Males and maturity.

[PatsyB]

At what age does a male bearded dragon start to reach sexual maturity?

I'm always very careful when I have Dexter and Luci out together. I keep Dexter close to me while he runs around the room. I've never seen any head bobbing, arm waving or beard showing with them. Yesterday afternoon I had an unfortunate incident, which I may have caused, where Luci ran full speed at Dexter and scratched her back. He scratched her so hard that I thought a scale had come off but it was just the skin over the scale. I say I may have caused it because I wiggled my fingers on the floor in front of Dexter and he may have been trying to get them.

It was very shocking, he's half her size. I'm just wondering if there are signs that he wants to mate. So far the only personality change he's had is he wants to sleep a lot and he wants to eat tons of mustard greens, LOL!

 

[pistolsfordixie]

I have a girl named elsa and a boy name bruce.... he is not 2 yet and when I get them out together he acts like a thug. ...now from what i've read and from watching them I believe ..he isn't mature enough or hasn't figured out how to do it. because elsa is all willing she bobs her head very slowly and waves her arm really slow...while he runs around, all black bearded..he will run up and hold onto the back of her head while trying to but not able too..but until her tail is straight up and down and he uses one of his back legs to do his deed ...it aint happening

 

[PatsyB]

He did it again last night. He jumped off the chair and jumped on her below. She just sits there with no reaction and he just stands there and looks around. They are both goofs!

 

[pistolsfordixie]

I had elsa probably a month and the whole time she barely ate anything. She was very submissive but, I don't feel like he is old enough or doesn't know how. She digs and digs but I know if she does lay a clutch they will not be fertile...I do get them out together but for just long enough for him to try. I am not gonna have any eggs if he has to terrorize her to have them.....he wears a wife beater shirt if you know what I mean..lol

 

[PatsyB]

I don't want them to mate. I have no idea what I would do with all those little babies. We live in an apartment and we have just enough room for us and the pets we already have. I also don't really know anyone that shares the love of reptiles that I do. In an emergency, I know someone that knows someone that is involved in a local reptile group so I might be able to get in contact with people.

I don't think Luci is old enough to understand what he's doing or why. He's 10 months. He jumps on her from the side but then just sits there with his feet on her and looks around. Dexter on the other hand is 22 months and sometimes when I have them both on the floor she looks for him and follows him with her head. So I think she might be looking for something something. I've never seen any of the typical signs of dominance or submission with them. Luci arm waved and head bobbed once when we first got him but that was it.

 

[pistolsfordixie]

don't take this wrong she probably wishing he was smaller so she could eat him. they really like eating live bugs or rodents. lol I'm sure 2 years is a give or take thing, but that boy has a long wait...just my opinion , but I feel like when their young and can't it makes them meaner to the females because they want to and don't really know how to.

 

[DanielE]

I put mine together once. Not for... reproductive reasons... just socialization. The male armwaved and the female came trotting up to him just as happy as can be. Then he attacked her! I quickly separated them and the have not been
Out together since. But when I have one out on the bed where they can see eachother. The one in the cage always armwaves and they like to watch eachother. They will try to get in the others enclosure but I dont allow it.

You can see him arm waving to her in this pic.
Im not really sure how old they are now as lve not kept track. But I know they are not old enough yet.

 

[PatsyB]

LOL! I have thought about her wanting to eat him. Problem with that is she won't even chase bugs down in her tank, can't see her making an effort to chase him down! I see the arm wave and I'm almost jealous that mine don't do anything like that.