Female head-bobbing?

[Kacymyree]

So i rescued a bearded dragon off craigslist about a month and a half ago. She's doing great and i haven't had any problems with her. I was told she is a little over a year old and she is FEMALE. I never doubted her age because she is 17 inches in length from head to the tip of her tail.

We got a six month old dragon for my sister for christmas and as soon as my dragon(pancake) saw the baby she flipped out. she ran over to the new dragons tank and began to head bob and "her" beard turned pitch black.

The dragons are in seperate enclosures (55 gal tanks) but they are side by side.I keep a blanket between the two tanks so Pancake can't see the new dragon( who we were also told was female). If Pancake gets
a glimpse of the new dragon she will start her head bobbing routine again and her beard will turn back.

So, i guess i'm asking... are these behaviors strictly for males ? or is there a chance my "female" may still be a female.

 

[Twobeardieguy]

The only real way is to sex her or him, here is a good write up and if you post a picture we can probably tell better. http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/sexing/ Good luck.

 

[Kacymyree]

The only real way is to sex her or him, here is a good write up and if you post a picture we can probably tell better. http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/sexing/ Good luck.

I read that article when I first saw her display the head bobbing. I lifted the tail just as directed and as clear as day I saw a single bulge towards the center of the tail. I'll try my best to check again tomorrow and possibly get a picture. So are you saying females bobbing their head is just showing dominance?

 

[Freeie]

Some females headbob and blackbeard. We have 2 males very hormonal throw fits if they see another. We have 3 females and 2 out of the 3 will throw fits headbob slap their foot down only 1 of them blackbeards. She blackbeards and headbobs us too shes one grumpy girl.

Shes pretty much telling the other one *Um hello this is my area get lost* Its 100% normal. I put background on the ends of the vivs so they cant see eachother. It helps a ton.

 

[Kacymyree]

Thank you i put up paper so they couldn't see eachother. Pancake seems like she calmed down. Hopefully she doesn't hate the baby

 

[jacqui778]

Some females headbob and blackbeard.

Some?! Seems like all of them do it nowadays, except for the extremely laid back ones!

I know your situation exactly, except mine is reversed. I have a juvie who beards my grown 16.5'' female rescue! MoMo is just territorial, over me and her space. She just says, "This is my space, my slave, I was here first, don't think about trying anything!" So I can never have them out at the same time, or let Gem have free roam in my lounge, for fear MoMo will see her and throw a fit. Luckily, Gem couldn't care less. I do have to move someone's viv into my room as soon as we get rid of an old dresser that's in there now, because MoMo has learned she can see Gem from her viv, and I come home to a very stressed out juvie.

Neither black bearding or bobbing and waving are restricted just to males. Actually, the only real way to tell males and females apart are by sexing. Not even size has a say in the gender of the beardie.

Jacqui

 

[Kacymyree]

Some females headbob and blackbeard.

Some?! Seems like all of them do it nowadays, except for the extremely laid back ones!

I know your situation exactly, except mine is reversed. I have a juvie who beards my grown 16.5'' female rescue! MoMo is just territorial, over me and her space. She just says, "This is my space, my slave, I was here first, don't think about trying anything!" So I can never have them out at the same time, or let Gem have free roam in my lounge, for fear MoMo will see her and throw a fit. Luckily, Gem couldn't care less. I do have to move someone's viv into my room as soon as we get rid of an old dresser that's in there now, because MoMo has learned she can see Gem from her viv, and I come home to a very stressed out juvie.

Neither black bearding or bobbing and waving are restricted just to males. Actually, the only real way to tell males and females apart are by sexing. Not even size has a say in the gender of the beardie.

Jacqui

Thank you very much ! I've checked Pancake twice and i'm positive shes female. I have a divider so they cant see each other .. this has helped alot. Thank you for your imput, story, and information

 

[ColoradoRiverRafter]

I agree with all of the above posters.