Red-eared turtles are such pets whose behavior is of great interest when they live in a group of 3-4 individuals. At the same time, in many ways, the behavior of an individual of a red-eared turtle depends on its gender. To distinguish between a female and a male, use our tips.
Instructions
Step 1
In the development of the red-eared turtle, two periods can be conditionally distinguished: before reaching puberty and after it. Until 6-8 years of age, by which red-eared turtles usually reach sexual maturity, it is rather difficult to figure out who is who, since the secondary sexual characteristics are not yet developed. If the turtle you are interested in has not reached the specified age, you will have to navigate by rather unexpressed and comparative characteristics, which can vary not only between individuals of different sexes, but also be more or less pronounced in individuals of the same sex. These are the following signs:
The tail of males is usually longer than that of females. In this case, the cloaca of females is located almost under the upper surface of the carapace (carapace), and the cloaca of males is noticeably removed from it.
Step 2
The plastron (the abdominal surface of the carapace) in males is slightly concave, which allows the male to hold onto the female during mating; in females, the concavity of the plastron is not observed or not expressed.
Step 3
The distance between the carapace and the plastron in the back of the shell is greater in females than in males. This is due to the fact that the female shell is adapted for laying eggs.
Step 4
The muzzles of males are often sharper than those of females.
Step 5
Females are usually larger than males.
Step 6
The behavior of males is noticeably more active and aggressive than that of females.
Step 7
If, after studying all these signs, you still find it difficult to independently determine the sex of a young turtle, seek help from a specialist in this field.
Step 8
On the contrary, determining the sex of an adult red-eared turtle will not be difficult: upon reaching puberty, males have the most important distinguishing feature - long claws on the front legs. In females, the claws remain of the usual size.
