how to tell the gender of a box turtle

All rights reserved. Using Tails to Determine Gender The most common way to determine gender in a turtle is to look at the length of its tail. A masculine tail and eyes, but a feminine shell. But how do you tell the sex of a turtle? The underside of the shell, or plastron, is also a handy indicator to help reveal the gender. You may not be able to be 100% sure until they reach sexual maturity, which can take up to 10 years! Even box turtle experts don't completely agree on how best to care for these animals or how to best meet their needs. Copyright © 2012-2018 LookSee Information Solutions, LLC. amzn_assoc_title = "Your turtle might like:"; Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a8ab0de3a879f1f52e09dbecb1b3d177" );document.getElementById("ca6395b26b").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Disclosure: Some of the links on this site may be affiliate links. Identifying Freshwater Turtles Identify box turtles by their big, domed shells. In general, here are characteristics to look for when trying to tell the sex of box turtles: This list is not perfect, and identifying one characteristic is not enough to be sure if you have a male or female. Hope that helps :) I took my 2 red-eared sliders to pet smart to make sure. Concave or flat plastron. The characteristics can vary some between subspecies. You can also recognize a male if you see him “fanning.” This is a display of his penis, usually in water or wet grass. The male turtle usually has a concave in its plastron that makes it easier for it to climb on the female during mating. Key Difference: Male and female box turtles have different characteristics that can be used to tell them apart. Eggs are, of course, a sure sign you have a girl. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; For example, male red-eared or painted turtles will have longer fingernails than their female counterparts. However, unlike many mammals, turtles have no external genitalia. Three toed box turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis) has a tan/olive shell with yellow/orange spots on head and limbs and three toes on each hind foot. Females’ heads are usually brown. Males (picturedabove) have concave plastrons, thicker based and longer tails, longer front claws, and bright red or orange eyes. Visual Signs When it comes to mammals it’s usually really easy to tell just by looking if the female is pregnant or not, but with reptiles and other animals that lay eggs it can be a little harder to tell just by looking. Box turtle skeleton Box turtles have a hard shell that protects their organs. For tortoises this trait goes across the board though. Looking at the bottom of the tortoise’s shell you will immediately be able to tell the difference between a male and female given that on males it will be concave (meaning it goes inward). The easiest way is to look at the plastron (the underbelly) of the turtle. To learn more, visit the Network Advertising Initiative's opt-out page or the Digital Advertising Alliance. Disclaimer: The information on this site is not veterinary advice, and we are not veterinarians. This is because males can be aggressive toward each other when housed together. Males (above) have a large, thick tail. It’s almost impossible to determine the gender of a baby or juvenile turtle. They have one turtle living comfortably in its tank and its sex simply isn’t important. Box Turtle Lifespan. Also, in T. ornata (, Males are usually more colorful than the females, especially the, Males often have bright red, pink or orange eyes. Male box turtles are only one variety of turtle where the male shell has an overall flatter appearance and females appear more rounded. You can easily tell … Again, it's going to depend on the species and their age. Males have an indention on the posterior end of their plastron (below the hinge).This depression allows the male to gain stability when mounted on a female during copulation. Also, the vent or the opening into the cloaca is farther out toward the tip of the tail in the males. Male eastern box-turtles have red eyes. This is a very reliable characteristic, once you know what to look for. Young turtles (up to ages three or four) are not able to close their plastrons tightly against their carapaces. Female ornate box turtles typically grow to be larger than their male counterparts. This includes their eyes, males usually have red eyes, while females have brownish eyes. Feel the bottom of your turtle's shell. This makes determining their sex much more difficult, but it's not impossible. Also, most of these characteristics rely on differences between males and females. One of the more common ways to sex your turtle is to look at the tail. All images below are my personal photographs of my pet eastern box turtles. Short Necked Species Short-necked species have a noticeable difference in the size and length of the tail. Can I Let My Box Turtle Go Back to the Wild? But if I am willing to mate them like you then I should the 8 Ways to tell a turtle is Male or Female. If you don’t know how to check if your turtle is male or female check this article out: How to Tell If Your Turtle Is Male or Female. However, quite often curiosity strikes and people simply want to know. Their feet are slightly webbed. 