Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 10 month old dragon wich I bought as a male wich stsrted some new behavior, He has started digging in his enclosure. The last time he did this was the first few days I got him. Hes been by himself since I got him and Im about 99% sure he is a male any help will be appreciated.

laying eggs isn't the only reason dragons dig. Some dig out of boredom, some dig to find a cooler place to rest. Some dig because they want to brumate and a dark burrow is where they would normally do it in the wild. Some may dig if they just saw a tasty bug disappear into the ground.

If your dragon was a female and developed infertile eggs (it is possible to happen at 10 months but it's not the normal, most won't till at least a year old, are mated, or are cooled in their first year for some reason), you should be able to feel the eggs in her stomach with gentle massasaging. She will also stop eating completely within a few days of egg laying. Digging can happen as early as a week before she is ready to lay eggs.

I am personally leary about breeders who claim their dragons are a certain sex when the dragon is less than 12" long or 6 months old. Most sexual characteristics are not even developed at that age, so there is a good margin of error. A really experienced breeder who had been sexing dragons young for a long time, may have a better change to get the sex right but there is always a margin for error.

The best way to sex a dragon is to wait till it is 6 months old or more, place the dragon on a flat surface (the palm of your hand if he is calm or a table top you can bend down to see at eye level). Make sure the dragon is facing away from you. Lift the tail up about 90 degrees, and while twisting it gently, look at the base of the tail, on the tail side of the vent, for either two bulges (or a dimple in the middle) which indicates a male, or a single central bump, which indicates a female.
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PHLdyPayne

I got my dragon when he was 7 months and 16 inches, he is now 10 months and 19 inches I did the test you wrote about and compared to a picture online and Im pretty sure he is a male (Ill take a picture if you want)He is in a 75 gallon and I took some pictures of his digging and him under the heat lamp after the digging. Maybe he is bored, I was thinking of adding some dirt to the sand so it will hold a burrow directly under the lamp its about 120 and ambient 80 where the thermometer is at.

He may be trying to find a cooler place to go. Not all dragons will make the long walk to the cool side of the cage, instead choosing to dig under something closer to the basking site. Maybe create a hide beside his basking area. Also make sure that large branch is resting directly on the bottom of the cage, as you don't want that branch to unbalance and fall on him.
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PHLdyPayne

I'd check your temps. Basking spot should really be only 105-110 and the cool side should be 75 to no more than 85 if possible. My opinion is that maybe he is digging because it's just too hot in his enclosure and he is trying to cool off.