Breeding Projects

Bearded Dragon

Breeding Projects Bearded dragons. Bearded Dragons are a desert lizard originating from Australia. Bearded dragons are a popular pet due to their interactive nature. They are a medium sized lizard and are available in many patterns and colours which we refer to as ‘Morphs’. Patterns and colours are controlled by genetics which means we selectively breed certain dragons in order to match up genetics and produce the nicest babies.

We have been working with Bearded Dragon Morphs for several years now and currently have a few different breeding groups which enable us to produce dragons in all colours. You can see a selection of our adult breeders below. Their morphs include Citrus, Red, Hypo, Yellow, Translucent, Tiger, Genetic Stripe and more.

Bearded Dragons are named as such due to their black beard which both males and females can posses. Even though females can also turn their beard black, it is not as common as it is in males. You can see the beard under the chin of the dragon. Dragons use their beard for thermoregulation along with communication with other dragons. For instance, during mating season males will show it as a defence to other males, they also use it to attract a female. As with most animals, the most powerful male wins the female and is able to breed.

Bearded Dragons also have spikes around their faces. These spikes feel quite soft and are not very useful in a fight however they are used to visually threaten predators. Bearded dragons puff up with air and make themselves as large as possible, the spikes help them to look like they would be painful to attack and this can help them prevent capture.

Breeding Projects Bearded Dragons

Bearded Dragons breed during the summer months, as do most reptiles. During winter time, wild dragons would hibernate (brumate) due to the drop in temperatures. If they do not have enough heat, dragons are not able to process their food and so they do not eat during colder months and generally find a secure place to hide.

When the weather starts to get warmer, the dragons come out of their winter hiding spots and search for food and then a mate. In captivity we mimic this by reducing temperatures and light gradually over the winter months and then gradually providing it again as spring comes.

This allows our dragons time to rest and time off breeding which is cruicial in keeping them healthy. Without the break, Dragons would breed all year round which can be detrimental to their health and the health and quality of the babies.

The Process

As with all of our breeding projects, the process begins by pairing the chosen dragons so that they mate. This generally happens by placing 1 male and multiple female counterparts in the same enclosure so that they breed naturally.

We then remove the males after a few days of pairing and both him and the females are fed and cared for on their own. This allows them to stay healthy and reduces over breeding. Once the females have bred, layboxes are placed in their enclosure. Layboxes allow them to have a nice deep area for digging and laying their eggs.

Once the mother lays the eggs, she will cover them up with soil and continue her normal routine. We ensure we take special care of the mother during this time as she requires additional nutritents and calcium to return her back to health. Once dragons have mated, females are able to retain the sperm to create eggs throughout the year.

We carefully remove the eggs from the laybox, and place in the incubator. This helps us to care for the eggs and ensure they receive the correct parameters so that they hatch into healthy babies. The eggs take between 45-80 days to hatch depending on the temperatures that they are incubated at.

When the babies hatch from the egg, we place them nto an enclosure together to be and fed and watered. As they grow at different rates we seperate them to prevent any dominance issues such as nipping and fighting.

After several weeks, health checks, shedding and feeding, the baby dragons are ready to find their new homes.

Bearded Dragons for sale

Bearded Dragon Set up kits for sale

Please note, we speak thoroughly with our customers about care requirements before selling any livestock. Please do not be offended if we ask for photos of your enclosure or details of the set-up, this is just because we care about our livestock’s welfare once it leaves us. For more information about our Bearded Dragons, you can browse our website or contact us.

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