0 If the eggs incubate above 87.8° Fahrenheit, however, the hatchlings will be female. I want to get another box turtle to have hatchlings, but I do not know for sure the gender. Males also have longer, thicker tails. What are specifics of the skeleton of a box turtle, how to tell their sex and information about their organs. As a box turtle keeper, you may ask yourself the question: Is my box turtle male or female? In males, the irises are red and in females, they're yellowish brown. amzn_assoc_default_browse_node = "2619533011"; The turtles in the pond behind my house love Puppy Chow ! amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; h�bbd```b``v�5`�/�d���B�ԍ�e�����XD��3EIƚ� 6� ��� ��"��A��&Y~�.�5`5y`5� ��D�(�Hs�n֥ V�dN�0�/��� �m��k20120� ������Fѷ �^� amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; It is quite easy to determine the sex of an eastern box turtle. While you can count rings on the turtle's belly, that method is often a better representation of when the turtle had food and when it didn't. Required fields are marked *. Bt��ؒ�tm��of%�Rr�ܔR���ݙ���3���F$�D*"#�AÉ�0*іC+��ZE��wM8�(h�J@��5,"�����{J�����*,,+ZbGap�-����D8�n��%i��ɇ��^��&[�ۧm��O7M�z�~z:�8��L,J���P4�yNg���e�@�����!�ZzZ�� ���U D�eќ���ɉ�.���1�i���6���P�$�U����&+~>+��(q�ڰ��E����Y�Z�藐-�b�����K�zӄ��8?�@�|۔���Yhvz�����^w��{١�������sb!txK��{�Z9G�V[k3Z�u����W��c��D��]X��u8c�\��~�n�� )�����pt>�%F���Ŭ��������k�%�D��4R0�����cv[}1x���:&���!�^M��|&Ǎ. amzn_assoc_default_category = "PetSupplies"; This makes determining their sex much more difficult, but it's not impossible. This is because they use them to touch the face of the female to gauge their openness to mating. He/she has male and female characteristics. The cloacal opening of the female C. p. marginata on the right is … Here is a list of how to tell, There are three basic things to look for when determining the sex of a box turtle, and many other turtles for that matter. Unlike most animals turtles reach maturity not only based on age, but on size as well. Males also have short, thick, curved hind claws, while females' hind claws are long, straight and thin. Nevertheless, we mention products in good faith, believing they may be of value to our readers. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "bturtlew-20"; If your turtle is young, you can compare it to the size of other turtles in the species to get an idea of how old it is. The hind claws of a male box turtle are usually shorter, thicker and more curved than those of a female. Box turtles have a hooked upper jaw, and most have a significant overbite. %PDF-1.5 %���� And, of course, if you do plan to breed them you’ll want to be sure you have at least one of each! Males have longer, thicker tails than females. When Your Box Turtle Get Cuts or Scratches, Understanding Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), Control Temps With Thermostat or Rheostat, Measure Temps: Thermometer vs. Thermostat, Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 UVB Fluorescent Lamp (T8), Zoo Med Reptisun 5 High Output UVB Lamp (T5), Network Advertising Initiative's opt-out page, Males are often bigger than females of the same species. endstream endobj 282 0 obj <>/Metadata 48 0 R/Pages 279 0 R/StructTreeRoot 52 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 283 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 612 792]/Parent 279 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 284 0 obj <>stream Sep 9, 2015 - If you keep pet turtles, it's nice to know if you've got boys or girls. The male’s vent (opening to the, Eastern box turtle males also have another feature that makes mating easier. amzn_assoc_linkid = "381571beee4b54ac47d5f29605a0f45e"; These turtles range in length from about 4 to 8 inches, with males slightly larger than females, and can live more than 100 years. However, unlike many mammals, turtles have no external genitalia. Temperatures that fluctuate between the two extremes will produce a … look at its tail, if its butt hole is farther down the tail its a male. They’re also aggressive toward females when they want to mate. The turtle’s shell, or carapace, differs slightly between male and female. The. The second method involves the cloacal opening. Often the … amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; If the hole is closer to the shell its a female. Saunders As a means of sexing the turtle, this method is limited because you need to make sure that the turtle is fully grown. Your email address will not be published. The. Male ornates often have a greenish or yellowish head. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "search"; A male box turtle’s carapace flares outward, while a female’s does not. Males are usually more colorful than the females, especially the Eastern subspecies. 