Gender?

[Jsanford]

I have two desert tortoises, both are going to be turning 6 this summer. . Any help in identifying their gender would be appreciated 😊

 

[wellington]

Both look female to me.
@Yvonne G
@Tom

 

[TammyJ]

They both look female to me but I am not an expert. If you keep them in the same enclosure, one will dominate the other and grow bigger and healthier, although being together, if they are, is stressful for both of them. Maybe you keep them separated?

 

[EppsDynasty]

They both look female to me but I am not an expert. If you keep them in the same enclosure, one will dominate the other and grow bigger and healthier, although being together, if they are, is stressful for both of them. Maybe you keep them separated?

BINGO
@Jsanford .... You say both are turning 6 this year, well 1 is quite smaller than the other. If they are kept together there is a reason why, the larger one is the dominate. PLEASE Do not get offended if you do keep them together it is a common mistake made by lots of people. You are asking "Experts" to sex your tortoises, you are going to get other input than just gender. Desert Tortoises are Solitary animals and DO NOT like to be in pairs or groups. There are species of tort that do do well in groups but Desert Torts are not one of them.
If you wish to please let us know the housing details of them and we may be able to offer you some advice you might find helpful.

 

[Jsanford]

Yes they are kept separated, I learned that a long time ago from this forum 😊. I just had them together to photograph them. The bigger one is 4 months older so maybe that’s why she’s a little bigger. Thank you everyone!

 

[EppsDynasty]

Yes they are kept separated, I learned that a long time ago from this forum 😊. I just had them together to photograph them. The bigger one is 4 months older so maybe that’s why she’s a little bigger. Thank you everyone!

Fantastic.

 

[Tom]

I have two desert tortoises, both are going to be turning 6 this summer. . Any help in identifying their gender would be appreciated 😊

They are both still immature, so we can't sex them with certainty yet.

The one on the left has a larger tail, extended gulars, and I can see hints of the male chin glands there. I predict male.

The one on the right has a smaller tail, no chin glands, and the anal scute shape looks like its going to go female. I'm guessing female for now, but it may change with age.

Do either of them have any plastron concavity yet?

I hate seeing them on their backs. That is very traumatic for them. Better to simply hold them up with their noses pointing toward the sky to get good plastron pics.

 

[EppsDynasty]

They are both still immature, so we can't sex them with certainty yet.

The one on the left has a larger tail, extended gulars, and I can see hints of the male chin glands there. I predict male.

The one on the right has a smaller tail, no chin glands, and the anal scute shape looks like its going to go female. I'm guessing female for now, but it may change with age.

Do either of them have any plastron concavity yet?

I hate seeing them on their backs. That is very traumatic for them. Better to simply hold them up with their noses pointing toward the sky to get good plastron pics.

I am SOOOOO glad you pointed out them being on their backs, this is something I've always wondered about. Great info as well

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes they are kept separated, I learned that a long time ago from this forum 😊. I just had them together to photograph them. The bigger one is 4 months older so maybe that’s why she’s a little bigger. Thank you everyone!

Did you get them as hatchlings? I'm wondering how you came to the conclusion about the 4 months older thing. It is my experience that desert tortoise eggs hatch in September, so being a 4 month difference in age doesn't compute in my mind.

 

[Tom]

Did you get them as hatchlings? I'm wondering how you came to the conclusion about the 4 months older thing. It is my experience that desert tortoise eggs hatch in September, so being a 4 month difference in age doesn't compute in my mind.

True.

 

[Jsanford]

Yes I got them as hatchlings from The California turtle & tortoise club. They said one was born in June and one in September, different clutches/different mothers. That’s just what I was told.