I have a pair of Albadras that are about 2 years old and I would love to know if there are a male female pair. I was all but guaranteed by the breeder but I would like to know for sure. I understand that they are a long way off from being able to tell visually. Is there another way? I was told by one sulcata breeder that you can use a Avian DNA test test but I have found no other info to back that up. I have also heard of scoping but I don't know much about it or how to find a vet that I would trust.
Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you
Chip

Hi Chip,
The DNA tests won't work, they've tried it on Galapagos tortoises. It's more of a hormone test when your talking tortoises, looking for testosterone. They found that they don't produce any hormones if there is an adult male around. They don't until they reach a certain size and by then they are visually sexable. It keeps the adult males from kicking the young males butts all the time.
It probably works the same way with Aldabras.
You might want to PM Ed, EJ on the forum. He has had the scoping procedure done on quite a few of his Aldabras and I'm sure he can steer you in the right direction.

Danny

Hi Chip:

I received a couple Aldabrans as hatchlings about 6 years ago. They are now about 50 and 60lbs . When they were small there was a distinct difference between the two when looking at the anal scutes. One had a "U" shape and the other had a "V" shape. As they got bigger, the anal scutes all but disappeared, looking almost straight across. But last summer as they were facing away from me and eating (relaxed) I noticed that there is quite a big difference in their tails. The larger tortoise has a very fat and longer tail, while the smaller one's tail is much shorter and not so fat. So I'm pretty sure that I have a male and a female. It goes more by size than by years.

Yvonne

That is some great info Danny. Thank you very much.

Yvonne do you think if I were to post a pic you could have an idea? I know they are still very small but I would love to know. Just tell me what angles and anything else you may need.

Thank you both

Chip

Take a good shot of the plastron so that we can see the tail and the anal scutes.

Yvonne

Dan, thanks for the plug...

I have this note I love to tell.

I've seen about 100+ Aldabras adults and babies. More babies than adults.

At about 200lbs you can maybe tell the sexes.

There is one account of an animal which was pruchased as a female. She was 300lbs+. She was a female until the sclong was observed. Short tail and flat plastron...

This is the best one...

I've been selling Aldabs for about 7 years now. Out of each group I would keep 2 for myself. The first one I kept was an obvious male at 4 inches. All the others babies I selected for what I though where female traits... Short tail... u instead of V... smaller head... rounder body...

I kept 9. When I had them sexed surgically... 2 were female. I'd of done better had I flipped a coin.

You cannot tell unless you look at the gonads.

I know one person who took his pair to the vet to have it endoscoped up the cloaca to look for the penis... he had a pair. The problem is that the female has a similar organ so that is not really possoble outside of flipping a coin.

It costs about 200 to $300 for the procedure but if you are looking at them as an investment it's worth it.

That is quite interested Ed, thanks for sharing that info.

ok the one i was told was a male is on the left



male?



female?



male?



female?




I hope these pics can help.

Flip a coin.

There is no way you can tell by looking at them at that size.

Ed
I total understand what you are saying. With the money I have already invested in these great animals I don't think a few hundred would kill me. The problem I find is how do I find a vet that has a laparoscope in my area that is also well versed in geochelone