Male or female leopard tortoise?

jamie1210

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I got this guy at a reptile show about 4 years ago as a hatchling. Still not sure if it's a male or female. What do you all think? 20240730_111642.jpg20240730_111648.jpg
 

Littleredfootbigredheart

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Usually by that age they can be sexed, but not sure if this one still looks a little small to know for certain? Either way though, looking female imo but we’ll see what others think🙂
 

jamie1210

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Thanks for the replies, everyone!

I agree that this guy's on the small side. I got 2 hatchlings at the time, and its companion has outgrown it by so much--almost double the size. Very strange! Hoping he/she will hit her growth spurt soon.
 

wellington

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Thanks for the replies, everyone!

I agree that this guy's on the small side. I got 2 hatchlings at the time, and its companion has outgrown it by so much--almost double the size. Very strange! Hoping he/she will hit her growth spurt soon.
Are you housing them together? If so, that's a good reason one is smaller and should be seperated ASAP.
If they aren't living together, then it could be the way this one was started before you got it or possibly a male, which usually are smaller than females.
 

Littleredfootbigredheart

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Yeah as long as they haven’t been housed as a pair that’s had no bearings. If they are a pair though they’ll definitely need separating🙂
 

The_Four_Toed_Edward

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Thanks for the replies, everyone!

I agree that this guy's on the small side. I got 2 hatchlings at the time, and its companion has outgrown it by so much--almost double the size. Very strange! Hoping he/she will hit her growth spurt soon.
What is the carapace length of the smaller tortoise?
 

cooky_luvs

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They can be tricky buggers! I have a leopard that I was convinced was a female for years, tiny tail, very female anal scutes. Then suddenly at 8 pounds, in the span of only a month or two, a tail grew, the anal scutes changed and he even became concaved lol. The change was that rapid and drastic.

Meanwhile I have a 2 year old and a 1.5 year old that already have large tails and have already flashed.

Definitely would need to see the tail on yours to tell anything, but that might not tell much at this size.
 

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