I need help identifying if this is a penis!?

Miranda16

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My tortoise who I think is about 4 years old just flashed what I think is a penis. But I posted this somewhere else and some people are saying it looks like a female. So now I'm confused, I didnt know females could flash.
Also, since he/she flashed me on the 6th of July. I noticed he hasnt pooped for 2 days. I put him in water and he hasnt pooped and now I'm concerned. The penis (or so I think) does go back inside without a problem and has only come out when he is in water.
Thought? TIA
 

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TeamZissou

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Looks like it is a female. It's rare that they extend their genitals, but it does happen:


 

wellington

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Some pics look Male then the small tail and top tail scute looks female and the V shape of the plastron around the area looks Male.
I also didnt think females extend their parts out that far.
Is he concaved al all on the plastron/bottom shell?
@Tom @Yvonne G @Markw84
 

Cathie G

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My tortoise who I think is about 4 years old just flashed what I think is a penis. But I posted this somewhere else and some people are saying it looks like a female. So now I'm confused, I didnt know females could flash.
Also, since he/she flashed me on the 6th of July. I noticed he hasnt pooped for 2 days. I put him in water and he hasnt pooped and now I'm concerned. The penis (or so I think) does go back inside without a problem and has only come out when he is in water.
Thought? TIA
Congratulations you have a baby boy ? and welcome to TFO! The first time I saw the evidence it scared me half to death and you are much calmer than me? I'm not sure I'd be concerned about the poo problem with the new changes going on. That may clear up on its own. But you are at the right place to find more info on that if I'm wrong. Best wishes hopes and prayers.
 

Warren

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My tortoise who I think is about 4 years old just flashed what I think is a penis. But I posted this somewhere else and some people are saying it looks like a female. So now I'm confused, I didnt know females could flash.
Also, since he/she flashed me on the 6th of July. I noticed he hasnt pooped for 2 days. I put him in water and he hasnt pooped and now I'm concerned. The penis (or so I think) does go back inside without a problem and has only come out when he is in water.
Thought? TIA
Your tortoise is a Male, congratulations. If this is the first time that you have seen his penis, I sure he will show it many more time and the size will surprise you. This was my Sammy at 19 months old. He is 3 1/2 yrs. old now. He don't flash as much.
 

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Cathie G

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Your tortoise is a Male, congratulations. If this is the first time that you have seen his penis, I sure he will show it many more time and the size will surprise you. This was my Sammy at 19 months old. He is 3 1/2 yrs. old now. He don't flash as much.
OMG OMG hehehehe
 

Krista S

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My tortoise who I think is about 4 years old just flashed what I think is a penis. But I posted this somewhere else and some people are saying it looks like a female. So now I'm confused, I didnt know females could flash.
Also, since he/she flashed me on the 6th of July. I noticed he hasnt pooped for 2 days. I put him in water and he hasnt pooped and now I'm concerned. The penis (or so I think) does go back inside without a problem and has only come out when he is in water.
Thought? TIA
I’m definitely not one of the experts on the forum, but I can say that once my tortoise started flashing and discovered his penis, he was having issues pooping as well. It was like he had to think a little harder of how everything worked back there and it took him a little bit of time to figure it out. He also only “flashes” when he’s in water. Give your tortoise some time. If he was a good pooper before all of this, I’m sure he will continue to be. He just needs to figure out the new plumbing.
 

Tom

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My tortoise who I think is about 4 years old just flashed what I think is a penis. But I posted this somewhere else and some people are saying it looks like a female. So now I'm confused, I didnt know females could flash.
Also, since he/she flashed me on the 6th of July. I noticed he hasnt pooped for 2 days. I put him in water and he hasnt pooped and now I'm concerned. The penis (or so I think) does go back inside without a problem and has only come out when he is in water.
Thought? TIA
You have a young male. It is too young and small to be showing the obvious secondary sexual characteristics they make them so easy to ID when they are full adults. This is why we commonly say that they all look female as juveniles.

Its normal for them to do this in water, and it should always retract within a few minutes.
 

