Sexing needed

[JohnR]

Hi guys,

This is my first forum post and it would be wonderful if you can lend your expertise.
I need a little help with sexing.

It looks like I've got two males.

I also have one subadult female.

It is not very recommendable as a breeding pair is it?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

I'm not familiar with star tortoises, but I think yours are still too small to be able to sex yet.

It's best to have more females than males. One male to two females would be ok. The males harass the females all the time, so if he has more than one to chase after it gives the other one some respite.

 

[hollandop]

When my star hatchlings weighed in at around 200 grams my male torts made themselves know. All three, from different breeders, wound up being males, which was easy to distinguish. Your torts look a little smallish still. Would you happen to know their weight in grams?

 

[JohnR]

Thanks for the feedback. I know that they are a little young right now. one being 100g the other 240g. Im expecting the 240 to flash anytime (if my suspicion is correct). Just that sometimes tortoises, when young, if they look like a male they are probably a male while if they looked female, they might still me male. So I am not too certain just yet.

 

[hollandop]

You never know. Right?!?!
My three males looked female for the longest time and then their shells took off and morphed quickly after they reached appt 200ish grams.

 

[KenS]

John, I've been working with and been producing Burmese stars as well as Sri Lankans and Indian stars for many many years now. I have 2 males to every female breeder. I fully believe most of my success is all the extra males I have to use. I've NEVER had male stars fight with each other. When kept in a 2.1 group, one male will become the dominant breeder and that is what u want. The other will breed the female when he can sneak in. This is what has worked for me. I pretty much have more males then females in all our species. But like I said, this is what has worked really well for me. Your little stars are just too young/small to sex at this time. But if u end up with 2 males and 1 female , IMO, it's a good thing. Best of luck with your animals.

 

[JohnR]

Thank you for the response. The feedbacks have been extremely useful! I am giving them as much as I could to make sure they grow into healthy animals .

 

[Tom]

John, I've been working with and been producing Burmese stars as well as Sri Lankans and Indian stars for many many years now. I have 2 males to every female breeder. I fully believe most of my success is all the extra males I have to use. I've NEVER had male stars fight with each other. When kept in a 2.1 group, one male will become the dominant breeder and that is what u want. The other will breed the female when he can sneak in. This is what has worked for me. I pretty much have more males then females in all our species. But like I said, this is what has worked really well for me. Your little stars are just too young/small to sex at this time. But if u end up with 2 males and 1 female , IMO, it's a good thing. Best of luck with your animals.

Thank you for sharing this info Ken!

 

[JohnR]

John, I've been working with and been producing Burmese stars as well as Sri Lankans and Indian stars for many many years now. I have 2 males to every female breeder. I fully believe most of my success is all the extra males I have to use. I've NEVER had male stars fight with each other. When kept in a 2.1 group, one male will become the dominant breeder and that is what u want. The other will breed the female when he can sneak in. This is what has worked for me. I pretty much have more males then females in all our species. But like I said, this is what has worked really well for me. Your little stars are just too young/small to sex at this time. But if u end up with 2 males and 1 female , IMO, it's a good thing. Best of luck with your animals.

Thank you Ken in particular. The common understanding to me is also 2f1m. I have been observing my tortoises for 2 full days (thanks weekend) almost to see if any aggression arises during the day. While there might be occasionally shell bumping, I haven't seen any biting. But they definitely smell each other which I am ready to separate them in case they do bite. During the day when I work I just separate them into differnet quarters.

 

[KenS]

John, if they enclosure is big enough they will be just fine. Stars are just not aggressive animals to begin with. I know of only one huge adult male Burmese star that was very aggressive towards females when it was breeding season. I have many many male Burmese stars and not one of them is aggressive to the point of hurting a cage mate. Males will bump/push each other around when they are in breeding mode but it's totally normal and really is what u want to see as it's just them trying to show the other who's the king in the cage.