Please help! (prolapse???)

[Shama]

Hello...

I think something is wrong with my tortoise

Today I noticed her walking funny-- Like she was drunk. And on closer inspection I saw this on her... (I am attaching the pictures)

She is a female Leopard tortoise.

My heart is pounding right now. It may be an over reaction because she's 'just a tortoise' and not a cat/dog but I love her a lot and can't bear to think of her not with me

 

[peasinapod]

Congrats! It's a boy!

That is his penis by the way.

It should retract on its own. If it doesn't, then it needs to be kept moist and you need to go to a vet asap! Tortoises seem to go through a phase where they "flash" you quite a lot as they start to sexually mature. Completely normal!


Edit: There's quite a lot of pictures on the internet and even some videos on youtube. Lots of owners get scared/surprised when they see it for the first time.

 

[Shama]

A boy...!? She's a... boy!? But she has a flat underbelly, not curved like a male...
Whoa are u serious I have a boy!?

 

[wellington]

How old is he? Mine flashed me around two years old and then after started getting his concaved plastron. There are quite a few leopards on here that has flashed around two years and none of them had known what sex it was until it flashed.
As for the drunken walking, could it be because he had his flashing out and was trying to walk with it in the way sorta speak? Otherwise I would check the temps and be sure he has not over heated. Give him a nice warm soak, and like stated before, be sure he brings his boy parts back in, they can not stay out and dry up, he needs to be able to retract it, otherwise something is wrong.
Btw, he is not just a tortoise, to most, if not all of us, they are just like our dog or cat and just as important, meaningful and loved.

 

[katfinlou]

Shama I was given a female hermanns tortoise. She flashed me an unmistakeable male tortoise part. My vet confirmed she was a male. She/he laid an egg on Wednesday night...

 

[wellington]

Shama I was given a female hermanns tortoise. She flashed me an unmistakeable male tortoise part. My vet confirmed she was a male. She/he laid an egg on Wednesday night...

There is a difference from a male flashing and a female flashing. Yes, sometimes females will show their female parts. This one is a male.
As for the vet confirming it was a male. Well, unfortunately, not too many vets have a clue about tortoises, period.

 

[Earth Mama]

There is a difference from a male flashing and a female flashing. Yes, sometimes females will show their female parts..

I didn't know a female could flash. Any photos out there of what that looks like?

 

[wellington]

I didn't know a female could flash. Any photos out there of what that looks like?

Not that I know of. I have never seen it either. When I first joined, didn't know it either, one of the things I learned here. Maybe @Yvonne G can find a picture of describe it, that's who I learned it from.

 

[Yvonne G]

What you saw as drunken walking, was the BOY tortoise playing with his newly discovered man parts. They play with it for a couple weeks, then it gets old and they become used to having it and they leave it inside.

 

[Earth Mama]

What you saw as drunken walking, was the BOY tortoise playing with his newly discovered man parts. They play with it for a couple weeks, then it gets old and they become used to having it and they leave it inside.

Typical!!

 

[Tom]

Shama I was given a female hermanns tortoise. She flashed me an unmistakeable male tortoise part. My vet confirmed she was a male. She/he laid an egg on Wednesday night...

When females flash it is usually prolapse. Not good. It can happen when they are dehydrated and constipated or when they are trying to expel eggs.

 

[Tom]

A boy...!? She's a... boy!? But she has a flat underbelly, not curved like a male...

What you have is a young adolescent. They don't get all the full male secondary sexual characteristics, including the concave plastron and wide spread anal scutes, until they are much larger and more mature.

This is one reason why most juveniles look female to most people.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

So, what will you rename this male?? hehehe

 

[Jodie]

Congratulations on having a boy! I honestly think my tortoises health and well being is more important/at least as important to me than my dogs or cat. A dogs life is 15 years, a tortoise will live so much longer. They deserve to be healthy.

 

[Shama]

How old is he? Mine flashed me around two years old and then after started getting his concaved plastron. There are quite a few leopards on here that has flashed around two years and none of them had known what sex it was until it flashed.
As for the drunken walking, could it be because he had his flashing out and was trying to walk with it in the way sorta speak? Otherwise I would check the temps and be sure he has not over heated. Give him a nice warm soak, and like stated before, be sure he brings his boy parts back in, they can not stay out and dry up, he needs to be able to retract it, otherwise something is wrong.
Btw, he is not just a tortoise, to most, if not all of us, they are just like our dog or cat and just as important, meaningful and loved.

I am not entirely sure how old he is... But I have had him for about 4-5 years now... He was an aunts who couldn't take care of him.
The temp was quite hot today (I live in Africa). I did give him a soak tho and his manhood does retract back, which is good!!

 

[Shama]

So, what will you rename this male?? hehehe

His name is Kruger. I originally thought he was a boy so named him that. Then for the longest time I thought he was a girl. I finally got used to Kruger being a girls name now I have to think of it as a boys name again!!

 

[Shama]

Congratulations on having a boy! I honestly think my tortoises health and well being is more important/at least as important to me than my dogs or cat. A dogs life is 15 years, a tortoise will live so much longer. They deserve to be healthy.

Yes, I agree. They definitely deserve to be healthy

 

[Shama]

What you have is a young adolescent. They don't get all the full male secondary sexual characteristics, including the concave plastron and wide spread anal scutes, until they are much larger and more mature.

This is one reason why most juveniles look female to most people.

Ooh, I see!! He's about 8 inches. Hasn't grown much since I've had him. The girl is a little Smaller. Would they be able to mate at this size and would she be able to hold eggs in her?
I still think of the female as my baby and don't want her to get a dangerous pregnancy

 

[christinaland128]

What you saw as drunken walking, was the BOY tortoise playing with his newly discovered man parts. They play with it for a couple weeks, then it gets old and they become used to having it and they leave it inside.

Hahaha!! like a human 2yr old male!!

 

[Shama]

What you saw as drunken walking, was the BOY tortoise playing with his newly discovered man parts. They play with it for a couple weeks, then it gets old and they become used to having it and they leave it inside.

Interesting!!! I am glad to hear that