Methods for determining the sex of turtles and conditions for their reproduction

The turtle is one of the oldest animals that belongs to the order of reptiles. The turtle's body is covered on all sides with a shell, which provides protection from external damage and attacks from predatory animals. The habitat of these animals is quite diverse. They can live both in aquatic environments and on land.

Turtles are dioecious creatures. But they do not have pronounced external sexual characteristics. The turtle's reproductive organ is hidden under its shell. But still, there are some differences between individuals of different sexes. Let's figure out how to correctly determine the sex of a turtle.

Why do you need to know gender?

When purchasing a new pet, any owner thinks about what gender of animal to buy. After all, males and females have their own characteristics of behavior and character. And the name of the new home inhabitant needs to be chosen accordingly.

You definitely need to know the gender if you are purchasing a pair for an existing turtle. This is especially important for people planning to professionally breed reptiles. After all, keeping two or three males in one terrarium can lead to fights and injury.

Other sexual characteristics

If turtles of the same age live in the same tank, then it is worth trying to find out the gender of the reptiles based on their size. Females are larger individuals - nature made sure that they could bear offspring and make a full clutch.

Experienced breeders or zoologists are able to distinguish between boys and girls by their muzzle - in the male it is more elongated, and in the female it is blunt, with smooth, rounded lines. Naturally, we are talking about an indirect sign that an ignorant person is unlikely to notice. On the limbs of males you can find noticeable spurs on the hips, which indicates their strength and stability when compared with the legs of females.

Differences turtles

The sex of turtles is formed during the egg development stage and depends on the temperature during the incubation period. In hot weather, females develop; in cold weather, males develop. Despite the gender identity formed at the time of birth, outwardly young reptiles look the same.

If, for example, it is not difficult to distinguish between males and females in puppies or kittens, then determining the sex of newborn land turtles by visual signs and behavior is almost impossible. This makes it difficult to choose a turtle of a certain sex at an early age.

Anatomical differences in appearance appear only during puberty. Under natural conditions, it occurs by 5-10 years of age; at home, this period is reduced to 3-5 years. Moreover, in large turtles puberty occurs later than in small species.

Features and methods of determination

Difficulties in determining it are explained by the fact that a turtle is a reptile without clearly defined features that determine whether it belongs to a male or female organism. Sexual maturity is achieved faster in captivity, so it is possible to determine who the individual is after reaching 2-5 years, when the shell grows to 10 cm. In the wild, this is possible after 6-8 years.

There are alternative verification methods that are not widely used:

• ultrasonography;
• blood test for hormones;
• radiography.

Ultrasound is applicable to adult turtles when the specialist is able to distinguish the ovaries from the testes. Blood testing is relevant in relation to sexually mature individuals, taking into account testosterone fluctuations during the mating season. Radiation diagnostics allows you to check the presence of individual parts of the hemipenis.

All small reptiles look like females before puberty. In adult turtles, differences can be distinguished in the skin, claws, head size, shell shape and other parts of the body.

Differences in adult turtles

If young turtles have the same appearance, then adult, sexually mature individuals exhibit external features inherent in males and females. It is these characteristic differences that allow owners to determine the gender of their pets. To avoid mistakes, it is important to carefully and consistently inspect the turtle.

Rules and procedure for inspection:

1. Sex can only be determined in an adult animal capable of mating.
2. Inspect the appearance of the turtle, analyzing the anatomical features of the shell, legs with claws, tail, head.
3. Observe the behavior of the turtle in the terrarium: activity, speed of movement, aggressiveness, sounds made, interaction with other inhabitants.
4. It is preferable to carry out gender identification by comparing several turtles of the same age. In this case, it is easy to compare the sizes and shapes of the animal’s body parts.

Being in captivity can cause hormonal imbalances in turtles, which can make it difficult to differentiate between sexes. In this case, you should contact a veterinary clinic for additional research.

By appearance

The appearance of female and male land turtles varies. Although the differences are not very pronounced, they are nevertheless quite easy to notice: in the shape and size of the shell, in the structure of the paws and the length of the claws, in the length and shape of the tail.

Carapace

The first and most important thing to consider when determining the sex of turtles is their shell. In females it is wide and round in shape. Males are more elongated, resembling an oval.

Both in natural and domestic conditions, females are larger than males - this is easy to notice when turtles of the same age and different sex are in a terrarium. Such differences are associated with the need for females to bear offspring. The exception is the Galapagos and South African beaked tortoises, where males are larger than females.

A close look at the plastron, the lower part of the shell, also reveals differences. In females it is smooth, flat or even slightly convex, while in males, on the contrary, it has a concave shape. This form of plastron in females also facilitates the gestation of eggs, and in males it helps to stay on the carapace (upper part of the shell) of the female during mating.

