General Care Discussion :: How do I determine my RES's sex?

[nova72freak]

My RES is about 10 months old right now. She/he is about 4 inches in shell diameter. Is he/she of age to even determine what sex it is? Or what are some characteristics of each sex?

[sonyj]

Males will have extremely long front claws and a long thick tail with the cloacal opening away from the shell. Females claws and tails are much shorter and stubbier than males.

There's some good example pics about half way down this page: http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Info/info.htm

[nova72freak]

I think I have a boy...hah it's a good thing he has a boy name.

[marisa]

If your turtle is 4 inches in diameter, what's his shell length from behind his neck down his spine to above his tail not including the curve of the shell? If the diameter is 4 inches, the length must be even longer (5 inches+?)...This is huge for a 10-month old turtle...

[nova72freak]

i think i was overfeeding him. i just put him in a 20 gallon tank. i needed too because i saw the bottom part of his shell curving up. i haven't really taken him out and looked at him in a while because he tries to bite me. he's about the length of a soda can. a little smaller.

[nova72freak]

i looked at those pictures and my turtle has long nails...but they aren't as long as the picture shown nor as short as the females picture. his tail is about the size of the males.

[nova72freak]

its a girl...?

[missibsu]

Can you post a pic of your turtle...someone on here could help you determine the gender. It could be that your turtle just isn't mature enough to tell yet...although s/he should be.

At that size, even a 20 gallon tank is too small. Be sure to read the main site to make sure your set up is complete. Curving of the shell isn't healthy.

[nova72freak]

yeah i realized it wasn't healthy. my parents really couldn't give a care about him but i like him and that's why i still have him. i'm trying to make sure he's ok though. even though i can't go out and spend $100 on a 40g tank. here he is.






so i actually measured him and he's about 4 inches like i thought. [/img]

[jenaero]

you've either got a female, or it's just too soon to tell. I don't see any male characteristics there.

[nova72freak]

I agree. I was looking at the diagram and the shape of the underbelly and she just doesn't have any of the characteristics. She'll just have to keep her boy name. hah.

[marisa]

You never did say what the shell length was...if it's at least 4 inches and given those short nails and tail, I think you've got a female. The shape of the plastron doesn't enter into determining the sex.

[steve]

I'm off topic here, but you should remove those rocks for something larger.

[JuelisKaylee]

If he can put his mouth around them, he sure should replace them. Found that out when Kobe tried to eat the gravel the store sold me the turtles with.