Male or female beardie???

[beknluke]

Hi Guys,
Well, as much as I hate to admit it - this one has me seriously confused.
I have kept beardies for a good few years now and have never had any issues in sexing them, no matter whether they're hatchies or adults.
But yesterday, I acquired a new lizard. It was sold to me as a red phase female (over the phone) and as much as I am yet to see any red colouring on her back etc, I can definitely see the dusty orange around her eyes and throughout her beard.
She has a hideous attitude on her which includes hissing, attempting to bite, and not wanting to be held at all. Sounds to me like your typical 'raised in a pit with no human contact' type lizard.
But the strangest things have been happening yesterday afternoon and today. She's been puffing out her beard, strutting around like she owns the place, puffing her whole body up to make it look bigger, attacking the male etc etc. The TODAY, her beard went black - like 'boy black', to the point where one of my females started arm waving at her!
I have checked out the underside of the tail. There's nothing very obvious there, but after putting some pressure on it, I could feel one single bump in the middle. Female. Also, the little 'dots' that they have on their thighs are not very noticeable. Female. But this black beard is throwing me RIGHT out. Here are some pics - what do you guys think??

Even the back half of the tail and a bit of the chest goes black!! I must say - this one's got me stumped. Any suggestions welcomed, and if I don't get to the bottom of it, I will be bringing 'shim' along to the BBQ.

Bex

 

[hey_im_sam]

I've had an adult female (definate) beardie that went as black as that.. and displayed behavioural signs of a male as well. If you lift the tail and it tells you female, that's what I'd believe - i've just seen the occasional beardie who's attitude and behaviour doesnt mesh with their sex.

 

[beknluke]

Thanx Sam
lol - my Mum was commenting that maybe I had one of those 'dykes on bikes' type female beardies!!

 

[hey_im_sam]

Haha yeah they do exist!!! Be interesting to see if there are any other comments here, but i'm pretty confident in what I told ya. I'm getting 6 new little guys in about 1/2 hour... excited

 

[beknluke]

Ohhh - that's right, you mentioned them in chat the other day!! Good luck with them, and post some pics when they're showing their colours!!
I reckon she's probably a girl too, but still, it's nice to get some opinions!

 

[angelrose]

lol - my Mum was commenting that maybe I had one of those 'dykes on bikes' type female beardies!!

lol, my female does this all the time, if you ask me she looks like a gold phase, heres a pic of mine female in full colours.

 

[Greebo]

Why is the page so wide?? Oh Angelrose postes a photo again.

 

[angelrose]

Aww leave me alone greebles! Your a picture nazi!!!

 

[Guest]

yeah check under the tail if it looks like a female it probably is

 

[beknluke]

Thanx guys - though I must say that us aussies with all of these different terms for the colours is a bit crazy. As far as I am concerned, if the lizard is orange in colour, its orange phase, red in colour, red phase, yellow in colour, yellow phase. I get lost with all of this 'blonde' and 'gold' and 'ochre' crap.. No offence everyone!! lol - it just seems crazy.
I reckon that she is either orange, or yes - red, since her entire beard has gone back to red now. I am just waiting for her to get over her 'moving house hissy fit' so that her back colours up properly We'll see!!
Bex

 

[neven]

my female has a black beard when wanting to mate aswell. goes as black as my male. i have also seen her puff it out and do all that you described. i no mines female bcos she has laid eggs. weird animals ay
nev

 

[Greebo]

Just because it has a black beard doesnt mean it's male.
We have a woman at work who has a moustache......I haven't checked under her tail though...

 

[beknluke]

ROTFLMAO - you're cheeky!!