Short of following it to the loos.
2006-10-20 04:08:51 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Reptiles
(Wow. 18 answers, and only a few are even partially right!)
WRONG ways: You CANNOT tell the sex of a turtle by shell patterns (although you can tell the species that way), probing the opening (that is for snakes), or asking it
Ways that work with SOME species: Long foreclaws show up on male sliders and cooters (pond turtles). The long gular plates (the front under part of the shell) work for a couple species like Gopher tortoises. Eye color can help with some species of box turtles. In many species, the male is smaller- but that is hard to use in most cases- it might just be younger.
There are two things we can use most of the time- although even they will not work with younger turtles or tortoises.
TAIL- male tails are long and slender, with the cloaca (opening vent) nearer the end. Females are short, wide, and the cloaca is near the base.
PLASTRON (belly shell)- female is flat or outcurved for room for the eggs. Male is incurved for better fit during mating.
2006-10-20 04:53:30 · answer #1 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The shell on the belly of a female will be flat, a male will concave for mating. If the tortoise is smell you may not see a difference right a way.
2006-10-20 11:14:41 · answer #2 · answered by ol9_hippie 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
A male tortoise has a cup shaped underside (concave) to ease mating.
2006-10-20 11:14:11 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
its very hard to tell but girls usually walk about with their bums (the little thing that they stick out when they going to loo) out all the time and boys tend to tuck into the shell either to the left or to the right, boys have a slight indentation in their shell underneath for mating purposes.
2006-10-20 11:22:46 · answer #4 · answered by bez 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
the tail, is shorter on the female and longer and curves round to the side on a male, im sure thats the right way around it could be the other way, do a web search on www.prestigeherps
2006-10-22 11:37:14 · answer #5 · answered by carasr32 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Use another tortoise of an already established gender and see how the two interact.
2006-10-20 11:11:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
people are so rude you cant even ask serious ?'s Well I have a turtle I've had him for two years i really dont know how to care for it. It wont eat anything I give it but he poops so im assuming when i put him in my backyard he eats. But anyways this book i have says if they have bright red eyes they are males and if they have dark colored eyes they are females I hope this helps if not go to ask jeeves.com and ask good luck if you have any tips for me i would greatly appreciate it about taking good care of him and feeding him thanks. I wish i knew what kind of turtle he was
2006-10-20 13:16:41 · answer #7 · answered by WeFlyHigh 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Males tend to have a longer, protruding neck plate than their female counterparts
2006-10-20 11:11:20 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
it depends on which species it is but generally the males have longer thinner tails and the females have shorter fatter ones.
2006-10-20 11:43:07 · answer #9 · answered by fenlandfowl 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Something to do with the concaved shell of the "male"
2006-10-20 15:47:48 · answer #10 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