Beardies, also known as bearded dragons, are a popular pet lizard that originate from Australia. Female beardies can lay anywhere from 1 to 35 eggs per clutch, with an average of around 8 to 18 eggs. The number of clutches a female can produce in a breeding season varies based on factors like nutrition, age, size, and health.
Quick Answers
Here are some quick answers to common questions about how many babies beardies can have:
- Female bearded dragons generally lay between 1 and 35 eggs per clutch.
- The average clutch size is around 8 to 18 eggs.
- Bearded dragons can produce multiple clutches in one breeding season.
- Older, larger females typically produce more eggs per clutch.
- Well-fed, healthy females lay more eggs more frequently.
- Females may produce 2 to 5 clutches per breeding season on average.
- So in a season, a female could potentially lay anywhere from 2 to 175 babies. But average is around 16 to 90 babies.
Clutch Size
The number of eggs a female beardie lays in a single clutch can range from just 1 egg to as many as 35. However, on average, most clutches contain 8 to 18 eggs. Some key factors impacting clutch size include:
- Age – Older females tend to lay more eggs per clutch. Baby beardies under 18 months rarely breed successfully.
- Size – Larger females can accommodate more eggs. Weight over 300g is best for breeding.
- Health & nutrition – Well-fed, healthy females produce bigger clutches.
- Environment – Proper humidity, temperature and habitat encourage breeding.
- Genetics – Some bloodlines naturally produce more offspring.
As a general rule, most healthy adult females kept as pets lay clutches in the range of 8-18 eggs. Smaller females under 300g may only lay 1-6 eggs. Larger females 500g+ can lay 25 eggs or more in ideal conditions.
Average Clutch Sizes
| Female Size | Average Clutch Size |
|---|---|
| Under 300g | 1-6 eggs |
| 300-500g | 8-15 eggs |
| Over 500g | 15-25+ eggs |
Clutches Per Season
In addition to varying clutch sizes, female bearded dragons can produce multiple clutches per breeding season. Most females breed between February and September in the wild, bringing the total breeding season to 6-7 months.
During this time, females can produce anywhere from 1 to 5 clutches, with 2 to 3 being most common. Each clutch is laid around 3-5 weeks apart. Therefore, a female lays around 8-12 clutches per year on average.
However, captive breeding and ideal conditions can extend this season and allow for more clutches. Some breeders produce females that lay up to 5 clutches per season.
Key factors impacting number of clutches include:
- Photoperiod – Regulating day length can extend breeding season.
- Temperature – Warmer temperatures bring out breeding behavior.
- Diet – Proper nutrition provides energy for breeding.
- Health – Disease can inhibit successful breeding.
- Genetics – Some lines produce more frequently.
Average Clutches Per Season
| Conditions | Avg. Clutches/Season |
|---|---|
| Wild beardies | 2-3 clutches |
| Captive beardies | 3-5 clutches |
| Prolific breeders | 5+ clutches |
Total Number of Babies
By combining average clutch size and clutches per season, we can estimate the potential number of babies a female beardie can produce each breeding season.
Most pet beardies probably produce around 2-4 clutches per season with 8-18 eggs per clutch. This equals:
- 2 clutches x 12 eggs per clutch = 24 babies
- 3 clutches x 15 eggs per clutch = 45 babies
- 4 clutches x 18 eggs per clutch = 72 babies
Therefore, a typical range for most captive beardies is around 24 to 72 babies per season.
Prolific breeders with large clutch sizes can produce over 100 babies in ideal conditions. For example:
- 5 clutches x 18 eggs per clutch = 90 babies
- 4 clutches x 25 eggs per clutch = 100 babies
On the other hand, smaller or less healthy females may only produce 1 small clutch, leading to less than 10 babies per season.
Potential Baby Range
| Scenario | Low End | High End |
|---|---|---|
| Pet beardie | 24 babies | 72 babies |
| Prolific breeder | 90 babies | 175 babies |
Factors Impacting Offspring
Several key factors influence both clutch size and frequency, which impacts total babies produced. These include:
- Age – Older females over 18 months generally produce more babies.
- Size – Heavier females over 300g lay bigger, more frequent clutches.
- Health – Disease or poor nutrition limits reproductive ability.
- Breeding Season – Regulating seasons with light and heat extend breeding timeframe.
- Genetics – Some bloodlines are naturally more prolific.
- Male presence – Exposure to males stimulates breeding behavior.
Optimizing these factors is key to maximizing offspring. Providing proper care, nutrition, environment and genetics helps beardie females reach their full reproductive potential.
Incubation and Hatch Rates
Once a female beardie lays a clutch of eggs, they must be incubated to hatch. The hatch rate refers to the percentage of laid eggs that successfully hatch into healthy babies.
With proper incubation conditions, beardie eggs have high hatch rates of 85-95%. However, improper temperatures, humidity or handling can reduce hatch rates to 50% or less.
Newly hatched beardies are around 3-4 inches long and weigh 4-6 grams. They require meticulous care and housing separate from adults until 2-3 months old.
Incubation Periods and Hatch Rates
| Incubation Temp | Incubation Period | Avg. Hatch Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 78°F | 85-90 days | 70-80% |
| 82°F | 60-70 days | 85-95% |
| 86°F | 50-55 days | 90-95% |
Caring for Baby Bearded Dragons
Caring for baby beardies is demanding but rewarding. Here are some key tips for raising healthy babies:
- House babies separately from adults until 4-5 months old.
- Feed 2-3 times daily with the appropriate protein sources like insects.
- Offer fruits and vegetables starting at 1 month old.
- Provide proper heating and UVB lighting for healthy growth.
- Monitor temperatures and humidity in the tank.
- Have hides available to reduce stress.
- Handle babies gently to avoid injury.
With dedication from a knowledgeable owner, baby beardies can thrive. Many owners find breeding beardies incredibly enjoyable.
Conclusion
Female bearded dragons can produce sizable clutches of 1-35 eggs, with an average of around 8-18 eggs per clutch. In a typical breeding season, females may lay 2-5 clutches spaced 3-5 weeks apart. Therefore, the total number of babies a female can have per season ranges approximately from 24-175, with a typical pet beardie having 24-72 babies in a single season under ideal conditions. Factors like age, size, health, genetics, environment, and season length impact how many clutches and eggs a female can produce. With proper incubation, most eggs hatch successfully into healthy babies that require meticulous care. Breeding beardies can be very rewarding but requires dedication to raising the babies properly. In the right environment with optimal conditions, female bearded dragons can produce impressive numbers of offspring.
