I see blood on a female bearded dragon’s anus and I think, “Do female bearded dragons have periods?”
What are other reasons that could cause bleeding in bearded dragons? What more can I learn about how bearded dragons mate?
In this article, we’ll discuss menstruation, eggs, breeding and the unfortunate occurrence of internal bleeding in bearded dragons.
Do Female Bearded Dragons Have Periods?
No. female mammals menstruate and have periods, but female reptiles do no such thing. Your bearded dragon could be bleeding from their anus caused by infection, pinworms or blocked digestive pathways.
Female bearded dragons ovulate and lay eggs without a mate. If there is a male who fertilizes the eggs, the result will be fertile eggs instead of non-viable.
Breeding, mating and bleeding are all going to be discussed further in this article below.
Why Is My Bearded Dragon Bleeding?
Bleeding occurs from trauma, but there are other cases in which a bearded dragon bleeds. The common areas where bleeding occurs is around the:
- Gums
- Mouth
- Nose
- Tail
- Claws
- Ears
- Anus
Bleeding can be caused by an infection as well as injury. Look for:
- Swelling
- Redness
- Discharge
At this point, you may need to visit the vet to treat a possible infection or wound.
Reasons For Lizard Blood
The most common reason is a hemorrhage or trauma. Possible causes include:
- Bites from a mate
- Live prey bites back at them
- Cuts from the cage wire
- Rubbing against screens or glass
- Aggression with other animals
Are you keeping more than one bearded dragon? Do you have other pets making contact with your beardie?
Keep in mind that this relatively docile reptile is highly territorial and will provoke combat if they perceive a threat.
Can a Female Bearded Dragon Lay Eggs Without Males?
Yes. If you have a female bearded dragon that is living a solitary life in your home, they can still surprise you with eggs.
These eggs will be infertile and will never have a chance to be fertilized without a male present. Usually the first clutch of eggs a female bearded dragon lays are infertile.
It’s rare for a 1 year old female beardie to lay fertile eggs.
Do Female Bearded Dragons Change Gender?
No. Once a bearded dragon is born, they will never change gender. There are studies that indicate how bearded dragons can change gender in their embryonic stage.
As embryos, they are able to switch sexes through two different gene sets. They can change gender in this state from sex chromosomes or being exposed to hotter temperatures.
The studies are ongoing and fascinating to learn how much can happen before these reptiles are even born. Your baby, juvenile or adult bearded dragon will always remain the same gender.
How Long Is a Bearded Dragon Pregnant?
A female bearded dragon does not go through pregnancy in the way mammals do. She is gravid and carries eggs in the spring and summer months. She can lay eggs that will take 50-80 days to hatch.
The average waiting time is 2 months. The time spent in incubation depends on the temperature and humidity amongst other factors regarding the overall health of the mother and her eggs.
A day or two before the eggs hatch, you might see them deflating slightly.
Bearded Dragon Breeding Season
Bearded dragons hide out, rest and undergo a process called brumation over the winter months. They emerge from brumation without having eaten much and will feel recharged and ready to go for another mating season.
Males improve their sperm count through brumation and females ovulate during this time. Spring and early summer is the breeding season.
The competition for a mate gets heated in the wild with males acting out of aggression or possible violence for the right to attract and court a female.
Do Female Bearded Dragons Go Into Heat?
No. A female bearded dragon needs to be at least 1-2 years old before she is sexually mature. She will enter brumation over the winter and ovulate.
Once she emerges from this reptile state of hibernation, she will be ready for breeding during the spring. Females should be slightly older than a male for optimal breeding conditions.
- Males: 18 months old and 18 inches in full length
- Females: 24 months old, 18 inches in length and weighing in at 350 grams
These numbers are once again acting as optimal figures to show when breeding is at its best opportunity to deliver a successful amount of eggs that will hatch into baby bearded dragons.
Bearded Dragon Bleeding From Anus
Why is my bearded dragon bleeding when he poops? This is causing me to worry greatly. He ate a huge hornworm two days ago and I haven’t noticed enough feces after this meal.
Now I check and find blood in his stool. After careful research and consultation with members of the bearded dragon community, I’m well aware that it could be caused by:
- Impaction (constipation)
- Parasites
- Infection
1. Impaction
An impaction could occur then bearded dragons ingest pieces of substrate, sand or gravel. The intestines could get irritated or swollen.
If the pieces are sharp, they can cause internal bleeding which may be the reason why you see blood from the anus.
2. Parasites
Parasites like pinworms could lead to bleeding as well. When parasites are present in their intestines, they can cause inflammation and bleeding.
If the intestines rupture, the condition worsens and becomes potentially life threatening.
3. Infection
If bacteria or a fungal infection takes over the digestive tract, the intestines may also bleed from irritation.
You will need a diagnosis from a vet and proper treatment before any of these conditions explained above get worse.
Conclusion
Bearded dragons do not menstruate. Female reptiles do not have periods. The bleeding could be caused by trauma, infection, impaction or parasites.
There is much to learn about the way bearded dragons breed, the process where their embryos develop and possibly change sex.
The eggs being fertile or infertile also depends on a series of factors that we were also able to touch on in this article.
Thank you for visiting PocketPetCentral.com for the best information to help you enjoy the life of your pocket pet companion in a fun, safe & healthy way.
