M or F

[Tim Carlisle]

Ghost turns 3 next month and is a tad over 14". I'm really torn over whether it's a male or female. To me, the anal scutes could go either way. The plastron does have a slight, but noticeable, "concave-ness" to it. The tail seems a bit long to me to be a female. What do y'all think?

 

[Tom]

That tail says male. Its not going to shrink.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

That tail says male. Its not going to shrink.

I was thinking the same thing. You see what I'm talking about with the scutes though? That's what mainly has me torn.

 

[Tom]

I was thinking the same thing. You see what I'm talking about with the scutes though? That's what mainly has me torn.

Yes. I see it. Time will tell...

 

[Markw84]

That has some female look to it, but it is hard to say. You're right, it can go either way at this point. Can't see the tail and cloaca. Take a picture with the tortoise held to someone's chest, with the head pointing up and plastron facing you. That often forces the tail to be pushed down more to see better. The anals look like they could be curving inward for that female circular opening. A male's reall flares outward. The supracaudal looks like it is not bending in past vertical, but hard to see from the angle in the picture. A male's supracaudal curves back inward past vertical. Get a good picture of the gulars. Are they starting to extend at all? That can often happen first as far as secondary characteristics.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

@mark @Tom Hopefully these turned out ok for you. Ghost wasn't in the most cooperative mood tonight. I think I got the tail / cloaca, as well as the gulars.

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

Male all the way

 

[Markw84]

Yes. Male. Those gulars are definitely male. From this angle the anals also look more male. The tail has some growing to do yet. But, that's why I wanted to see the gulars. As I said above, they often are the first signs of male. And your tortoise's are doing exactly that.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Thanks guys. I suspected as such, but needed confirmation. I always second-guess myself. lol

 

[EllieMay]

Both of my 2 year olds “exposed” themselves to me under warm running Water. The first was a bath revelation, the other one I held that area under the faucet on purpose and it brought it right out... be prepared if you try it.. lol

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Both of my 2 year olds “exposed” themselves to me under warm running Water. The first was a bath revelation, the other one I held that area under the faucet on purpose and it brought it right out... be prepared if you try it.. lol

Ghost turns 3 next month and has yet to "expose" himself. He is quite shy after all. lol