Help!! Female or Male?

[SnelgroveLady]

 

[Grace-Sophia]

How old is she/he?
Mabey we can get @Tom to help out!

 

[Grace-Sophia]

But it looks like a male to me, not for sure, I am no expert!

 

[chadk]

How about mine? Jusy got it last week.. About 5 or 6 years old.

 

[Grace-Sophia]

Looks like a male too

 

[chadk]

Looks like a male too

I thought so too, based just on the shape (U vs V), but the tail is so short and there is no concave shell underneath - so kinda confused. At 6 years old, I figured those things would be more obvious?

 

[Grace-Sophia]

That’s true...

Let’s see if an expert jumps on the thread shortly...

@Yvonne G could probably help with this one... I’ll invite her.

 

[Yvonne G]

@ZEROPILOT knows RF tortoises better than I do. Sorry.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I thought so too, based just on the shape (U vs V), but the tail is so short and there is no concave shell underneath - so kinda confused. At 6 years old, I figured those things would be more obvious?

Not always.
I have an 8 year old that is a confirmed female but looks male. With a concave plastron and hourglass shaped sides.
I've given up guessing about the sex of immature RF long ago.
An immature male looks just like a female and some sub adult females look male.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

How about mine? Jusy got it last week.. About 5 or 6 years old.

View attachment 321769View attachment 321770

Female

 

[Toddrickfl1]

View attachment 321564

Female Imo

 

[Toddrickfl1]

This is my male for comparison

 

[chadk]

Not always.
I have an 8 year old that is a confirmed female but looks male. With a concave plastron and hourglass shaped sides.
I've given up guessing about the sex of immature RF long ago.
An immature male looks just like a female and some sub adult females look male.

At what age is he/she no longer sub-adult? And then what is the best way to know the gender?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

At what age is he/she no longer sub-adult? And then what is the best way to know the gender?

I think they vary when it comes to sexual maturity. But at about 6 years. Give or take.
@Toddrickfl1 has a beautiful male there that is positively a male. Yet still pretty small.
Sometimes you'll get lucky and find out sooner than later.
This is a photo of my oldest RF.
A boy.....Up until the day she layed eggs.
She is so dished you could use her for a bowl.
Males have long. Fat tails. A V shaped vent. (But not always) a concave plastron and "hourglass" sides.
They are also more aggressive when they become mature.
Most females remain mellow.
I'm been pretty consistent about guessing sexes wrong. And I've re homed a few tortoises to other members that ended up being the wrong sex.
They just all look female for years and then it happens so fast.

 

[willee638]

View attachment 321564

Male or female the most popular question on the forum by far, I guess most keepers of torts are under 5-6 years including mine. I tried to observe, analyses & mostly guess what they are, but there's no way to be certain.