Instructions
Observe an adult bearded dragon for head bobbing or waving to determine its gender. A fully grown female waves one forearm to signal a mate, and in response, a mature male bobs his head up and down, puffs out his beard and makes it turn black. Baby beardies display a similar form of arm-waving behavior regardless of gender, so do not assume that juvenile arm-waving is an indicator that your beardie is female.
Look at your bearded dragon's vent area where the tail joins the body. Males have a bulge on each side close to the vent and a line of raised small bumps, called femoral pores, running underneath their legs. This area in females can be flat or have an indentation, but usually females have one bulge just above the vent, in the middle. Some juvenile males display a single bulge until they start to mature. Once a bearded dragon reaches 8 inches in length, signs of gender become more distinct and easier to interpret.
Look at your bearded dragon's body shape. Males are usually larger with muscular legs and a broad head, and their tails are thick at the base. Females are typically slightly smaller with less-defined muscle tone on their legs and a thinner tail. Female bearded dragons are wider and rounder in overall body shape with a narrow head. Use body size to confirm the gender of a bearded dragon only in conjunction with other methods because females can grow larger than males in some cases.
How to Tell a Bearded Dragon's Gender
Bearded dragons are very difficult to sex as babies because they display conflicting male and female indicators until they are about six months old. Monitor a baby bearded dragon as it develops from a hatchling to sub-adulthood, paying particular attention to behavior and body shape as it reaches maturity. It is easy to tell an adult bearded dragon's gender from behavioral indicators.