Sexing Surprise with Sulcatas.

[pete55]

Hi Everyone

Well after studying loads of pictures of anal scutes and tails I thought I had become more proficient at sexing sub-adults. I'd come down to a few factors but the most important being tail length and shape of anal scutes and anal notch.

I've been running on a slightly pyramided female who's come on very well recently. Sub-adult, 11 inches straight length, flat plastron, short tail and inward curved anal scutes. Well my acquired theories just went up in smoke when this 'female' everted a healthy penis!!! I would have almost put money on it being female.

 

[motero]

Tricky aren't they. I have 5 close to that size and they all look like females. But we have to wait to find out.

 

[tortdad]

Yep they love to fool you into thinking they're chicks.

 

[pete55]

Well this one certainly had me fooled. Of course once it flashed its penis he just kept doing it. That just adds insult to injury!!!

At 11 inches I really thought the inward curving scutes were a positive sign of being female.

On a positive note I have arranged to buy a 19 inch female at the end of the month. I've waited years to pair up our adult male so pleased to get the chance of a mate. Just got to save some more $$$$$

 

[Tom]

I can't see the tail very well in the pic on my little screen, but from what I can see, I would have guess this one male. Most of the time the anal scutes don't assume their adult shape until later on when they are bigger, but that tail already looks to big to be female.

 

[pete55]

Well you're a 100% correct there Tom. I did proportionally compare the tapering tail to our 8 inch juvenile and it is longer though not yet elongating to adult male size.

We have reserved an adult female to collect in a few weeks but pretty certain its female - fingers crossed!

 

[Tom]

This last one is looking pretty female, but what size is it?

 

[pete55]

About 19 inches Tom.