# Sexing a hatchling



## doctrin13th (Nov 25, 2011)

In Tom's "The End of Pyramiding", he named the hatchlings and even address them as "HE". I wonder. Is it possible to know the gender of a hatchling? If so, how? 

Please teach me.  I have a hatchling less than a year in age.

And how can I "mark" my tortoise so that if ever I buy another couple or more, I can point who's who. Or is there a physically unique natural mark (e.g human birthmarks) that distinguish one from another.

Thank you.


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## dmmj (Nov 25, 2011)

You can't sex hatchlings reliably, as for referring to them as "he" I believe it is grammatically correct to refer to them as such. Me I just tend to call them he sometimes even after I know the sex.


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## N2TORTS (Nov 25, 2011)

As Dj pointed out ....he/she is a reference name at this point. Some breeders will try and determine sexing using temperature/settings during incubation. Usually the higher the temp produce more females , lower temps will produce males.
Of course there is a trade off to this with possibilities of a less successfully hatching rate when playing with temperatures . 
Happy Tort~N 
JD~


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## dmarcus (Nov 25, 2011)

I agree with what has been said. I refer to one of my sulcata's as a he and the other as she even though I don't know the sex. I think its better than saying "it" or always putting "he/she" when I write something about them..


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## Tom (Nov 25, 2011)

Yep. No reliable way that I know of. Every once in a while I'll see a hatchling and be able to tell, but usually not. I picked Daisy as a female and her clutchmate Peanut that went to my nephew as a male when they were 3 months old. On the other hand I have two year and a half olds that I can't tell at all.


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## Madkins007 (Nov 25, 2011)

I used a mail-order pet psychic to determine the gender of my babies. All I had to do was to send in a photo (that had been rubbed on the baby in question) and a big old check and she gave me a reading that she promised would be good for the next three years.

I don't want to share her name here on the open forum, but if you send ME the photo and money (in a check made out to me, she doesn't soil herself handling money) I will send you the results- and remember- the results are guaranteed accurate for three years!


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## Jacqui (Nov 25, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> I used a mail-order pet psychic to determine the gender of my babies. All I had to do was to send in a photo (that had been rubbed on the baby in question) and a big old check and she gave me a reading that she promised would be good for the next three years.
> 
> I don't want to share her name here on the open forum, but if you send ME the photo and money (in a check made out to me, she doesn't soil herself handling money) I will send you the results- and remember- the results are guaranteed accurate for three years!



 So sad Mark it has come down to this.   On the other hand, I could use a little extra money.... Ummm my psychic charges less then Mark's. Same deal, send me the picture and money and I'll pass it on to her.


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## DesertGrandma (Nov 25, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> I used a mail-order pet psychic to determine the gender of my babies. All I had to do was to send in a photo (that had been rubbed on the baby in question) and a big old check and she gave me a reading that she promised would be good for the next three years.
> 
> I don't want to share her name here on the open forum, but if you send ME the photo and money (in a check made out to me, she doesn't soil herself handling money) I will send you the results- and remember- the results are guaranteed accurate for three years!


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## Terry Allan Hall (Nov 25, 2011)

Actually, I'm a part-time pet psychic and my predictions are reliable for up to 5 years...and I can reliably tell you what they're feeling, too.

Accept no cheesy substitutes. 

Paypal only.


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## doctrin13th (Nov 25, 2011)

I agree with dalano73 
it's much better addressing my pet as "he/she" instead of it. They are part of the family 
that's why i would like to as early as hatchling stage the gender.
while unfortunately, i'm informed that it's not reliable! hehe
I just wondered and thought maybe Tom knows how 

o well, thank you guys for the replies. 

And how can I "mark" my tortoise so that if ever I buy another couple or more, I can point who's who. Or is there a physically unique natural mark (e.g human birthmarks) that distinguish one from another.


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## nikki0601 (Nov 25, 2011)

I dont know the sex of any of my turtles or tortoise yet I rely on my feeling as I get to know each of them... My Sully, in my mind, is def a male, lol..


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## grogansilver (Nov 26, 2011)

I figured out how you can sex a tortoise! as baby, or an adult! and it should work, "maybe" buy a women's ovulation kit when the turtle you pick up urinates on you get a sample of it put it on that sample test strip and if its a male it wont give you a reading but if its a female it will tell you when she is expected to be fertile which will then be obvious to you then that it must be a female could this work you think?


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## N2TORTS (Nov 26, 2011)

grogansilver said:


> I figured out how you can sex a tortoise! as baby, or an adult! and it should work, "maybe" buy a women's ovulation kit when the turtle you pick up urinates on you get a sample of it put it on that sample test strip and if its a male it wont give you a reading but if its a female it will tell you when she is expected to be fertile which will then be obvious to you then that it must be a female could this work you think?


