ID sex please?

[wacjac]

Hi all,

I'm new here (first post). I grew up with a tortoise many years ago, until he mysetriously dissapeared one day.... broke my heart it did!!
Anyway, I've just bought a Hermann for the family (well, the 6 year old daughter really, who already loves 'Buzz' to bits).

When I bought him the 'expert' in the petshop (yeah, I know, I should have bought him from a dealer, but I did try - just no-one had any available - he's from Slovania with all of the certification etc), she advised that it was a female. At the time of purchase there were two together in the vivarium.... I bought one, now a week later I'm wishing I'd bought both as company for each other (even though I know they are solitary creatures!), so I ring the perstore back up and the lady who served me advised now that after I'd gone she checked back on the vet's assessment form and both of them were actually male.... so I may now have a male rather than a female!!

I want a male and a female so she's getting hold of a female for me within the next fortnight.... but I'm not feeling confident with the information I'm being given, so I may need to intervene and get her to get the opposite sex (complicated I know, just stick with me!).

Here are some pics (it's a 3 year old Hermann)
Anyone feel confident enough to make an ID, so I can buy an opposite sex tort?

 

[egyptiandan]

Welcome to the forum

You have a female Dalmation Hermanns, Testudo hermanni hercegovinensis

Danny

 

[Crazy1]

wacjac welcome to you and Buzz to the forum

 

[wacjac]

Thanks for the replies guys.

As suspected.... a female. I don't wish to doubt your superior knowledge but are you ABSOLUTELY certain (as I obviously now have to ring up and get her to change her order to a male for company for her).

I'm more than happy to supply more/better/close-up images if necessary...

Anyone else care to add to the concensus please?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Welcome to the forum...I see our resident expert has already answered your question. So now you can look around for a male to make a pair...

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi WacJac:

to the forum!

Before I read Danny's post, I was going to say that the tortoise is a little young to sex, but that I was leaning towards female. But you can take Danny's answer to the bank!

Yvonne

 

[Isa]

Welcome to the forum!
Buzz is really cute

 

[egyptiandan]

Yes I'm sure

Though your really better off getting another female for company. Males mature faster than females and if they were housed together he will be trying to mate with her before she is large enough. This can only cause her stress and you'd probably have to seperate them until she was mature at around 6 inches.
You can always find a male when the females are mature if you decide to breed.

Danny

 

[wacjac]

Yes I'm sure

Though your really better off getting another female for company. Males mature faster than females and if they were housed together he will be trying to mate with her before she is large enough. This can only cause her stress and you'd probably have to seperate them until she was mature at around 6 inches.
You can always find a male when the females are mature if you decide to breed.

Danny

Thanks for your wonderful advice Danny.

Yestaryday I purchased the other original Tort which was in the vivarium with Buzz. It now appears that I have two females - Buzz & Belle.

However, Buzz really appears to be getting rode roughshod now as Belle is VERY energetic and climbing all over her.... she even slept on top of her last night, tucked up in the corner. A most unbelievable sight.

Is this a push for dominance, as Buzz appears very withdrawn now?