Big enough yet to sex?

[lisa127]

I have a juvenile box turtle that is 19 months old right now. I know s/he is quite young, but s/he is ridiculously large for this age. As of yesterday SCL is 4.75 inches and weight is 309 grams. Is s/he sexable? It is a thing of age or size that determines if they are sexable?

 

[Michael in MO]

I have a juvenile box turtle that is 19 months old right now. I know s/he is quite young, but s/he is ridiculously large for this age. As of yesterday SCL is 4.75 inches and weight is 309 grams. Is s/he sexable? It is a thing of age or size that determines if they are sexable?

google sexing box turtles... eye color is a good tell tale and so is the shell.. tail last

 

[lisa127]

Thanks. I know how to sex them. I'm asking if he is old/big enough, since young box turtles cannot be visibly sexed.

 

[WallieTheTortoise]

I remember seeing your old posts with pictures of your boxies....do you have anymore?

 

[lisa127]

I can take some. Do you mean pics of plastron, tail, etc. for sexing? Or just to see pics?

 

[luvpetz27]

Hi Lisa 127!
I would LOVE to c some pics of your baby boxies!!
I love boxies!

 

[terryo]

19 month's old is way too young to sex a box turtle.

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What kind of box turtle is it? I have some that are three years old and are still on the fence.

 

[lisa127]

I agree that 19 months is too young. However, s/he is huge and I've been told it goes by size as well. Here are some pics. Looks female, but that's why I'm asking is it too early to assume that?

Terry, s/he is a three toed box turtle, with some suspected gulf coast mixed in back in the lineage somewhere. His/her parents were both three toeds that originally came from an area where the ranges overlap. Both parents had three toes on the back feet and looked like three toed, but they were very large. Mom was 7 inches SCL and dad was 5.5 inches SCL. As you can see, Peanut (unlike his parents) has 4 toes on the back feet. Another clue there may be some gulf coast there somewhere. At 19 months Peanut is already 4.75 inches SCL. S/he was hatched in August 2011.

 

[terryo]

She's really beautiful. Unbelievable markings, and BIG, really big for 19 months. She does look like she's leaning toward female, but you will know for sure in another year. I have an Eastern, that is full grown and is that size. Mine is on the small side and is 6 years old.

This is a little Three Toed that was 2 years old in Sept, 2012

She had a little shell rot and is inside in a 40 gal vivarium.

 

[lisa127]

Thanks, Terry. I think she's beautiful as well, but I was honestly hoping she would stay on the smaller side of normal. Oh, well. I'm beginning to think it's something to do with me. I have a young male leopard gecko just hitting his 1st birthday. He is 10 inches long and 106 grams. I don't understand why I have these monster size reptiles...lol.

 

[terryo]

Good eats? LOL

 

[WallieTheTortoise]

Wow, Peanut is beautiful! My Pepper is just 2 months younger and is almost 3.25in and 145grams.

 

[Yvonne G]

I love that turtle. Funny how they revert every so often to something way back in their lineage. Beautiful shell pattern.

 

[lisa127]

I love that turtle. Funny how they revert every so often to something way back in their lineage. Beautiful shell pattern.

Thanks. Right now I'm in the process of constructing her outdoor pen (if the weather ever gets warm enough). In addition, I'm trying to figure out something for her adult indoor enclosure. she has outgrown her juvenile setup already.