Indian star age and sex

[Joetheyido]

Hello guys and girls, I have a few questions regarding my two Indian stars, one is the age of them both which I know is a bit of a guess if you don't have birth date and the other is sex which I'm hoping there old enough to tell.
I got them from a garden centre and didn't get any info, I had to find that out for myself.
My smallest one that is called Bob, I'm guessing is a male as he is not growing as fast as my 2nd star (sheila) which is double the size which could be a girl or they could be from deferent batches. Cheers

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum!

What beautiful torts. GOD bless.

One cannot tell the age of a tort unless one knows when he/she was born.

Sorry - am not sure what gender they are and I do not like guesswork.

@Yvonne G @tortadise @Tom would you please help @Joetheyido . Thank you.

 

[Ed mitch]

Great torts!

 

[tortadise]

Is estimate with optimum husbandry that those are around 3 years old and 2 years old or so. The big one is a female. The small looks female at this stage. However stars can be very tricky and one day end up being a male. Which that one may do as the top of the rails seems like it could grow longer. But right now both females to me. I'd maybe watch them in the feeding habits. One could possibly be consuming more than the other. Especially with the size differences. If kept together of course. If not then that won't be an issue.

 

[Markw84]

I agree with everything Kelly said. Both look female but the smaller is young enough to surprise yet! Also would guess they are in the second and third year of growth.

 

[Joetheyido]

Cheers. I have not seen any bullying and they both eat well I make shore they do, and not had any problems with them. I would like him/her to turn out to be a male, can you tell a male at birth based on tail or can it all still change?

 

[JoesMum]

Cheers. I have not seen any bullying and they both eat well I make shore they do, and not had any problems with them. I would like him/her to turn out to be a male, can you tell a male at birth based on tail or can it all still change?

All torts look female until they are nearly full size. Without an endoscope investigation by an experienced tort vet, which costs lots of money, you won't be able to tell before that. Young males going through hormonal surges sometimes"flash". A male tort's penis is a once seen never forgotten experience and is conclusive evidence of gender. Other than that you have to wait.

I will echo what others have said about separating them. With such a difference in size, it is only a matter of when bullying starts and not if.