How to tell if a turtle is fat. How to determine the sex of an aquatic red-eared turtle

Sometimes sellers in pet stores are not competent (or pretend), so you have to rely entirely on your own strength in determining the sex of a pet. This article will tell you how to distinguish from a girl. Of course, you can accurately determine the sex of a pet using laboratory tests, but this method is not suitable for everyone. Therefore, we will determine the gender of the turtles independently by external features.

At what age can you determine the sex of turtles?

It is possible to reliably determine the male and female only when the turtles reach reproductive age. And this usually happens at six or eight years of age. During this period, the turtles change some external signs. For example, by this age, the shell of a red-eared turtle should be at least ten centimeters in diameter.

And if you want to get a younger individual, then how to distinguish a boy turtle from a girl? AT two years old, of course, you can also determine the gender. A thorough analysis will help external features turtles.

Useful advice. If you are not an experienced specialist and want to get more reliable data, then consider several turtles at the same time. So it will be possible to evaluate the external signs of different representatives of the species.

So, what signs will indicate how to distinguish a tortoise-boy from a girl?

Determine the gender by the shape of the shell

The plastron (that is, the abdominal shell) is concave in males. This allows you to hold on to your girlfriend during mating. Due to uselessness, females do not have such a feature. In girls, the tummy sometimes even protrudes, has a curved shape. Also, baby turtles have many small spots on their plastron. In girls, they are large and rare.

The dorsal shield (carapace) of turtle boys has an elongated shape, which resembles a check mark closer to the tail. In girls, the shell is more rounded.

Features of claws - sexual characteristics of turtles

By the way, by the same sign, you can determine what gender the land turtle is. How to distinguish a boy from a girl? Everything is simple. On the front paws, the male has long curved claws. In females, they are more rounded and shorter. Again, this feature helps the male turtle to stay on the shell of his partner during mating.

However, you need to be careful with this sign. The turtle can simply grind off its claws if it spends most of the time on the island. Here it is worth paying attention to the material from which the elements of sushi are made.

We determine the floor by the tail

How to distinguish a turtle-boy from a girl by the tail? In males, it is wider and longer than in females.

Another important feature is the cloaca. Since females naturally lay eggs, this important function requires an appropriate body structure. In females, the cloaca is larger and is closer to the shell. For males, the opposite is true. The cloaca of boy turtles looks like a small straight line, and for girls it looks like an asterisk.

Pay attention to the body size of turtles

This feature will help in determining the sex if the turtles are the same age. Girls are larger than boys because they perform an important reproductive function: they bear eggs and later lay them.

How to distinguish a turtle-boy from a girl by behavioral features

Usually in wildlife, males have to compete for the right to fertilize a female. To do this, they have to dodge in every possible way in order to please and attract the attention of the chosen one of their heart. Red-eared sliders are no exception in this regard.

During the mating season, males become more energetic. They demonstrate their potential, arrange a variety of games. If one turtle constantly catches up with another, then we can conclude that the mating season has begun. The boy catches up with the girl to show himself to her in all its glory. Usually males in front of females attractively shake their heads and move their front paws.

Simultaneous comparison of several individuals and a cumulative analysis of all the listed signs will help determine the sex of the future pet. If you know how to distinguish red-eared turtles (a boy from a girl), then you can choose a nickname for your pet in advance. Of course, it is quite difficult to accurately determine the sex of this exotic animal until adulthood. To do this, you need to be a great specialist, but, as they say, you can try your luck.

To get offspring in a turtle, sex determination is especially important. But since these animals do not have a pronounced sexual characteristic, it is difficult to unequivocally say where is the “boy” and where is the “girl”. Therefore, being the owner of such an exotic animal and wondering how to distinguish the sex of a turtle, you will have to be especially observant, paying attention to the study of distinctive external characteristics his pet and the peculiarities of his behavior in a group of relatives.

How to distinguish the sex of a turtle: general nuances

No matter how eager you are to find out its gender when purchasing this exotic pet, it is almost impossible to do this, unless you are offered an adult. Usually, in most species of turtles, distinctive features that allow you to recognize the sex appear by the time they reach puberty. If there is only one turtle in your house, then you will have to focus on the standard differences inherent in these animals in appearance. If you have several of them or have the opportunity to compare your pet with similar pets of your friends, then the most accurate answer to what gender your turtles are can give comparative analysis the behavior of these animals.

How to distinguish the sex of a turtle by external signs

To find out the sex of a turtle, you should pay attention to the following features anatomical structure these animals.

Carapace and plastron

The carapace of males is more elongated, elongated in comparison with the carapace of females. The ventral side of the tortoise shell (plastron) is one of the most characteristic signs by which you can quickly and easily find out the sex of the animal. One has only to turn the turtle over - and there will be noticeable differences: the back of the plastron in the male is slightly concave, while in the female it is flat, which ensures the convenience of mating these animals. True, this applies only to sexually mature individuals, whose shell length reaches 11 cm. In most species of turtles, males are usually smaller than females.

