How Do You Tell Male Turtles From Female Turtles?
Most people who have pets are not animal experts. Being able to tell the male from female in some species, such as turtles, can be difficult for the average person, yet it is important to know. Shape, size and eye color are some of the ways in which you can learn the gender of turtles. Determine the breed of your turtle, if possible, to facilitate the sexing process. ReptileChannel.com lists the different breeds and includes helpful pictures (see Resources below). Be sure your turtle is a mature adult of at least 3 years old before you attempt to tell if it is male or female. Baby turtles do not yet have gender-distinguishing characteristics. Locate a reptilian vet with the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarian’s (ARAV) online directory if you need help determining the age of your turtle (see Resources below). Look at your turtle’s tail to help you tell if it is male or female. Male turtles usually have wide, long tails. Females tend to have smaller, shorter tails that ar
