# What gender are my 2 russian torts?



## zacheyp (Jun 17, 2012)

What gender are my 2 russian torts? Tortoise number 1 is aprox. 10 years old(about 6 inches). Tort number 2 is about 6 years old(about 5 inches) (i just got him) thanks!
(just so everybody knows the torts are being kept in seperate enclosures)


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Jun 17, 2012)

Looks like a male on the left and female on the right.


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## zacheyp (Jun 17, 2012)

Thanks!!! Does it make sense that the female is smaller?


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Jun 17, 2012)

Well it really all depends. Do you positively know their age? Are they wild caught or captive bred?


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## zacheyp (Jun 17, 2012)

I dont know the answer to either of those questions sadly. I know i have had the male forever and he hasn't grown much. The female has not grown much in the 3 years that she lived with the previous owner according to the previous owner.

Although i'm guessing their wild caught


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Jun 17, 2012)

If they are wildcaught then its impossible to know exactly how old they are. You can guess around there age but its just a guess. Wildcaught russians seem to not really grow too much once in captivity.


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## zacheyp (Jun 17, 2012)

I'd like to breed them. Can i just let them go outside together and see what happens?


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Jun 17, 2012)

I would get your female comfortable by herself and save my money for at least two more females. I think russians are the most aggressive breeders that I have seen and if there is only one female she will be stressed out to the max.


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## zacheyp (Jun 17, 2012)

I'm only going to introduce them for a brief period of time and not for a few weeks is that ok?


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Jun 17, 2012)

I wouldnt unless your male is a horn dog already. Once you put them together thats all he will ever think about even when by himself.


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## zacheyp (Jun 17, 2012)

Out of curiosity what are the apoxomite success rates of russian tortoise breeding?


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Jun 17, 2012)

They are one of the harder tortoises to breed in captivity.


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## zacheyp (Jun 17, 2012)

anything i can do to improove my odds?


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## dmmj (Jun 17, 2012)

First one male, second one I could not see the tail clearly, but it could be a small male. Russians are notoriously hard to breed, an outdoor enclosure and separation except during mating would probably improve your chances.


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Jun 17, 2012)

Get multiple females and introduce your male to them. Keep him with them for a few days and give them two weeks apart and repeat.


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## zacheyp (Jun 17, 2012)

once i see the male mount the female should i not reintroduce her 2 weeks later?


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## dmmj (Jun 17, 2012)

Mounting does not always mean male/female. Just FYI


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Jun 17, 2012)

With one female I would only keep them together for like a day every two weeks. Russian males are relentless and with only one female once he sees her he wont want to do anything else.


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## zacheyp (Jun 17, 2012)

Ok so here is my plan, how does it sound?
Tomorrow i will feed my torts in the morning (probably some green leaf lettuce)
Then i will bathe them
then i will take them outside for a few hours, let them interact and see what happens...


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Jun 17, 2012)

Most people quarantine new torts for around 6 months. I would wait at least a couple weeks before you introduce them to see if the new tort is healthy and doesnt get your male sick.


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## Akronic (Jun 21, 2012)

i have my male with 3 females all the time, and he never really bothers them. the male is 4 5/8" and the females range in size from 4 1/2"-5 1/8" my guess is none of them are sexually mature. they are all wild caught, i have read that there are some ways to encourage matting behavior, like keeping them well fed for the first year them kinda tapering them off for a few months during the winter, also they have to be old enough, wich if your male is 10yrs old he probably is but the female may not be.


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## Laura (Jun 21, 2012)

large natural enclosure and at least two females


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## TortoiseBoy1999 (Jun 21, 2012)

zacheyp said:


> What gender are my 2 russian torts? Tortoise number 1 is aprox. 10 years old(about 6 inches). Tort number 2 is about 6 years old(about 5 inches) (i just got him) thanks!
> (just so everybody knows the torts are being kept in seperate enclosures)



I'm thinking the first one boy and second one I don't know.


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