The rear part of the plastron in males has a V-shaped notch and is strongly bent towards the ground, which allows the tail to be hidden under the shell, while in females it is clearly visible.

On the carapace of young turtles there are small, palpable tubercles, which disappear in males at maturity, but remain in females, also helping with mating. The shell of males is even and smooth without protrusions.

Tail and cloaca

In male and female individuals, the tail also has different sizes and structure, since it is the location of the genital organs. In females it is short, has a narrow base, and is located outside the shell. Males have a thicker and longer tail, wide at the base, which is almost completely located under the shell and is not visible from the outside. Sometimes you can see a penis on the inner surface of the male's tail; if you touch it, it will instantly hide. In females, the oviduct is located in the tail and is invisible from the outside.

On the tail of land turtles there is a cloaca (an opening for secretions, also used during mating and laying eggs). In females it is located closer to the base of the tail and has a star-shaped shape. In males, the cloaca is located in the lower third of the tail, closer to its tip, and is shaped like a straight strip or line.

Paws and claws

The male's paws, as well as the shell, are adapted for the mating process. It is helped to fixate on the female by femoral spurs - protruding horny growths on the hind legs. You can also find many small scales on them. In female turtles, protruding leathery structures are completely absent or barely noticeable.

A less informative sign are the claws, since their length and thickness depend on the conditions of the turtle’s keeping. But when several reptiles live in one terrarium, it serves as an excellent additional identifier of gender.

The claws of females are thinner and shorter than those of males, and also not so sharp. Males use their claws not only in the process of fertilization, but also when defending territory and in battles with rivals. Therefore, their claws are thicker, stronger and longer.

Among land turtles, there is a species in which females have long, strong claws on their hind legs - these are African leopard tortoises. Strong elongated claws help females when laying eggs.

Additional features characteristic of certain species:

• the presence of well-developed glands on the lower jaw is typical for male gophers;
• different nose colors in male and female Indian yellow-headed turtles: males are red, and females are yellow;
• the absence of a notch on the plastron is characteristic of the Central Asian, elastic, banded tortoises and forest quinix.

By behavior

You can notice the differences between male and female land turtles not only in appearance, but also in behavior. They are especially pronounced in natural conditions and when several individuals are kept together in a terrarium.

Females behave calmly, move slowly, and almost do not come into contact with other individuals on their own initiative. Even during the mating season they are not active.

Males, on the contrary, are energetic, move quite quickly, try to get out of the terrarium, making quick movements with their paws and head. When other males are nearby, they show strong aggression: they bite in places unprotected by the shell, hit with their paws and try to turn the opponent on his back.

Males are especially active during the mating season, attracting the attention of the female. They make active movements with their heads up and down, swing their paws, push their tail out from under the shell, and swing it from side to side. When chasing a female, they catch her with their claws and bite her on the neck.

In immature females, imitation of male behavior is sometimes observed.

It is much more difficult to determine the sex of turtles kept alone based on behavioral characteristics. In such conditions, both males and females are quite calm and balanced. However, males have periods when their behavior is aggressive. They can bite their owners' fingers and hiss.

Reproduction

Now let's find out how turtles reproduce.

Turtles reproduce by mating different sexes and laying eggs, which hatch into offspring.

In what cases does mating occur?

Breeding turtles at home is quite difficult.

To do this, it is necessary to make certain efforts and provide the necessary conditions:

• proper nutrition. It is necessary to include foods rich in vitamin E (vegetable oil, herbs) or vitamin preparations in your diet. Vitamin E has a positive effect on the reproductive system;
• arrange a suitable place for their habitat;
• provide animals with the opportunity to move.

Turtles have sex at any time of the year, provided they are well fed and warm.

Preparation

In order for mating to occur, it is necessary to have several sexually mature individuals of different sexes of the same species, and in no case different ones - this is important. The ratio is two males to one female.

It should be borne in mind that puberty in turtles occurs quite late. Individuals that are too young will not be able to bear offspring. But they shouldn’t be old either. The optimal age is 5 years. It is advisable to have the animals checked by a veterinarian first. Turtles must be healthy and not weakened. Males choose larger females, this must be kept in mind when choosing suitable candidates.

All animals selected for mating should be placed in one terrarium and their behavior observed. When mating games begin and pairs form, the extra turtles need to be moved to another place.

Mating process

How do turtles mate?

The male begins to vigorously jerk his head up and down. Then he extends his limbs, retracts his head and begins to swing and hit the female in the shell. If the female tries to escape, he catches up with her, hits and bites her until she obeys.

