Is Elsa a male or female ?


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Alissa Manning

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Give, Denmark
Hello my name is Alissa and I have 2 beautiful, 5 year old Marginated Tortoises Elvis and Elsa. Before purchasing them I built my own tortoises table and did intense research so I could be prepared for anything. The only thing I am unable to identify is the difference between Female and Male Marginated Tortoises. If anyone could help me identify the sex of tortoises I would really appreciated it. The first 4 photos are of Elsa. She is my larger tortoises between the two and is very shy but loves to run around her enclosure. The next 4 photos are of Elvis. He is very out going, loves to be touched and is very active. Thank you for your help !
 

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Tom

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Elsa looks female and Elvis looks male, based on tail sizes.

They should never live as a pair. I'm surprised you've gotten away with this for so long, but its just a question of time until things go bad. You should make a separate enclosure ASAP. They will do much better living alone.

Looks like it time for larger enclosures too.

Is one of those bulbs a UV bulb? If yes, that type should not be used over tortoises. Some of them damage tortoise eyes, and none of them are effective UV sources. Since your tortoises spend so much time indoors each year, it would be wise to invest in some Arcadia HO tubes and a UV meter.

All bulbs should be mounted from overhead too. This will allow you to more easily adjust the height for the correct basking temperature, or correct amount of UV under them.
 

Alissa Manning

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Apr 14, 2020
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Location (City and/or State)
Give, Denmark
Elsa looks female and Elvis looks male, based on tail sizes.

They should never live as a pair. I'm surprised you've gotten away with this for so long, but its just a question of time until things go bad. You should make a separate enclosure ASAP. They will do much better living alone.

Looks like it time for larger enclosures too.

Is one of those bulbs a UV bulb? If yes, that type should not be used over tortoises. Some of them damage tortoise eyes, and none of them are effective UV sources. Since your tortoises spend so much time indoors each year, it would be wise to invest in some Arcadia HO tubes and a UV meter.

All bulbs should be mounted from overhead too. This will allow you to more easily adjust the height for the correct basking temperature, or correct amount of UV under them.

I never knew the genders of my tortoises so thats why I asked you. Thank you for completely ripping apart what I have beautiful built and done. I only wanted your opinion for one thing. My tortoises are only 5cm, living in a 120cm × 75cm enclosure. They have plenty of space including an upper level and two sleeping places. My tortoises were rasied together from birth. I have read many online websites regarding marginated tortoises and they all say its fine for a male and female to live together.

Regarding my bulbs they are both arcadia uva and uvb . The uvb has a cover that protects the eyes. I talked to two reptile experts regaurding the light and temperature of my enclosure and they said it was fine until a certain age. I understand when my tortoises are full grown and need more light I will prepare todo so with T5 tubes.
Welcome to the Tortoises Form
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
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I never knew the genders of my tortoises so thats why I asked you. Thank you for completely ripping apart what I have beautiful built and done. I only wanted your opinion for one thing. My tortoises are only 5cm, living in a 120cm × 75cm enclosure. They have plenty of space including an upper level and two sleeping places. My tortoises were rasied together from birth. I have read many online websites regarding marginated tortoises and they all say its fine for a male and female to live together.

Regarding my bulbs they are both arcadia uva and uvb . The uvb has a cover that protects the eyes. I talked to two reptile experts regaurding the light and temperature of my enclosure and they said it was fine until a certain age. I understand when my tortoises are full grown and need more light I will prepare todo so with T5 tubes.
Welcome to the Tortoises Form
You only asked one thing, but would you have people ignore potential problems and say nothing? If I posted a picture and there was a glaring error being made, I would want someone to tell me. People do tell me, in fact, and I thank them for helping me to learn and avoid problems.

I'm also a reptile expert, and I'm telling you that you have a problem. Marginated tortoises do not do well in pairs. Who told you that? Was it a person trying to sell two tortoises instead of one? Whoever is telling you that has no clue about tortoise behavior and what is going to eventually happen in your enclosure.

@tglazie is a member here that doesn't post much anymore, but he has extensive experience with this species. He commented toward the end of this thread, but do your tortoises a favor, and search out some of his posts. He's written extensively about marginated tortoise aggression here. Here you you'll get some insight from people who know the species well: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/female-marginated-tortoise-has-become-aggressive.173424/
There are many thread like this one if you care to browse around in the marginated section.

Hope this helps to prevent future problems. One way or another, you will learn what I know eventually. Some people gotta learn the hard way.
 

Alissa Manning

New Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2020
Messages
6
Location (City and/or State)
Give, Denmark
You only asked one thing, but would you have people ignore potential problems and say nothing? If I posted a picture and there was a glaring error being made, I would want someone to tell me. People do tell me, in fact, and I thank them for helping me to learn and avoid problems.