Tail, cloaca and claws

Nature has endowed male turtles with tails that are longer and wider at the base than females. An additional definition will be the shape of the tail. In males, the tail is usually bent towards the ground, while in females it is very short and straight.

In the female turtle, the anus is located closer to the upper part of the shell and the tip of the tail and has the shape of an asterisk, while in males it is in the form of an oblong line. Another distinguishing feature of these animals is the claws. In males, on the front legs, they are usually much longer than in females (with the exception of panther tortoises, which are the opposite). In male box turtles, the claws are thickened on the front paws and curved down on the hind paws.

Head

Male carolinian box turtles have red irises, while bog turtles in females have yellowish and dark brown eyes in males, which in this type can also be distinguished by a whitish upper lip. To distinctive features female turtles also have more developed jaws than males. males red-eared turtle differ in a pointed muzzle with a longer nose compared to females.

How to find out the sex of a turtle: behavior analysis

To determine the sex, it would be ideal to observe your pet in the company of his relatives. Male turtles are more active and pronounced, especially during the mating season, aggressive behavior, and females usually tend to hide their heads in their shells more often. In the company of their own kind, male turtles show increased aggression: they bite the paws of females and fight with shells with other males. During the mating season, the male actively flirts with the female: he scurries in front of her muzzle and specifically shakes his head.

- These are terrarium pets that do not require complex knowledge in the care and maintenance at home. But the difficult moment is determining the sex of the red-eared turtle, because you need to make sure that it is a boy and a girl.

AT early age it is difficult to determine the female. Red-eared turtles reach maturity only at 7–8 years after birth, then characteristic signs begin to clearly appear and it becomes easier to determine the sex of the baby.

How to determine the sex of a red-eared turtle

It is possible to distinguish sex in red-eared turtles by external signs that are present in each individual of this species. The main differences between the sexes of animals:

• Differences in the color of the shell.
• Type and size of the tail.
• Reptile nose color.
• Animal shell size.
• The location of the cloaca.
• Head.

A detailed examination of some signs helps to determine the female or male among several animals.

claw length

On the hind legs, the claws are blunt in both animals. The male is longer and sharper.

Males use their claws to attach to their partner's shell during breeding.

This method does not reliably help to find out the sex, because the claws of young reptiles are not fully formed, and a mature animal grinds off a manicure on hard ground.

Paws

In male reptiles, femoral spurs protrude on the paws, and small scales are also located on the hind limbs.

Shell features

To determine the sex of a red-eared turtle, look at the ventral part of the shell (plastron). Males are concave, females are not.

The protective element in turtles of different sexes is different. The carapace of males is long, forming the Latin letter V in the tail section. In the female, the carapace is rounded and large, for carrying eggs. A special hole at the end - for postponing.

Males are smaller than companions. Some types are exceptions.

In females, the color of the plastron is different, in males it is blue.

Tail and cloaca

The most reliable factor in determining gender. In males, the process in the back of the body is long, and the base and tip are wide. Females are characterized by the presence of a short tail uniform in length.

The cloaca of the female is located closer to the base of the tail and resembles an asterisk. The anal opening of the reptile is wide, for laying eggs. The cloaca of the male is more like a longitudinal line, which is located in the back, closer to the tip of the process.

By behavior

The female is calm. She rarely moves around unnecessarily.

Males, on the other hand, are aggressive. When breeding, the female is pursued. They try to attract attention to themselves by biting the female on the neck, and often nod.

During mating games, males tend to squeak, attracting females. Some females are able to make the same sounds, so this feature is uncertain.

Other signs

For each type of reptile character, a special color of the iris. In heterosexual aquatic turtles eye color is different.

The female has a yellow nose. The male one is pointed and small.

The head of the male is larger with a longitudinal stripe of a reddish hue, which becomes saturated during reproduction. bright color. The upper jaw is whitish.

A rare way is a blood test and radiography. Until the age of seven, it is pointless to apply the method. Males have not yet formed testes, and females have ovaries. Upon reaching puberty, the boy is distinguished by a blood test, in which there is an increased level of testosterone. Ultrasound helps to determine the female during the formation of follicles.

• Gender can be recognized after puberty.
• A reliable option would be to make comparisons of several animals. Sometimes some signs in heterosexual turtles are similar. It is better to check pets for several factors.
• Conditions in animals sometimes cause hormonal failure. Then only a veterinarian can determine the sex.

Like any other creature on the planet, the turtle can die. This happens due to illness, improper maintenance, old age. Death from old age is extremely rare, especially when kept at home. Usually, by adulthood, a turtle accumulates and makes itself felt a number of diseases. To prevent premature death, you need to carefully monitor the condition of the pet, create for him all the necessary and close to natural conditions maintenance and feeding. And in case of malaise, apathy, lack of appetite or other alarming signs, contact a veterinary herpetologist. At the initial stage of the disease, the percentage of successful treatment is higher.

