Please help confirm the sex of my tortoise!

Hello!
I’ve been told I have a female sulcata and was hoping someone else can confirm this!
My baby will turn 4 in April!



Thanks!

How big is your sulcata? It does look female, but they all do until the male characteristics develop. They usually develop at 14" - 16". But 16" (which is also 16lbs) if it still looks female, it is 99% female.

Right now the tail looks female. The anal scutes look totally neutral. The gular looks neutral. The supracaudal still looks neutral but tending female.

She’s 23 pounds now! You probably can’t tell but she’s on my lap for the photo. I’m 5’7 and have very long legs.
Should I measure her head to tail or just the shell to tell you how many inches she is??
Thank you for replying!!

I'm thinking female. The tail and gulars certainly point that way. Also, I see no discernable curvature to the plastron which would be indicative to males. The rear scute on the carapace does not appear to arch inward (aids males in reproduction) either. Then again, it could all be a result of the camera angle too.

Thank you so much for your answer! Do these angles help??

Also, I read that at 15 inches (just measured and that’s the length of her shell) they can begin laying eggs! If she is female, are the only signs that she’s about to lay that she’ll start digging?
thanks again!!
Side note: I’m not looking to breed her... I just want to be ready with a good place for her to lay her yearly, unfertilized eggs)