I'm also a reptile expert, and I'm telling you that you have a problem. Marginated tortoises do not do well in pairs. Who told you that? Was it a person trying to sell two tortoises instead of one? Whoever is telling you that has no clue about tortoise behavior and what is going to eventually happen in your enclosure.

@tglazie is a member here that doesn't post much anymore, but he has extensive experience with this species. He commented toward the end of this thread, but do your tortoises a favor, and search out some of his posts. He's written extensively about marginated tortoise aggression here. Here you you'll get some insight from people who know the species well: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/female-marginated-tortoise-has-become-aggressive.173424/
There are many thread like this one if you care to browse around in the marginated section.

Hope this helps to prevent future problems. One way or another, you will learn what I know eventually. Some people gotta learn the hard way.

I'm sure the dog trainer from California is a tortoise expert and knows everything about anything. Who probably sits on his computer all day telling people off on a tortoises website. Ive read some of your other posts. Your approach to the conversation was disgusting. Tom should probably stop playing with turtles and learn how to interact with some humans. Welcome to the Tortoise form
 

iAmCentrochelys sulcata

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You should not be taking this personal, Tom is trying to help you out with the potential problems you are having, there’s many problems with your care from what i can see in your enclosure.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
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Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I'm sure the dog trainer from California is a tortoise expert and knows everything about anything. Who probably sits on his computer all day telling people off on a tortoises website. Ive read some of your other posts. Your approach to the conversation was disgusting. Tom should probably stop playing with turtles and learn how to interact with some humans. Welcome to the Tortoise form

My intention is to help your tortoises. You don't like the way I say it? No problem. Here are a bunch of other people saying the same thing. Maybe you'll like their approach better:
 

jeneliza

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Your encloser is beautiful, and you have not had any issues yet, with them living together, which is great, however I only ask the next question because it could be a very bad situation, okay next ,when you're tortoises near maturity, do you have a bad up plan for if issues come up with bullying, your right many people will have no issue, however for many people who do don't realize it till it's to late, and huge issues happen, one being injures, or leading to death, we just don't want to see this happen, so if you want to continue to house together, please have a backup for housing them, and be watching for any bullying, so it's not to late, and I also have lighting issues, with my encloser, I also thought I had the right lighting, after almost 10years, I do not, but I have taken this advice, and because I will be adding on to my encloser, I will be changing my lights, and setup, please don't be offend, by the advice, he's only trying to help you, many times people will infact get advice that is wrong, and from people who think they know, because there reptile experts, but are they tortoises experts, tortoises are different than most reptiles, and the keeping of them as pets, and care has evolved in the past 10years, so many reptile experts, simply are not updated, and give outdated advice, this is what happened in my case, but listening to the advice on here , I can tell you that my tortoise, is definitely happier, he's not trying to hurt your feelings, in anyway, only prevent, a bad situation, so if you choose to continue with the housing of them together, please have a backup plan,
 

iAmCentrochelys sulcata

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Your encloser is beautiful, and you have not had any issues yet, with them living together, which is great, however I only ask the next question because it could be a very bad situation, okay next ,when you're tortoises near maturity, do you have a bad up plan for if issues come up with bullying, your right many people will have no issue, however for many people who do don't realize it till it's to late, and huge issues happen, one being injures, or leading to death, we just don't want to see this happen, so if you want to continue to house together, please have a backup for housing them, and be watching for any bullying, so it's not to late, and I also have lighting issues, with my encloser, I also thought I had the right lighting, after almost 10years, I do not, but I have taken this advice, and because I will be adding on to my encloser, I will be changing my lights, and setup, please don't be offend, by the advice, he's only trying to help you, many times people will infact get advice that is wrong, and from people who think they know, because there reptile experts, but are they tortoises experts, tortoises are different than most reptiles, and the keeping of them as pets, and care has evolved in the past 10years, so many reptile experts, simply are not updated, and give outdated advice, this is what happened in my case, but listening to the advice on here , I can tell you that my tortoise, is definitely happier, he's not trying to hurt your feelings, in anyway, only prevent, a bad situation, so if you choose to continue with the housing of them together, please have a backup plan,
lol your like tom but with a better personality. ??
 

jeneliza

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burton michigan
lol your like tom but with a better personality. ??
Lol, Tom's a good guy, but he's a guy, he says like it is, which I understand and don't get offend by, I actually respect the saying it as it is, I am not a child so , I don't need sugar to take my meds, I prefer this, but alot of people are use to hearing things in a sugar coating, now days, Tom is a guy and say it like a guy, he's a good guy
 

iAmCentrochelys sulcata

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Lol, Tom's a good guy, but he's a guy, he says like it is, which I understand and don't get offend by, I actually respect the saying it as it is, I am not a child so , I don't need sugar to take my meds, I prefer this, but alot of people are use to hearing things in a sugar coating, now days, Tom is a guy and say it like a guy, he's a good guy
Totally agree. so sweet.
 
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