But often in an animal like a turtle it is difficult to determine whether it is really dead or is in a state of hibernation, a coma. In doubtful cases, it is better to leave the turtle for a day, and then re-determine (usually after such a period the picture becomes clearer).

To do this, we will describe some criteria by which you can make a conclusion about the condition of the turtle.

1. If the turtle was kept on a cold floor, in a terrarium or was in a state of hibernation, transported in a container without heating, then first such an animal must be warmed by placing it in warm water (but so that the turtle does not drown and choke), and then under a heating lamp . If there is no activity after that, then evaluate the following items.
2. Determine the presence of reflexes. The corneal reflex and the pain reflex are especially indicative. To determine the pain reflex, you can prick the paw of the turtle with a needle, in the presence of pain, the turtle pulls back the paw, moves it. The corneal reflex is expressed in the closure of the eyelid in response to irritation of the cornea. That is, it is necessary to touch the cornea and determine whether the turtle reacts to this by closing the lower eyelid.
3. The next thing to do is to open the turtle's mouth and check the color of the oral mucosa. In a live turtle, it is pink (may be pale or bright pink, depending on the condition), in a dead one, it is bluish-gray (cyanotic).
4. When checking the color of the mucous membranes in the mouth, one can assess the presence of respiratory movements by opening and closing the laryngeal fissure at the base of the tongue. The laryngeal fissure opens during inhalation and exhalation, the rest of the time it is closed. If there is no movement of the laryngeal fissure, or it is constantly open, then, most likely, the turtle is no longer breathing.
5. If after you open your mouth, it remains in such an open state, this already indicates that the turtle has rigor mortis.
6. Heartbeat, unfortunately, cannot be determined at home without special medical equipment.
7. Sunken eyes can serve as an indirect sign of death. But, of course, you should not use it as the only sign.
8. At the stage of cadaveric decomposition, a characteristic unpleasant odor appears from the animal.

At home, contain both water and land turtles. Among the latter, Central Asian and red-eared are the most popular as pets.

The need to determine the sex of a turtle usually arises when buying an animal. However, it is very difficult to determine the sex of a small turtle: babies of the same species are very similar. As they grow older, that is, after a few years, secondary sexual characteristics appear, comparing which it is possible with a high degree of probability to determine the sex of this animal. Boys and girls have a different size of the body and tail, the shape of the shell, plastron and eyes.

• Show all

  Determining the sex of a turtle

  Turtles are animals with mildly pronounced sexual characteristics. Males and females of these reptiles look the same. Sexual differences appear when animals reach puberty. Therefore, it is possible to determine the sex of these reptiles only when they mature.

  AT natural environment the reproductive period in turtles occurs after 6 - 8 years. When kept in captivity, this happens earlier, at the 2nd - 5th year of life.

  Main distinguishing features

  To determine the sex of an adult, it is enough to analyze several external signs and behavior of the animal.

  The most significant external differences, allowing with great accuracy to determine the sex of the turtle, are:

  • tail length and configuration;
  • the size and shape of the claws;
  • structural features of the shell and plastron.

  Plastron - abdominal flat shield, consisting of a bone base covered with horny plates.

  Sex determination is easier to carry out in comparison, among several individuals.

  Tail length and shape

  This sex determination sign is the most affordable, simple and fairly reliable.. It is enough to visually compare the tails of several representatives, and it will immediately be clear whether it is a girl or a boy:

  • the tail of the male is longer, thicker at the base and tapering towards the end;
  • in females, the tail is rounded, much shorter and straighter.
  
  

  When determining sex by the tail, for the correctness of the conclusions, it is appropriate to pay attention to several more secondary sexual characteristics:

  1. 1. The location of the anus (cloaca): in females, it is located at the base of the tail, near the shell and is distinguished by a round or star-shaped shape. The male cloaca is located in the last third of the tail in a straight line.
  2. 2. Adult males sometimes invert the penis during defecation. Outwardly, it resembles a rose and hides when touched.

  

  Features of claws and limbs

  Males are distinguished by large hind limbs, equipped with long and sometimes curved and thickened claws. They are necessary for courting females and holding them during mating.

  

  male claws

  The limbs of some males land species have additional devices in the form of well-defined femoral spurs, which are skin growths.

  
  

  Carapace and plastron

  A significant sign of determining the sex of a turtle is the shape of the shell and plastron:

  • in males, the carapace is somewhat narrower and longer, with a pronounced back in the shape of the letter V;
  • the carapace of females is distinguished by a large width and roundness of the ends.

  The sex of some species can be recognized by the color of the shell. For example, in a male painted turtle, it is bluish.

  
  

  In order to examine the plastron, the animal is turned over on its back. In males it is concave, in females it is flat.