If mating does not occur, then it is necessary to seat the turtles and try to bring them together again after a few days.

After pregnancy occurs, the turtle is moved to another terrarium separately from the males.

Final table of differences

If, based on the characteristics described, it is impossible to make an unambiguous conclusion about the sex of the turtle, but it is necessary to find out, a veterinarian will help by conducting a series of laboratory tests.

MEET YOUR PET

Red-eared turtles are easy to care for and therefore are recommended for those who first decided to have reptiles. Red-eared turtles are a freshwater species
. They live about 30-40 years. The length and shell can reach 18-30 centimeters.

The shell of turtles is olive or yellowish-brown in color. In young individuals it may be deep green.

The turtle's head and neck are covered with white and green stripes and spots. But they owe their name to two spots extending from the eye area. They have an orange-red hue

.

The red-eared turtle comes from America. Its natural habitat is all of Central America and the northwestern part of South America. The species was also introduced into Israel, South Africa, Guadeloupe and other European countries, where it successfully took root.

The amphibian lives in small swampy bodies of water: lakes, ponds. Turtles are inactive

, but curious. Their favorite pastime is lying in the warm sun.

The red-eared turtle has well-developed vision and sense of smell, but the hearing and vocal cords of this amphibian are poorly developed. The turtle can only hiss or snort when excited and irritated. With strong jaws

, the red-eared turtle can severely injure a person or other pet if threatened.

Video: find out the gender

When can it be determined?

Turtles live a long time, so they acquire both young and adult individuals. Determine gender

at a young age (before reaching the age of puberty) it is almost impossible.
Therefore, in order to correctly and reliably determine the sex, you need to wait until the turtle is five to eight years
.

Who is better to choose

If you plan to buy one land turtle, then the gender of the animal is not important. It is better to pay attention to the appearance and activity, which indicate the state of health of the reptile. The behavior of turtles of both sexes living alone in a terrarium is practically no different, only males can be a little more active than females.

If you plan to buy a second turtle, then you should be very responsible when choosing the sex. It is strictly not recommended to place several males in one terrarium. Males, living in the same room, start fights and often injure each other.

Females get along much better with each other. Living together between a male and a female is also not always desirable, since the boy will have a depressing effect on the female. When breeding turtles, they are brought together during mating periods, dispersing them later.

When planning to get a turtle, it is important to be sure that it will be a beloved pet, regardless of gender. And only if you want to breed turtles, it is important to know how to distinguish a boy from a girl.

Recommendations to the owner for reproduction

Turtles are animals that reproduce quite poorly in captivity. In order to successfully breed these unusual animals, you need to take some steps. So, what needs to be done to ensure that turtles reproduce at home.

Arrangement of the terrarium

Sufficient space is required for turtles to move freely. Therefore, the first thing you need to pay attention to is the area of ​​the terrarium. Height is of secondary importance, but it should not exceed 45-50 cm.

Since turtles come in different sizes, the size of the terrarium should be appropriate. The recommended size is 5-6 times the size of the animal itself. Several sides of the terrarium and its top should be mesh for air access.

Glass and wood are preferred materials for the terrarium, but durable, non-toxic plastic can also be used.

Stimulation by light and heat

The most important condition for the reproduction of turtles is temperature. It is necessary to ensure an air temperature of +25 +30 °C. This is a must.

A heating lamp is used to ensure the required temperature. It needs to be installed in the corner of the terrarium at a distance of 30-35 cm from the ground surface.

For the health of turtles, in order to prevent rickets, an ultraviolet lamp is used in the terrarium. This light is especially necessary for pregnant turtles and young turtles. Turtles should have at least 10-12 hours of daylight. The UV lamp is turned off at night.

Caring for a female during pregnancy

Actions after turtles mate:

1. We place the female and male in different terrariums (this is done so that the male does not harm the female).
2. During pregnancy (turtles carry eggs for 2-3 months), you need to feed the female foods that are rich in vitamins, especially calcium.
3. Set the temperature in the terrarium to +22 +26 °C.

Incubation period

After laying eggs, the mother's mission ends. The female turtle forgets about her children.

The turtle is isolated for several days. Over the course of 2-3 weeks, the female’s diet is strengthened and saturated with nutrients to restore strength. The eggs are transferred to the incubator.

Arrangement of the incubator:

1. Pour a 20 cm thick layer of sand into the incubator.
2. Set the temperature to 29 °C and maintain it throughout the incubation period.
3. Place a container of water under the heating lamp.

During incubation, turning or moving eggs is prohibited.

After 90 days, offspring will begin to emerge from the eggs.

