Egg Laying

[RachaelAnn]

I wasn't sure where to post this topic, hence this looked the most appropriate.

I have read that females will lay eggs whether a mate is present or not. I have a few questions about this. The questions below are ones that I couldn't find a definitive answer to.

1- How often do they lay?

2- Approximately how big are bearded dragon eggs, and what color(s) are they? The pics I have seen online show them as a "dirty white" color.

3- Do they lay then abandon the egg(s) or do they stay to protect them? From what I have read, it seems they abandon their eggs, which is consistent with my limited knowledge of other reptiles.

4- If their instinct is to protect, what would be a safe way to remove infertile eggs from the enclosure without my female attacking me?

5- Does a female show any signs I should look for when she is getting ready to lay? From what I have read, sluggishness is a sign, but my female is lazy as it is.

6- What kind of health risks are present during this time?

7- Are they like snakes eggs? Soft and leathery, or like bird eggs with a fragile shell?

8- How aggressive will my male become when my female is in her laying period?

9- Being Australian animals, yet being born and bred here in the northern hemisphere, how does this affect their breeding/laying "schedule" for lack of a better word? Do the seasons being reversed have any effect on when they lay?

10- Exactly what should I do with eggs I remove?



That's all the questions I can think of at the moment. If I think of any more I'll post them. If anyone responding thinks of one in which I didn't ask, but should have, I would appreciate it being brought to my attention as well.

Ave

 

[AHBD]

Hi Rachel, some dragons will lay and others will not. Usually after 1 year of age but can be a little earlier [ rarely ] or a first clutch can come as a surprise at age 7,8,or even 9. Again, that's also rare. The eggs are easily taken from the female,, I've done it many times. They do their best to hide the eggs but show no interest afterwards. Eggs are soft + leathery , plump and white if they are fertile but sometimes can be somewhat plump even if infertile but are usually smaller. Many infertile eggs look like half filled water balloons. There are some pics here in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=166108

Most females have a pretty big appetite as the eggs develop but then stop eating 1-4 days [ on average ] before laying , then become interested in digging around the tank. Male + female dragons should not be kept together for risk of injury and/or a male that stresses the female by constant mating attempts. There's some of your Q's answered.