Boy or girl?

[TortleMom]

Our neighbors found a Red Footed on the street and gave it to us because they knew we had one of our own. I just want to clarify with this group that these are NOT the same sex. We knew ours is a girl, we think this guy is a boy. Which is unfortunate because if we can't find the owners of this guy, we need to build a whole new pen to keep him.

 

[The Tortoise Tree]

I think it may be a female...

 

[TortleMom]

Sorry, to clarify the darker smaller one is our Cinnamon which we believe to be a female. The other pic with lighter color and larger one is the new one that we just aquired. We think he's a male. Correct?

 

[The Tortoise Tree]

Yes

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Sorry, to clarify the darker smaller one is our Cinnamon which we believe to be a female. The other pic with lighter color and larger one is the new one that we just aquired. We think he's a male. Correct?

Still too young to call it I think.

 

[Crush da Baum]

Yea, it looks like it can be either.

 

[TortleMom]

Our Cinnamon is about 6 inches and this new guy is about 8 inches, they are not little babies. I really need to know for sure. If he's a boy I can't house them together, not trying to breed at all.

 

[newCH]

Watch to see if he flashes you.

 

[TortleMom]

Yes

Are you sure? I need to be sure before I start breaking ground on a new pen. Ugh.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

This is the tail and Plastron of my 9" male. The tail and concavity didn't start to develop until about 7".

 

[The Tortoise Tree]

Are you sure? I need to be sure before I start breaking ground on a new pen. Ugh.

No. Do not take my advice

 

[TortleMom]

No. Do not take my adviokay thace

Okay thanks, just trying to do right thing. Get a lot of conflicting information.

 

[zovick]

Our neighbors found a Red Footed on the street and gave it to us because they knew we had one of our own. I just want to clarify with this group that these are NOT the same sex. We knew ours is a girl, we think this guy is a boy. Which is unfortunate because if we can't find the owners of this guy, we need to build a whole new pen to keep him.

I believe some of the people who have responded are confused by the descriptions of which tortoise is which and the fact that they are separated into different posts from the photos. At least I know I am.

Nonetheless, it looks as though you very probably have one of each sex to me. It is a bit confusing knowing which one is larger and which is smaller since both animals are not shown in the same photo. The one being held with two hands which has a lot of black on its plastron is a probable male going by the shape of the tail and the anal scutes. The one being held with one hand with less black on its plastron is a female going by the same signs.

However, if I am interpreting the first post correctly, you say you know the darker one is a female. How do you know this? Has it laid eggs for you?

If you could post a single photo with both tortoises shown in it, it would be less confusing to ID which tortoise is which, but as I said, from the looks of them, you have a male and a female, with the female being the one with less black on the plastron regardless of whether it is the bigger one or the smaller one (which I cannot readily tell from the photos as I said, so I have used the darker and lighter plastron coloration to differentiate them for you here).

 

[The Tortoise Tree]

Okay thanks, just trying to do right thing. Get a lot of conflicting information.

Yeah, you probably should put it in a temporary enclosure just to be safe.

 

[Liggysasha]

I'm very new to tortoises, so maybe one of the experts can correct me. But wouldn't you want to keep them separate for a few months for a quarantine period anyway? Especially as you know nothing about the new ones background.

 

[Gijoux]

Our neighbors found a Red Footed on the street and gave it to us because they knew we had one of our own. I just want to clarify with this group that these are NOT the same sex. We knew ours is a girl, we think this guy is a boy. Which is unfortunate because if we can't find the owners of this guy, we need to build a whole new pen to keep him.

You need to separate these guys anyway, because the rescue may have questionable health issues and you wouldn't want to get your own tortoise sick.

 

[lightningrob]

I believe some of the people who have responded are confused by the descriptions of which tortoise is which and the fact that they are separated into different posts from the photos. At least I know I am.

Nonetheless, it looks as though you very probably have one of each sex to me. It is a bit confusing knowing which one is larger and which is smaller since both animals are not shown in the same photo. The one being held with two hands which has a lot of black on its plastron is a probable male going by the shape of the tail and the anal scutes. The one being held with one hand with less black on its plastron is a female going by the same signs.

However, if I am interpreting the first post correctly, you say you know the darker one is a female. How do you know this? Has it laid eggs for you?

If you could post a single photo with both tortoises shown in it, it would be less confusing to ID which tortoise is which, but as I said, from the looks of them, you have a male and a female, with the female being the one with less black on the plastron regardless of whether it is the bigger one or the smaller one (which I cannot readily tell from the photos as I said, so I have used the darker and lighter plastron coloration to differentiate them for you here).

I agree. The one on the left looks both darker and larger than the one on the right, so I couldn't tell which was which.

 

[MichelleandAlex]

Our neighbors found a Red Footed on the street and gave it to us because they knew we had one of our own. I just want to clarify with this group that these are NOT the same sex. We knew ours is a girl, we think this guy is a boy. Which is unfortunate because if we can't find the owners of this guy, we need to build a whole new pen to keep him.

We have a male red foot and he looks like ours. Have you posted all over online?
Someone has to be missing him. Ours has quite a personality.

 

[Markw84]

It is very confusing with your two posts - darker. smaller, they don't seem to match your photos...

This one is definately a female.
Note the anal scutes form a half circle (egg laying accomodated!)
The supracaudal is flaring a bit backward, not curled under.
Tail short and stubby with cloaca not extending past supracaudal.



This one is too young to call yet. With more age/size it will show these characteristics:
Those anal scutes as they are now could easily bend inward and form the half circle if female, or flare outward and the rear edge of the anals will thicked if male.
The supracaudal is still flaring outward. If male it will grow more curled inward. This creates a resting surface for a male tortoise to hold its weight while mating and still have the opening to allow the tail access to the female.
The tail is way too short at this stage to call male. It can certainly still start to grow and become a male tail, just not there now. Looks female now.
The plastron still shows no concavity. IF male, this will develop in the next 2"-3" of growth.