2 box turtles mating but genders confused? - Identity please?!

[Master WuGui]

Hi everyone,

I have just recently adopted two box turtles and found this forum to be quite helpful. After researching, I have almost concluded that my two box turtles are "3-toed" box turtles (please correct me if I'm wrong).

When we adopted these two turtles, we were told from the previous owner that one is male (the lighter-colored, bigger dome shelled one), and the other one female (the darker color one).

However, recently I believe I have caught them trying to mate a few times, but only to find out that the supposed "female" is always on the top?! The "female" locks her feet underneath the "male" and sits there for a while.

I'm very confused because I don't know if the supposed "male" is a female? But it's tail seems to be big enough to be male? Or maybe both of them are all males?!

The supposed Male:
The supposed Female:

Mating:
Could someone please tell me if the previous owner have their genders mixed up?

Also, how can I tell their approximate ages?
We live in Vancouver BC Canada.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Master Wu Gui:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know your name?

In my opinion, the supposed male is male, however, the supposed female is also male.

Both of the turtles are suffering from being kept in the house with no sunshine and incorrect diet. Their beaks are too long and the curly toe nails tell of MBD (metabolic bone disease).

So, get them some good calcium-rich food and lots of vitamin d. You can clip the beak and toenails, but be careful.

 

[dmmj]

At that size age would be impossible to tell. It definitely looks like a mating attempt to me, one of the easiest ways to tell gender is eye color, males usually have red eyes females don't but not all males have red eyes so if the one attempting to mate has red eyes and the other doesn't then I would think they might be a pair.

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I don't know much about Box Turtle's but they are try to mate which means the previous owner may have had it wrong. Also I believe that males have red eyes. Hopefully someone will correct me if I am wrong.

 

[egyptiandan]

They are both Three-toed box turtles, Terrapene carolina triunguis. They are both males, so no eggs anytime soon The first male is most likely between 20 and 30 and the second male between 10 and 20.

Danny

 

[Master WuGui]

Hi Yvonne,

Thanks for your quick reply. My name is Andy.

Yeah, when we got these turtles, their beaks were even longer!! I have no idea what the previous fed them. The supposed "female" apparently were abused by the previous previous owner when they kicked her around like a puck in the bathroom. So she...or he is really really shy and insecure. But when the previous owner adpoted them, I don't believe they have fed them with a balanced nutritions either.

We trimmed them using a Dremel. It was very difficult but this is the best we were able to do.

See before pics: One looks like a turkey! But for some reason, after we trimmed her beak, she looks like a penguin and her mouth never shuts completely? Is she okay?

Anyways, we keep them in the sun to absorbe calcium during the day. But both of them are really picky when it comes to eating. They only eat corn and peas. Anything else we try to feed them, they don't eat. We haven't tried any types of worms yet though.

But my question is: is it normal for them to try to mate??? Should I separate them since they are both males? What should I do?

 

[Yvonne G]

Its not a mating ritual, its an aggression thing. You can try a bigger pen with quite a few sight barriers in it. If that doesn't work, then separation would be in order.

Feeding them on a rough surface will help the beaks.

 

[Master WuGui]

Also, both of their eyes are orange colored.

 

[tortoises101]

Also, both of their eyes are orange colored.

That proves they're male all the more.

 

[Laura]

post a new question about diet...
they Definately need a better one!!

 

[Saloli]

yeah i agree they are most likely males and also probably have mbd. though they may just not have had things to ware down their nails and beaks that needs to be corrected. alot of the foods on my list will also apply for three toes it is based on easterns.