Newborn care

Young turtles are kept separately from adults. They are kept in the same conditions as adults. The diet should include plenty of plant foods with added calcium.

By studying all the issues on breeding turtles and adhering to certain rules for caring for them, you can successfully get large and healthy offspring.

Description

The size of the turtle itself, compared to its head, is relatively small. The length of the shell of this turtle is approximately 18.4 cm. At the same time, the head, against the background of the shell, seems large. The head is covered with a monolithic shield that has significant strength. Despite the fact that the neck is long and flexible, the head does not retract completely due to its size. On the upper jaw there is a sharp, downward-pointing beak. The shell of this turtle is too flat, so the legs and tail cannot hide under the shell. For additional protection, there are horny scutes on the tail and legs. The toes have short but strong claws, and there are no membranes between the toes. She uses her long tail for better stability, and her beak for climbing to higher ground. In an apartment, if you don’t watch her, she can easily climb over the fence or climb up the curtain to any height. In natural conditions, these turtles overcome rocky rubble and climb trees and bushes. In nature, you can find several subspecies of the big-headed turtle.

Platysternon megacephalum megacephalum. This subspecies has a slightly keeled carapace and a serrated carapace in the posterior part, with barely noticeable growth zones. Head shields protect not only the head, but also the eyes, as they hang over them. Radial lines are visible on the very top of the head, and yellow spots can be seen on the jaws.

Platysternon megacephalum peguense. Dark seams can be seen on the plastron. The background of the carapace is jagged, with a pronounced keel. The annual rings are very visible. Behind the eye there is a stripe with a black border. The turtle has a rather hooked jaw, without any pattern.

Pleatysternon megacephalum shiui - characterized by the presence of spots of yellow, orange and pink shades. They are located on the head, shell, neck, limbs and the central part of the tail. This variety has a carapace that is smooth and not serrated at the back. The head shields do not hang over the eyes, which indicates the moderation of their development.

Habitat

From the borders of southern China and southwest through Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to the northern borders of Thailand and the southern borders of Myanmar. Prefers streams with frosty water and rocky bottoms. Lives in mountainous areas, at an altitude of up to two thousand meters above sea level, where there are forest thickets and mountain rivers. During the daytime, she can be in clearings, where she likes to bask in the sun or among stones, hiding from various enemies. This type of turtle is nocturnal, so it likes to go hunting at dusk. In winter, the turtle hibernates, either on land or in water.

Appearance

In the photo of marsh turtles, a low carpacas, convex in shape, with an absolutely smooth surface is clearly visible. Young turtles have a weak central keel on the rear, slightly rounded part.

The paws end in sharp claws, and there are small membranes between the toes. The tail section is very long. It can sometimes reach 25 centimeters.

During swimming, the tail acts as a rudder. An adult turtle weighs 1.5 kg and can reach a length of 12-38 cm.

The shell of an adult can have several colors:

• dark olive;
• brownish brown;
• black with dots or strokes, yellow tint.

The head area, tail and legs are dark in color, with a large number of yellow spots.

The eyes are distinguished by multi-colored irises. She may be:

• yellow;
• red;
• orange.

Some individuals have jaws with smooth edges and lack a “beak” completely.

Terrarium

The turtle is very active, so it should be kept in a closed terrarium with a water temperature of +20-25°C and an air temperature of +26-30°C during the day and +18-22°C at night. The water should have driftwood and stones, which will remind it of natural conditions. She loves to hide between stones and near snags, and then crawl out onto them to bask in the sun. To maintain temperature conditions, a 25-40 W incandescent lamp, a water filter and a water heater are used.

The subspecies Platysternon megacephalum peguense requires more sophisticated conditions for its maintenance. It should be a small mountain stream with clean running water, the temperature of which is +12-20°C.

To prevent the turtle from getting sick from the fungus, it is better to add a decoction of oak bark to the water. To do this, 3 tablespoons of oak bark are poured into 1 liter of water, after which the mixture is boiled for another half hour. After this, the broth is filtered and poured into water.

IDENTIFICATION BY CLAWS

The easiest way to determine the sex of a turtle is by its claws. Males usually have longer, elongated, clearly defined claws.

With such claws, males attract females during the mating period.

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They wave them in front of the females' noses to attract attention and please them. In addition, males need claws during mating.

They use them to cling to the female’s shell in order to attach themselves more firmly to her during the fertilization process.

In addition, males need claws during the mating period. With them they cling to the female’s shell in order to more firmly fixate on her during the fertilization process.

The claws of female red-eared turtles are shorter and thicker. But keep in mind that this sign is not suitable for young turtles, claws that may not have yet grown to the required size, or for old turtles that may have worn their claws off on pebbles or soil in the terrarium.

