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Hi all, i have recently purchased should be a pair of sliders, was told they were 3years old, they are very similar in appearance, they get alone fine, saw one bite the other once but thats it.

Their tails are both short, none are noticeably long, my question is, if one ismale, when will its claws grow long? And what is a way to check age? Or at least guess? Thanks

Well at 3years old most likely they are both females because once their shell length reaches 4inch that is when you can determine the sex of the turtle. So do both turtles shells measure around 4 inches if so then you got a pair of females.

As for tellign age, unless you had them from the begining there is no way to take even a guess. Turtles grow at different rates.

So if i had a male there it would definately have long nails and a long tail? or does it go by the vent opening position on the tail?

Thanks.

The longer claws and long tail are the quick tell tale signs, however the vent is the definitive yes.

But from the descriptions you have two females expect some size to come

chinlato wrote:So if i had a male there it would definately have long nails and a long tail? or does it go by the vent opening position on the tail?

Thanks.

Oh yes at 3 years if it was a male it would be mature enough to mate. So you defiently have 2 females

I have a question as well about male or female.. I was just wondering if only the males do the mating motions (swimming backwards with their legs stretched out in front while fluttering its claws). As soon as we put Crush in the tank with Squirt he/she started doing these motions in Squirts face.

that was prob most likely a warning. Prob thought it was a turtle trying to invade there space...sorta like my rats. When one of my rats has babys I seperate them for like 3 weeks till the babys are large enough to live with the main group and when i put the mom back in with the main group she fights EVERYONE because she just freaks out over all the other rats. and yeah, btw i got like 40 rats haha....Breed my own to feed to reptiles. they are cool to watch tho....very smart little guys..

No, females will flutter at each other as well. As will males. In each case they're trying to find out who's dominant.

thanks.. we just found it funny that he/she did it almost as soon as he/she got in the tank.. pretty sure its a male tho because its nails seem to be getting longer all the time

So there is no such thing as a short tail male? both my turtles have the same length tails, and no nails.

it's possible but short nails and short tails usually indicate a female RES

Compared the female's, the male's tail is longer and has a broad base. As SSMcLeod said, though, the anal vent is the most accurate way to tell sex (assuming the turtle is large enough). On males, it's closer to the tip of the tail than the shell and on females it's closer to the shell.