Gender Guess ?

Menno

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2013
Messages
93
Location (City and/or State)
The Netherlands
Hi there,

Just curious if my tortoises are already big enough to tell their gender. What do you think guys? I have measured them, and their carapaces were about 9 inches long.



First one;

20150621_125430_zpshivywu67.jpg

20150621_125423_zpsmwdhgn2g.jpg





And the second;

20150622_122957_zpsikhdiujl.jpg

20150622_123005_zpsp2e0izox.jpg
20150622_122951_zps6qaapr7x.jpg
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
They're both still a little too small to know for sure. Right now they're looking female, but that might change as they get bigger.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I agree with Yvonne, but that second one is looking male.

Do they live as a pair? They shouldn't. Living in a pair can sometimes repress the secondary sexual characteristics of the less dominant one.

And what's with the sand? That is so dangerous. I would never put them on sand like that. Have you seen sand impaction x-rays and the surgery needed to fix it? Do an internet search for it, and I think you will decide to change to something safer and better.
 

Menno

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2013
Messages
93
Location (City and/or State)
The Netherlands
Thank you for your replies, Tom and Yvonne!

@Tom: Thank you for your advice! They have their own enclosure so they don't live as a pair. ;) The sand is not the only substrate I've used. There is also a part of the enclosure filled with coco coir and the area where they use to eat has been covered with rocks in order to prevent them eating too much sand. See the picture below;
IMG_3457_zps6bd883d9.jpg


I hope this is not bad for them? And if so, what would you recommend to use as a substrate?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I would not use any sand at all. Mine track food all over their enclosure, so eventually it would get tracked into the sand, sand would stick to the food and then they would eventually eat the sandy food. Over time, even little bits of sand can build up and eventually cause a blockage.

I prefer orchid bark for sulcatas and leopards. It is what has always worked the best and given me the fewest problems of all the substrates available. Coco coir can work too, but its messy. I like coco chips, but they don't tend to pack down very well and it makes walking problematic sometimes for 3-7" (7-18cm) tortoises. Cypress mulch is okay, but tends to be dirty and smelly, therefore requiring clean-up work before use. I don't like "soil" or "topsoil" because it could be made an amy composted stuff they come across, including toxic materials like oleander.

I remember your enclosure now. You did the really cool time-lapse photography thread about a year ago, right? You are using the Arcadia remote ballasted UV bulb if memory serves.
 

Menno

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2013
Messages
93
Location (City and/or State)
The Netherlands
Hey Tom,

I think your memory works fine, except for the fact that i use the Solar Raptor UV bulbs (with ballast)
Thank you for your information about the substrate. I'm going to try the orchid bark.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hey Tom,

I think your memory works fine, except for the fact that i use the Solar Raptor UV bulbs (with ballast)
Thank you for your information about the substrate. I'm going to try the orchid bark.

Sorry. I incorrectly assumed it was Arcadia since you are over in Europe and forgot about the Solar Raptor brand which also comes from over there. Good bulbs from both companies.
 
Top