How to reliably determine the age of a red-eared turtle

For non-specialists, there are several ways to determine the age of their pets: by the length of the shell and the nature of the pattern on it, by its shape and color.

First way

Despite the fact that there is a possibility of error when determining the age of a reptile by the length of its shell, you still need to know about this method.

To begin with, you should find out what gender the pet belongs to, which is also not so easy to determine, especially at a young age, and then you can start taking measurements and compare your results with the base ones. It will look like this:

1. The first year of life of pets is characterized by the same size of the shell, which is equal to 6 cm.
2. In the second year of life, the female has a shell 9 cm long, and the male 8 cm.
3. In the third year of life, the female’s shell is about 14cm long, and the male’s is up to 10cm.
4. By the fourth year of life, the female’s shell grows to 16cm, and the male’s – 12cm.
5. By the age of five years, the female has a shell 18 cm long, and the male – 14 cm.
6. At six years of life, the female can boast a carapace length of about 20 cm, and the male – 17 cm.

We can safely say that by the sixth year of life, the turtle has a shell that will have the same dimensions as it grows further.

The size may increase, but not significantly, and then the turtles’ shell will stop growing altogether.

The size of the shell is greatly influenced by the following factors:

• Diet variety.
• Dimensions of the Aqua terrarium.
• Conditions of detention.
• Does a turtle hibernate?

Therefore, this method has a serious error and is of little use for pets. In this case, you can use another method, which will strengthen your assumptions based on the first method. Even though it is more complex, it is more reliable. The basis of this method is to determine the age of turtles by the pattern on the shell.

Second way

A turtle's shell is like a person's fingerprint: it is unique, provided the turtle is in good conditions, has a varied diet and has enough space to lead an active lifestyle.

There are concentric rings on her shell, indicating her age. Rings begin to appear after she reaches 1 year of age, and then actively appear in the first 2-3 years. For every six months of life, 2-3 rings are added, after which this process begins to slow down and, each year the turtle lives, is evidenced by one ring. By counting the number of such rings, you can easily determine the age of your pet. To be more precise, the age of the purchased pet, since each owner can subsequently accurately determine the age of the turtle by adding to the age of purchase the years that the turtle lived directly with the owner.

To make more accurate calculations, you should count the number of rings and display the average result. As can be seen from the description of the second method, it also gives some error, so you can make a mistake if you do not know the exact date of birth.

Third way

The third method is based on the fact that during the process of growth the color intensity of the turtle's shell changes. The younger the turtle, the lighter and more delicate its coloring. When a turtle reaches four years of age, its shell begins to darken. Before this period, the age rings have the same color, and as the shell darkens, the rings also darken. An older turtle has an almost black color, and the rings have the same color.

As they grow, the shell of turtles begins to acquire a regular oval shape and becomes very smooth, which cannot be said about the shell of a young turtle.

The fact that the turtle is quite old can be evidenced by its lifestyle. At a young age, the turtle is more active and curious, which indicates the presence of a large supply of energy. The closer to old age, the less and less energy there is, the turtle begins to lead a sedentary lifestyle: it moves less and rests more. These signs are not limited to turtles.

In conclusion, we can add that it is not so important to know the age of a turtle if it is purchased when it is very small. The main thing is that the turtle feels comfortable, that the conditions of its detention are close to natural, and that the diet contains foods rich in all the necessary nutrients

Plus, this means attention and care, constant monitoring of cleanliness, which boils down to regular water changes, otherwise the turtle is unlikely to live long, and it is unlikely that it will be possible to determine its age by its shell

What to feed your reptile at home

To begin with, it is worth determining which of the three categories the turtle belongs to by type of nutrition, distinguishing it in order to understand what ratio of plant and animal food the animal should receive and what to feed it. List:

To properly feed turtles, you need to study what they eat in nature.

Predatory

80% plant and 20% animal.

• Main food: lean fish, beef or chicken liver (once a week), seafood and small mammals.
• Additional: dry food, insects, shellfish, amphibians and invertebrates.
• Prohibited: meat, fatty fish, milk, cheese, bread, fruit, dog or cat food.

Omnivores

50% plant and 50% animal. Everyone loves to eat.

Main food: for aquatic animals – fish, seafood and algae; for land animals - mice, fruits, vegetables and land plants.

Herbivores

95% plant and 5% animal.

• Main food: greens, vegetables, fruits.
• Additional: non-poisonous mushrooms, dry food, raw sunflower seeds, bran.

Simply bathing her in the bath a couple of times a week is enough to keep her hydrated.

The diet of turtles largely depends on age