Omg, I don't even remember that at all. Only way I know of sexing a young tort is surgically.
A Better Way to Sex Tortoises
- Thread starter tglazie
- Start date
I'm no geneticist, but having no determining sex chromosome I'm not sure how a DNA test would do it. I have read something about hormone testing, which makes more sense to me, but from what I understand it too was unreliable. I will probably have my radiata scoped in a year or two, want to make sure I have at least a pair.
SanctuaryHills
Active Member
Where is a mad geneticist with a dream when you need one?? ?
MotherofDragons
Member
I would think this is possible. You can have this done for birds, almost anything from chickens to parrots. People sell sexed fancy chickens in CA. DNA testing from one of the bird places was only like $20. You mail in the sample so it’s a very simple process.
SanctuaryHills
Active Member
Maybe that's our first cue. Now to find a bird sexer! Wait... That didn't come out right
This must be new? I only have ever heard of surgically sexing birds, back from my days with birds.
MotherofDragons
Member
I went through my email. I had it done on a parrot I was considering for purchase in August of 2017. Here is the link for the place that the breeder used. The order form still states $20, and they can use a blood sample which they describe how to obtain, feathers, or even the egg shell. The front page bio says the techonology was developed in the 90s.
Cost-Effective | Plumas Lake, CA | Bird Sexing Solutions
When you need to know the sex of your bird, Bird Sexing Solutions offers a quick, & cost-effective service with 99.9% accuracy. Call us.
www.birdsexingsolutions.com
I'm no scientist though, so if tortoises lack the sex chromosomes like a PP mentioned, that could be what prevents this from being used for tortoises.
Yea, way past my bird days of the 80's lolI went through my email. I had it done on a parrot I was considering for purchase in August of 2017. Here is the link for the place that the breeder used. The order form still states $20, and they can use a blood sample which they describe how to obtain, feathers, or even the egg shell. The front page bio says the techonology was developed in the 90s.
Cost-Effective | Plumas Lake, CA | Bird Sexing Solutions
When you need to know the sex of your bird, Bird Sexing Solutions offers a quick, & cost-effective service with 99.9% accuracy. Call us.
I'm no scientist though, so if tortoises lack the sex chromosomes like a PP mentioned, that could be what prevents this from being used for tortoises.
MarginatedMooney
Well-Known Member
Yes, that's correct. Tortoise sex determination is dependent on temperature, not genetics. So they don't have a sex chromosome and you can't do a DNA test.I went through my email. I had it done on a parrot I was considering for purchase in August of 2017. Here is the link for the place that the breeder used. The order form still states $20, and they can use a blood sample which they describe how to obtain, feathers, or even the egg shell. The front page bio says the techonology was developed in the 90s.
Cost-Effective | Plumas Lake, CA | Bird Sexing Solutions
When you need to know the sex of your bird, Bird Sexing Solutions offers a quick, & cost-effective service with 99.9% accuracy. Call us.
I'm no scientist though, so if tortoises lack the sex chromosomes like a PP mentioned, that could be what prevents this from being used for tortoises.
I stumbled across this research... it may be possible to do a blood test that's looking for a specific hormone expressed by males. This was in turtles though so I don't know if it would work in tortoises too. ?
Identifying Sex of Neonate Turtles with Temperature-dependent Sex Determination via Small Blood Samples - Scientific Reports
Temperature-dependent sex determination, present in most turtle species, is a mechanism that uses temperature to direct the sex of the embryo. The rapid increase of global temperatures highlights the need for a clear assessment of how sex ratios of organisms with TSD are affected. In turtles...
www.nature.com
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MotherofDragons
Member
That is fascinating!Yes, that's correct. Tortoise sex determination is dependent on temperature, not genetics. So they don't have a sex chromosome and you can't do a DNA test.
There has been some research done on this and it seems that using a cystoscopic/endoscopic procedure to look inside the cloaca to determine sex is an effective and noninvasive procedure.
ResearchGate
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Also, it may be possible to do a blood test that's looking for a specific hormone expressed by males. This was in turtles though so I don't know if it would work in tortoises too. ?
Identifying Sex of Neonate Turtles with Temperature-dependent Sex Determination via Small Blood Samples - Scientific Reports
Temperature-dependent sex determination, present in most turtle species, is a mechanism that uses temperature to direct the sex of the embryo. The rapid increase of global temperatures highlights the need for a clear assessment of how sex ratios of organisms with TSD are affected. In turtles...
SanctuaryHills
Active Member
Awesome read! Seems we are getting closer folks!Yes, that's correct. Tortoise sex determination is dependent on temperature, not genetics. So they don't have a sex chromosome and you can't do a DNA test.
I stumbled across this research... it may be possible to do a blood test that's looking for a specific hormone expressed by males. This was in turtles though so I don't know if it would work in tortoises too. ?
Identifying Sex of Neonate Turtles with Temperature-dependent Sex Determination via Small Blood Samples - Scientific Reports
Temperature-dependent sex determination, present in most turtle species, is a mechanism that uses temperature to direct the sex of the embryo. The rapid increase of global temperatures highlights the need for a clear assessment of how sex ratios of organisms with TSD are affected. In turtles...
