Bearded dragons (or pogones) are very popular pets that typically live between 7 and 10 years in captivity. It can often be difficult to determine the age of this animal, especially when it has reached its adult size. In the first year of life you can measure its length to estimate its age. You can also get an idea by noting when the animal reaches its sexual maturity. If both methods are unsuccessful, try contacting her breeder or veterinarian so they can help you determine her age.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Seek Help from a Professional
Step 1. Contact the breeder
The best and most accurate way to determine the age of your bearded dragon is to contact the breeder who sold it to you. The breeder should have birth records that indicate the exact day the animal was born.
You should also be able to obtain other information from the breeder - such as his parent's medical record, the average lifecycle of the breeder's specimens, the best way to breed your dragon, and other helpful tips that can help you determine. his age and gender
Step 2. Ask about their age at the time of purchase
If you bought your bearded dragon from a pet store or breeder, you may want to consider contacting them to check if they have any records regarding its age. At a minimum, they should be able to tell you the size of the dragon at the time of purchase; you can use it to estimate his current age using some cards (such as those in Method 2 below).
- Simply calculate the dragon's age at the time of purchase from the store, based on its size at that time and adding the number of years / months from that date. This should give you an approximation of your bearded dragon's age.
- The store or person you bought the dragon from may be able to provide you with the breeder's contact information, which may tell you the animal's date of birth.
Step 3. Consult your veterinarian
If none of the other methods worked, consider taking the animal to a local vet, possibly one with experience in the reptile field. A veterinarian with sufficient experience should be able to visit your bearded dragon and help you determine his age.
Your vet can examine the pogona and help you determine its age and gender
Method 2 of 3: Measure Body Size to Determine Age
Step 1. Measure your bearded dragon from the tip of the head to the tip of the tail
Until one year of life, the age of a bearded dragon can be estimated by measuring the distance from the tip of the head to the tip of the tail. Hold your dragon firmly and measure it with a tape measure to get the exact length.
Make sure you get an accurate measurement by taking it at a time when the animal is sleeping or not moving too much. If the dragon is too active and constantly moving, it will be difficult to get an accurate result
Step 2. Compare the length with the size chart
Take the measurements and compare them to the average size of bearded dragons in the first year of life. This will give you an estimate of her age, regardless of her gender.
- 3 in (7.6 cm) - 4 in (10 cm) = 0-1 months
- 5 in (13 cm) - 9 in (23 cm) = 2 months
- 8 in (20 cm) - 11 in (28 cm) = 3 months
- 9 in (23 cm) - 12 in (30 cm) = 4 months
- 11 in (28 cm) - 16 in (41 cm) = 5-6 months
- 13 in (33 cm) - 20 in (51 cm) = 7-8 months
- 16 in (41 cm) - 22 in (56 cm) = 9-12 months
Step 3. Use this method only for bearded dragons who have not reached one year of age
The comparison of sizes is effective only in the first year of the animal's life. Once passed, each dragon develops at different speeds and sizes vary too widely, even between male and female specimens.
If you believe your bearded dragon is less than a year old, this might be a good method
Method 3 of 3: Determine Age Using Sexual Maturity
Step 1. Wait for the genital differences to become evident to know for sure that your dragon is now over a year old
Examine him by looking for the protrusions located under his tail to determine when these sexual traits will finally appear. Once the protrusions are evident, the dragon has reached an age of between 8 and 12 months.
- You will not be able to identify the gender of a bearded dragon before reaching this age.
- When bearded dragons are newly born, they show no differences in size, color, shape, or any other particular type of mark. You have to wait until they have reached at least 8-12 months.
Step 2. Try to identify one or two protrusions
The easiest way to determine its sex is to look under its tail, above the cloaca. If there are two protrusions, then you probably have a male. If there is only one protrusion, it is probably a female.
Although some people claim that bearded dragon males are the only ones capable of darkening their "beard", this is not always the case
Step 3. Determine your gender by examining your femoral pores
Another way of determining sex and sexual maturity is to flip the bearded dragon over to examine its hind legs. If you can clearly see large, pronounced pores running from one leg to the other, you have a sexually mature male. If you can't see anything, you may have a girl.
Step 4. Count the months from sexual maturity
Think about the moment you first noticed the gender of your bearded dragon. When genital differences appear, your dragon has reached 8-12 months. You can then count backwards to determine the approximate age of the animal.
