How Many Eggs Do Bearded Dragons Lay?

How many eggs do bearded dragons lay depends on several factors such as the age, size, health, and breeding history of your female bearded dragon. However, on average, you can expect your bearded dragon to lay around 20 eggs per clutch.

A clutch is a group of eggs that are laid at the same time by the same female. Bearded dragons can lay several clutches over the course of a few months. The number of clutches may vary from one to five depending on how much sperm they have stored and how fertile they are.

The total number of eggs that a female bearded dragon can lay in a year can range from 20 to 100 or more. However, this does not mean that all these eggs are fertile or viable. In fact, many of them may be infertile or parthenogenetic.

When Do Bearded Dragons Start Laying Eggs?

Bearded dragons reach sexual maturity at around 8 to 12 months of age. However, this does not mean that they are ready to breed or lay eggs at this point. In fact, breeding too young can cause serious health problems for both the male and female bearded dragons.

The ideal age for breeding bearded dragons is between 18 and 24 months. This ensures that they are fully grown and healthy enough to handle the stress of mating and egg-laying.

Before breeding your bearded dragons, you should also make sure that they are in good condition and have no signs of illness or parasites. You should also provide them with a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D3 to support their reproductive health.

Can My Bearded Dragon Lay Eggs Without Mating?

Yes, it is possible for your female bearded dragon to lay eggs without mating with a male.

It’s worth noting that not all female beardies will experience this, but if your pet does, there’s nothing to worry about since this is a completely natural process.

How Often Do Bearded Dragons Lay Infertile Eggs?

Infertile eggs are those that do not develop into embryos because they were not fertilized by a male. Infertile eggs look similar to fertile ones but may have a softer shell or collapse over time.

Bearded dragons can lay infertile eggs at any time during their reproductive cycle. However, they are more likely to do so if they have not mated with a male recently or if they are kept in isolation from other beardies.

The frequency of infertile egg-laying varies depending on the individual female’s health, diet, and environment. Some females may lay infertile eggs once or twice a year, while others may do so more frequently or not at all.

Infertile egg-laying can be stressful and exhausting for your female bearded dragon. It can also deplete her calcium reserves and increase her risk of developing egg-binding or dystocia. Therefore, it is important to provide her with proper care and support during this time.

Some of the things you can do to prevent or reduce infertile egg-laying include:

Keeping your female bearded dragon away from males or other females that may stimulate her reproductive hormones.
Providing her with a spacious enclosure that allows her to exercise and regulate her body temperature.
Offering her a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D3 supplements to prevent metabolic bone disease.
Creating a suitable laying site with moist substrate that encourages her to deposit her eggs.
Consulting your veterinarian if your bearded dragon shows signs of distress, illness, or egg-binding.

How Long Does It Take for a Bearded Dragon to Lay Her Eggs?

A gravid bearded dragon with infertile eggs can take several days to finish laying each clutch, and weeks if not months for her to stop her laying altogether.

What is a Gravid Bearded Dragon?

When a female bearded dragon is carrying eggs that haven’t been laid yet, she is referred to as being “gravid.” After around three weeks, the gravid bearded dragon will start digging in her enclosure. This digging behavior is a sign that your bearded dragon is preparing to lay her eggs and you’ll need to make sure she has a suitable nesting area.

A gravid female may lay infertile eggs or fertile eggs, depending on whether she has mated or not.

Fertile Bearded Dragon Eggs

A female bearded dragon lays fertile eggs after mating and can store the sperm for a whole year to continue the reproduction. The fertile egg gets double in size as the embryo continues to grow.

How to Tell if the Eggs are Fertile or not?

You can check the fertility of bearded dragon eggs through the process of candling. This is done by placing the egg on a flashlight and seeing the egg as the light shines through it. If you see a pink embryo or reddish veins inside the egg, then the egg is fertile. An egg with a yellow tint or no other features inside the egg indicates infertile eggs.

You can check the fertility of eggs through candling one or two weeks after the eggs have been laid.

When do Bearded Dragons Start Laying Eggs?

Bearded dragons can start laying eggs from the age of 10 moths however, this is not recommended. You should not breed a female bearded dragon below the age of two years. The recommended age for breeding female beardies is between two and four years.

Egg lying needs a lot of energy and calcium that is why a bearded dragon that is too young or too old should not be breed.

Do Young or Old Bearded Dragons Lay Eggs more Often?

The bearded dragon between the age of two to four years is suitable for laying eggs. As at this age, their body can make use of the resources provided. However, as the females continue to age, the level of calcium in their bodies drops. This affects the process of reproduction, resulting in less egg production.

Breeding an old bearded dragon will result in deformed bones as the calcium continues to drop; this will shorten the lifespan. Similarly, a young bearded dragon is not suitable for laying eggs either.

In some rare cases, female beardie might prepare to lay eggs at the age of ten months, but that will affect the bearded dragon’s health. The process requires a lot of energy and resources that a young beardie lacks because it’s still growing.

What can Affect how Often Bearded Dragons Lay Eggs?

The temperature and surroundings can have a significant impact on the egg-laying behavior of a dragon. When the temperature drops to a low level during winter, the dragon will not lay eggs as it gets too cold. However, during the warmer seasons of spring and early summer, the dragon will lay eggs more often, due to the hot temperature.

How Long After Breeding Do Bearded Dragons Lay Eggs?

A bearded dragon lays eggs after 4-6 weeks of mating. So, if you have a mated pair of beardie’s it’s pretty easy to guess when to look for eggs. However, assuming the egg-laying pattern can become complicated, the female beardie can store the sperm for a whole year and lay eggs in different intervals without mating.

You can guess when your beardie is gravid by looking for the following signs.

Female beardie gains weight when it’s gravid.
A visible round belly with hard, ball-like bulges on the palpation
Changed bowel movements
Digging holes ( which they do when they are ready to lay eggs).
Loss of appetite
Lethargic behavior

How can I Tell if my Bearded Dragon is Gravid?

There are certainly some changes in the body of gravid female bearded dragons. Some changes are a large belly, urates with pinkish tints, and weight gain. In addition to these, the female beardie will start digging the ground to make holes to lay eggs. The bearded dragon will become lethargic and lose appetite when it’s close to laying eggs.

As soon as you find out that your female bearded dragon is gravid, you should increase its calcium intake as calcium is crucial during reproduction.

Conclusion

The gravid female bearded dragon requires extra care and calcium supplement to keep the beardie’s health intact. Calcium deficiency can result in metabolic bone disease, which results in broken bones, limbs, tails, or toes. Furthermore, a bearded dragon lays more than 20 eggs per clutch, with 4-5 clutches over the mating season.

The female beardie doesn’t need to mate every time before laying eggs. It can store sperm for over a year and lay eggs using that sperm. Finally, egg-laying is a difficult time for the female beardie, and it needs extra care. Ensure to provide enough nutrients and maintain the temperature and humidity inside the enclosure for the best interest of your beardie’s health.