HOW CAN I TELL WHAT s*x MY TURTLE IS?

Question

HOW CAN I TELL WHAT s*x MY TURTLE IS?

Answer 1

Peek and Haley H are both correct, no point in myself repeating the same words.

Answer 2

does it have a ding-a-ling?

Answer 3

if its a red ear or mud turtle, its nails is the easiest way (males have long nails, much like a buck having antlers) or by the bottom of its shell being concave or convex, any reptile forum can help you with species specific information

Answer 4

Telling apart a Male from a Female can be pretty hard if the turtle is at a young stage, but easier as the turtle grows older into juveniles and adults. It doesn't really rely on age, but rather by size. This features will be easily visible on turtles of 4" or larger, depending on over all average size of your species of turtle. Note: This Male/Female information can be applied to sliders and other turtles of similar race. Not all turtles will display these features.

First off, the male turtle usually tends to have a concave plastron (bottom shell). The reason for this is because he has to stay on the female's carapace (upper shell) to breed. It would be rather hard to do this task if the shell was flat. He would be slipping and falling off of her. Another attribute the male has is a much longer and thicker shell, then that of the female. The anal hole is also usually past the carapacial rim (end of shell). He must slide his tail under hers to copulate. On some species, longer foreclaws are prevelant. .

Some species that have them are Painted, Sliders, Cooters, and Map turtles. These claws are used in some sort of breeding ritual. The male will show the appearance of caressing the females cheeks. Of course they have more purposes than just breeding. They are used in showing dominance to another turtle, stating "This is my territory, I'm telling you to stay out of it," or just a simple "Hi, how are you doing?" Coloration in some species is also an indicator of s*x. In male Box turtles, the male tends to have red eyes. In Spotted turtles, males have tan chins and brown eyes.

There are also ways to tell if your turtle is a female. The first of course is to look at the plastron, females are flat or slightly convex. The reasoning behind this is because, she has to hold the eggs, and she wouldn't have enough room to do so if she was like the male and it was concave. The tail of a female is short and the anal opening is before the carapacial rim. In most species of turtle, the female's front claws are short, they do not have to show breeding rituals because the female doesn't have to convince the male who she is. The one that says who breeds is the female. Coloration is also an indicator in this gender as well. Female Box turtles usually have brown eyes.

Male turtles also will have their reproductive organs come out of their opening on the tail . This is commonly known as prolapse. This condition is perfectly normal, and is most often confused with an organ prolapse. It doesn't hurt much, but it is very annoying. It's a normal occurrence and we don't know why it happens. Make sure you watch your turtle so it

goes back in. If this happens a lot, it may cause distress. You might need the help of a veterinarian. If your turtle is on dry land when this happens, put us in luke warm water to help keep it moist. Occasionally, the erect reproductive organ remains fully engorged and cannot be retracted. This condition is called paraphimosis. Veterinary intervention is necessary in these cases to prevent permanent damage to the reproductive organ.

Those are the easiest and most basic ways to tell if you have a male or female turtle. Almost all species follow these rules, but not all. Some female Box turtles have red eyes, while some males have brown eyes. Some male specimens have shown a short tail. The above is what the majority show. Baby turtles do not usually display these characteristics until they mature.

Answer 5

Aquatic turtles like Sliders, cooter, painted, map, yellow bellied all are basically the same and require the same basic care. All males have long front nails and fatter tails are smaller in size like 8 to 10". Females short nails and grow to be 12", but rarel in captivity.  Maturity happens at about 5 yrs old.  I have had my 2 slider  girls for 36 yrs. Plus an 8 and 5 yr old and now a . Been in a pond for almost 7 yrs now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29035692@N0...

The bigger the environment the bigger the healthier the turtle.

Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light UVA for 8 to 10 hrs a day for the vitamin D that they need to grow. So that means getting a turtle dock also.

Leave the heater on 75 to 78 degrees always.

Their water needs to be clean otherwise they get sick easily from dirty water cause they p**p allot.

You need a good filter system! Gravel larger than they can swallow.

You need to feed them feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows for protein and calcium daily drop 20 or so in the tanks and watch them disappear! This way when they swim for their dinner they get exercise also!

They can have garden worm, meal worms, crickets, flies anything that moves!

They need leafy greens Romaine, Butter lettuce. (Iceberg and cabbage are bad for them, any other leafy greens will do) for vitamin A that they need at least 3 to 4 times a week.

You probably already know that they get sick easily, shell rot, respiratory sickness, lopsided swimming, coughing, blowing bubbles, Swollen cloudy eyes means lacking in Vitamin A. Which we all need for good eyes. Google ‘vegetables with Vitamin A.

Answer 6

There is a very long and complicated way of finding out the s*x of a turtle. It involves flipping it, checking whether it has a p***s or a v****a and then determining it's s*x by using Newton's Eighteenth Law of Thermodynamics that 'whatever has a p***s is a male. whatever has a v****a, is a female'

Really complex stuff.  

Answer 7

Chances are that you can't tell yet, not safely, anyway. Once the turtle is large enough to be sexually mature, you can tell. You don't mention the kind of turtle you have, so I'll give you the general rule. Look at the underside of the tail and find the vent. With the tail held straight back, us the vent under the upper shell or beyond it. If beyond, you have a mature male. If under the shell, you have either a female or an immature male.