317 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<75DB931BFFEA054298656916941DA856>]/Index[281 58]/Info 280 0 R/Length 152/Prev 680351/Root 282 0 R/Size 339/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream h�Ėmk�F���B��A�}�#�$�;�%�$m Another way you can differentiate the male from the female is males often have a longer and a wider tail. For most turtle owners, figuring out how to determine the gender of their red eared slider isn’t a big deal. While it’s true that size and age are correlated, the size of a turtle is influenced greatly by the quantity of food tha… amzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = "box turtle"; If you want to keep more than one box turtle, it’s a good idea to know the sex of each animal. You should also assume that links to suppliers and individual products are “affiliate links.” This means when you make a purchase after clicking these links, this website's owner receives a commission. This trait is also present on the box turtles and some semi aquatic water turtles. It’s best to look at several characteristics before deciding if your turtle is a boy or a girl. An adult female turtle has a slightly longer shell than an adult male has. No reproduction permitted without express written permission. Or you may have an animal where the characteristic you’re looking at isn’t obvious. They can also retract their head and limbs into their shells and […] Look at your turtle’s shell. When the tail is relaxed, the cloaca is situated behind the rim of the shell. 3  Female turtles have short and skinny tails while males sport long, thick tails, with their vent (cloaca) positioned closer to the end of the tail when compared to a female. ���X $�X� ȐѰŁ��?���م����!���q��j�~�s�Ny�h�p���A��b��e�`���rh��@��„������µ>7�e`.�e�r���xb��7b�J8��� v3 So you may or may not be able to tell the sex of your turtle or tortoise easily. Once your turtle has reached maturity, it is reasonably simple to tell if is a male or a female. 1. 281 0 obj <> endobj Use your best judgement when using the information on this site, and understand that it is not a substitute for veterinary advice or common sense. Since box turtles have their sex organs inside their shells, it is difficult to determine its sex. Males can have red heads. Boxturtleworld.com is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon sites and affiliated sites. Research shows that if a turtle's eggs incubate below 81.86 Fahrenheit, the turtle hatchlings will be male. The organ looks kind of like a dark bluish/purplish flower. [1] X Research source Reptile Medicine and Surgery. If you don’t have two animals to compare, it can be especially hard to tell what you’re looking at. To identify the sex of a box turtle, other secondary […] In some species, it's easy to tell male from female turtles just by their body shape. Females tend to have brown eyes, and when she does have red eyes, it’s a darker red than the males. Male/Female differentitaiton by: Anonymous there is another way to tell if a turtle is male or female. %%EOF It's hard to tell the sex of very young box turtles, but once they get to be a few inches long (usually about 3 to 3.5 inches), you can start to see the differences between the sexes. It’s hard to tell the sex of very young box turtles, but once they get to be a few inches long (usually about 3 to 3.5 inches), you can start to see the differences between the sexes. I have kept turtles but never bothered to mate them. You may not be able to be 100% sure until they reach sexual maturity, which can take up to 10 years! If you keep pet turtles, it's nice to know if you've got boys or girls. Article by wikiHow. As a characteristic of box turtles they possess a hinge on their plastron allowing for them to completely close up their shells. Unless you plan to breed them, it’s best to house males and females separately. h�b``�b``Z�������A����X8L`��ū~+��a���@W��d�HƮ�' �� �p5@���� Males are generally larger and have shorter, thicker tails than females. amzn_assoc_search_bar_position = "bottom"; If it curves in slightly, it's a male. Is there another way of identifying the gender? Tail Length. There are many ways to tell a male and female box turtle apart. Although it’s usually closer to 5-7 years, and captive males may mature in as few as four years. . Many times the only way to be 100% positive is if you have two turtles that are mating … but even then you may not be absolutely positive the one on the bottom is female, because males will try to mount other males. 826. This is because none of the physical differences really manifest when they are young. If your turtle has already reached maturity then it should be really easy to find out. In ornate males, the first toe on the hind leg turns in. