experienced breeder. Between us we have nearly 50 years of herping experience and both could have sworn Titian was female. But by Thanksgiving it was most definitely clear he was a boy. Oops!!

Good thing I gave him a unisex name.