I like your thinkingâ€¦..here is what the test is actually looking for. 
Pregnancy test strips work by detecting pregnancy hormone from the urine sample. This hormone named hCG or human chorionic gonadotropin is a glycoprotein hormone that is produced by the developing embryo during pregnancy

The hCG Urine Pregnancy Test Strip is a test kit for the determination of hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) in urine specimens. This test kit is used to obtain a visual, qualitative result for the early detection of pregnancy. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein hormone secreted by the developing placenta shortly after fertilization. The appearance of hCG soon after conception and its subsequent rise in concentration during early gestational growth make it an excellent marker for the early detection of pregnancy. 
JD~


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## Tom (Nov 26, 2011)

Oh. That should work for a hatchling reptile...


"...... ummm, hello? McFly?..."


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## grogansilver (Nov 26, 2011)

Tom said:


> Oh. That should work for a hatchling reptile...
> 
> 
> "...... ummm, hello? McFly?..."


  ill tell you Tom one Day im gonna invent something!!! "you see"


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## Tom (Nov 26, 2011)

grogansilver said:


> Tom said:
> 
> 
> > Oh. That should work for a hatchling reptile...
> ...



I'm so glad you "got" that! Funny.



At three months old, In January of 2008, I GUESSED this to be female.





This is my Daisy.


This is her clutchmate, Peanut, who was taken home on the same day by my brother in law and my nephew. I GUESSED this one male.






Nearly four years later, it turns out I was right on both. BUT again, it is unusual for this to happen. Most of the time they are right in between, showing no real signs one way or the other. When guessing the sex, personality IS part of the equation for me. I do see some general differences between the sulcata sexes, but there are exceptions sometimes.


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## N2TORTS (Nov 26, 2011)

grogansilver said:


> Tom said:
> 
> 
> > Oh. That should work for a hatchling reptile...
> ...



I'M already working on it .....


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## doctrin13th (Nov 27, 2011)

Guys...
How can I "mark" my tortoise so that if ever I buy another couple or more, I can point who's who. Or is there a physically unique natural mark (e.g human birthmarks) that distinguish one from another.


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## Maggie Cummings (Nov 27, 2011)

I use fingernail polish to mark inside the scute. A different color for each hatchling, or a number...like 2 dots or 3 dots. I use the number idea. Fingernail polish and dots. Just make sure not to get any polish on the growth lines. I apologize for my crazy forum buddies who crack each other up. I hope I have helped you...


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## Tom (Nov 27, 2011)

Does anyone know where to get those tiny little colored and numbered dots? I was thinking of giving those a try.


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## doctrin13th (Nov 28, 2011)

What I mean is a unique feature? A natural "mark" that distinguishes one sulcata from other...Is there any? 

Is nail polish non-toxic to tortoise shell?


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## bigred (Nov 29, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> I used a mail-order pet psychic to determine the gender of my babies. All I had to do was to send in a photo (that had been rubbed on the baby in question) and a big old check and she gave me a reading that she promised would be good for the next three years.
> 
> I don't want to share her name here on the open forum, but if you send ME the photo and money (in a check made out to me, she doesn't soil herself handling money) I will send you the results- and remember- the results are guaranteed accurate for three years!



Nice I like that Im thinking about becoming a pet psychic I think that means Its hard to tell the sex of a hatchling



doctrin13th said:


> Guys...
> How can I "mark" my tortoise so that if ever I buy another couple or more, I can point who's who. Or is there a physically unique natural mark (e.g human birthmarks) that distinguish one from another.



I can just tell whos who You will be able to trust me



Tom said:


> Does anyone know where to get those tiny little colored and numbered dots? I was thinking of giving those a try.



Ya contact me I know where to get them, I use to put them on my ceiling as a kid and they glowed in the dark MEMBER


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## Yvonne G (Dec 2, 2011)

Hi Kim:

You can put a little dot of fingernail polish in the very center of a scute. Try to not get any on the seams, or growth lines, because they are tender and it might hurt the tortoise. Just a dab or dot of nail polish in the very center of a scute will not harm your baby.


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## The Adjustor (Dec 2, 2011)

doctrin13th said:


> Guys...
> How can I "mark" my tortoise so that if ever I buy another couple or more, I can point who's who. Or is there a physically unique natural mark (e.g human birthmarks) that distinguish one from another.



No two tortoises look exactly the same, just like no two people look the same, and no two dogs look the same. As you spend enough time with your torts you should be able to identify them simply by looking at them. Not necessarily by a "birth mark", but rather just by the uniqueness of each ones carapace/plastron. You may even be able to make out their faces from one another.


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