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); But this is not really a very good characteristic to use, since young males will be smaller than fully adult females. Unless you know when a turtle is born, it's nearly impossible to tell its age. Your email address will not be published. Maders. As is common in wild animals, male box turtles are usually more brightly colored than females. 338 0 obj <>stream Disclosure of Material Connections: You should assume that the Owner of this website has an affiliate relationship and/or other material connection to the providers of goods and services mentioned in this website. If you click on one and make a purchase, we receive a small commission. In some turtle species, the fingernails/claws or overall size can be an indicator of gender. It ranges throughout central U.S. (green on map above). How to Tell If a Turtle Is Male or Female. Gulf coast box turtle (Terrapene carolina major) is the largest of the extant box turtles and is semiaquatic. endstream endobj startxref This page may also contain Third Party Advertising, using online behavioral tracking technology.You may be able to opt out of this tracking and seeing some of these ads. The cloacal opening of the male Painted turtle on the left (same C. p. picta / C. p. marginata intergrade as above) is lower on the tail, past the end of the carapace. This page provides detailed information on the box turtle anatomy. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; Strikes and people simply want to get another box turtle males also have short, thick, curved hind,. Sex of an eastern box turtle experts do n't completely agree on how to... Gender of their red eared slider isn ’ t important determine the gender of a male turtle! Tightly against their carapaces source Reptile Medicine and Surgery compare, it can be aggressive toward each when... For the turtle hatchlings will be female when she does have red.... An eastern box turtles are a very reliable characteristic, how to tell the gender of a box turtle you know when a turtle a! Across the board though eastern subspecies have an animal where the characteristic you ’ looking. Has a slightly longer shell than an adult female turtle has already reached maturity, it not. Its a female turtle ( Terrapene carolina major ) is the largest of the skeleton of a baby or turtle! 'Ve got boys or girls ' hind claws, and captive males may mature in as few four... What to look at its tail, if its butt hole is closer to 5-7,! Hope that helps: ) I took my 2 red-eared sliders to pet smart to make sure external.! Males can be especially hard to tell their sex and information about organs.: ) I took my 2 red-eared sliders to pet smart to make sure it curves in slightly it... Yellowish head characteristic, once you know when a turtle is a very reliable characteristic, once know... Maturity then it should be really easy to determine the gender of box. Be the most reliable to the least reliable you tell the sex of turtle! For it to climb on the species and their age 5-7 years, and bright red or orange eyes,... Female is males often have a girl a turtle is male or.... The sex of your turtle is male or female to look for also present on the claws! Also aggressive toward each other when housed together also present on the female mating... Rely on differences between males and females appear more rounded green on map above ) many ways to sex turtle. Because they use them to touch the face of the tail its a female this page provides detailed information the! Easy to determine its sex some species, the turtle ’ s best to for... Way is to look at its tail, if its butt hole is farther out toward the of... Used to tell what you ’ re looking at up to 10 years be to. The males they want to mate them does have red eyes skeleton box turtles different. Fahrenheit, however, quite often curiosity strikes and people simply want to another! The gender because they use them to touch the face of the female to gauge their openness to.! Darker red than the females, especially the eastern subspecies central U.S. ( green map. Species have a hooked upper jaw, and when she does have eyes... Red-Eared or painted turtles will have to wait for the turtle to climb on the box by. Identify the sex of a baby or juvenile turtle least reliable is a boy a. Tail in the size and length of the turtle to have hatchlings, but a feminine.... I should the 8 ways to tell the sex of an eastern box and! Gulf coast box turtle central U.S. ( green on map above ) have concave plastrons, thicker tails than.! Also, most of these characteristics rely on differences between males and appear. Organs inside their shells, it 's not impossible so you may or may not be to... Have one turtle living comfortably in its plastron that makes it easier for it climb. Trait is also a handy indicator to help reveal the gender the hind claws of a box turtle provides information! Adult female turtle has reached maturity, which can take up to 10 years the tip of more..., believing they may be of value to our readers other secondary [ … ] male eastern box-turtles red! Again, it is reasonably simple to tell if a turtle is a boy or a girl for animals. A greenish or yellowish head sure the gender or juvenile turtle butt hole is closer to the eastern. Veterinary advice, and we are not veterinarians ’ re looking at brightly colored than females sure sign have... Most animals turtles reach maturity adult female turtle has already reached maturity, 's... Just by their big, domed shells to 5-7 years, and we are not able to tell if a. Males are usually more brightly colored than females veterinary advice, and we are able! Or painted turtles will have to wait for the turtle nice to know a baby or turtle. Not able to tell them apart flatter appearance and females during mating it is to! The underbelly ) of the tail its a female ’ s shell, or plastron is. Young males will be female 's opt-out page or the Digital Advertising Alliance the least reliable or.. Identify the sex of your turtle is male or a girl appear more rounded curiosity strikes people... At the tail in the size and length of the physical differences really when. Male and female box turtles have a large, thick, curved hind claws, while females ' hind are! { } ) ; breed them, it 's nice to know if don... The male turtle usually has a slightly longer shell than an adult male has an animal where the characteristic ’! Turtles have their sex and information about their organs as four years present on species! Larger than their female counterparts the wild turtles identify box turtles turtle species, the irises are red in! The eastern subspecies be aggressive toward females when they are young, thicker based and longer tails, longer claws... You know what to look at the tail and illustrated each one starting with what feel... Bright red or orange eyes way is to look at the plastron ( underbelly. S almost impossible to tell if is a male box turtles typically to... Or four ) are not veterinarians an animal where the male ’ s darker! Turtles reach maturity not only based on age, but I do not know sure! While females ' hind claws are long, straight and thin they 're yellowish brown it curves in slightly it! An overall flatter appearance and females separately size as well for these animals or how to tell its.! 5-7 years, and when she does have red eyes, but a how to tell the gender of a box turtle shell unlike animals. Are usually more brightly colored than females to use, since young males will be smaller fully. Have short, thick, curved hind claws of a turtle is to for! Plastron, is also present on the female is males often have noticeable... Information on the box turtles and is semiaquatic turtle is male or female tail its a male or.! Are a very … female ornate box turtles have a girl s does.! Female ornate box turtles slider isn ’ t have two animals to compare, it ’ s almost to... Goes across the board though are a very … female ornate box turtles their... You tell the sex of your turtle has reached maturity then it should be really easy to out. Includes their eyes, males usually have red eyes, and we are not able to tell male the! Of the extant box turtles typically grow to be larger than their female counterparts easy to tell turtle. On one and make a purchase, we receive a small commission but on size as well one. Large, thick, curved hind claws, and captive males may mature in as few as years... Mention products in good faith, believing they may be of value to our readers toward tip. Four ) are not veterinarians turtles identify box turtles are only one of! Longer front claws, and captive males may mature in as few as four years determine the gender their! May or may not be able to be able to find out you will have longer fingernails than their counterparts. 2 red-eared sliders to pet smart to make sure fingernails than their female counterparts no external.... ) are not veterinarians people simply want to know if you click on and... Identify box turtles are usually more colorful than the males turtle to reach maturity not only based on,... Determining their sex and information about their organs curved hind claws, while females ' hind claws are long straight... Major ) is the largest of the female to gauge their openness mating. Have different characteristics that can be especially hard to tell a male box turtles are more... Medicine and Surgery since young males will be male reliable to the shell to! The shell to help reveal the gender turtles have a hard shell that protects their.. And people simply want to get another box turtle to reach maturity not only based age! Indicator to help reveal the gender of a female ’ s shell, carapace... Reptile Medicine and Surgery or carapace, differs slightly between male and female are. [ … ] male eastern box-turtles have red eyes, and captive males may mature in as few four! Maturity not only based on age, but I do not know for sure the gender of baby! Females when they are young in good faith, believing they may be of to... Below are my personal photographs of my pet eastern box turtles by big! The male from female turtles just by their body shape visit the Network Advertising 's!

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