Jan A

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Your tortoise is a Male, congratulations. If this is the first time that you have seen his penis, I sure he will show it many more time and the size will surprise you. This was my Sammy at 19 months old. He is 3 1/2 yrs. old now. He don't flash as much.
Once he's let you know the size & length, he may not feel the need if you shouted "geez, will you look at the size of that penis."
 

Miranda16

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You have a young male. It is too young and small to be showing the obvious secondary sexual characteristics they make them so easy to ID when they are full adults. This is why we commonly say that they all look female as juveniles.

Its normal for them to do this in water, and it should always retract within a few minutes.
Should I be concerned that he is flashing this young?
 

Miranda16

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Some pics look Male then the small tail and top tail scute looks female and the V shape of the plastron around the area looks Male.
I also didnt think females extend their parts out that far.
Is he concaved al all on the plastron/bottom shell?
@Tom @Yvonne G @Markw84
That's what some people were pointing out as well. He isn't completely flat on the bottom. Its slightly concaved.
 

Miranda16

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I’m definitely not one of the experts on the forum, but I can say that once my tortoise started flashing and discovered his penis, he was having issues pooping as well. It was like he had to think a little harder of how everything worked back there and it took him a little bit of time to figure it out. He also only “flashes” when he’s in water. Give your tortoise some time. If he was a good pooper before all of this, I’m sure he will continue to be. He just needs to figure out the new plumbing.
Thank you so much! I hope this is what that is because he was impacted once when I first got him. Previous owner had him very try, so about 6 months of having him he had those big white stones impacting him. No literally stones, I forgot what you call them. But it looked like dried up calcium.
So I'm kind of scared and hope that never happens again.
 

wellington

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That's what some people were pointing out as well. He isn't completely flat on the bottom. Its slightly concaved.
Yeah, but more of him looked Male. Only the small tail really is the biggest female looking part. Slight concaving at this age is all it would be. As he gets older it will become more concaved.
 

Krista S

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Thank you so much! I hope this is what that is because he was impacted once when I first got him. Previous owner had him very try, so about 6 months of having him he had those big white stones impacting him. No literally stones, I forgot what you call them. But it looked like dried up calcium.
So I'm kind of scared and hope that never happens again.
You’re welcome. I understand why you’re concerned with having dealt with an impaction before. 2 days without pooping really isn’t something to be concerned about yet. If it was me, I’d soak him regularly so you can make sure he stays hydrated and is stimulated to go to the bathroom. This will also give him time to figure things out since being in the water seems to “excite” them. If you like you could feed things like cactus pads or aloe to help try and loosen things up if you think he might be constipated. I also noticed that once my tortoise was able to start getting some poop out (in his “figuring it out“ phase), his poop didn’t look how it used to. It used to come out as a big long log and suddenly it was coming out in bits and pieces. It was almost a week he went without pooping before the bits and pieces of poop started to come out. Eventually things seemed to get easier for him. Sorry if this is tmi, I just want to share what my experience was incase yours is the same. I was quite worried about my little guy until someone shared with me, what I’m sharing with you now.
 

wellington

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Should I be concerned that he is flashing this young?
No, totally normal. My leopard flashed at 3 years. It went on for a month or so. Then he stopped. As long as it goes back in, there is no worries
If it ever doesn't go back in then be sure to put him in warm water and keep the penis moist/wet. Make a paste out of sugar and very little water and put that on the penis. It should help get the swelling down so it either goes in on it's own or where you can very carefully push it back in. But don't worry about that. It doesnt happen very often and seems to be in smaller torts.
 

Miranda16

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No, totally normal. My leopard flashed at 3 years. It went on for a month or so. Then he stopped. As long as it goes back in, there is no worries
If it ever doesn't go back in then be sure to put him in warm water and keep the penis moist/wet. Make a paste out of sugar and very little water and put that on the penis. It should help get the swelling down so it either goes in on it's own or where you can very carefully push it back in. But don't worry about that. It doesnt happen very often and seems to be in smaller torts.
Thanks very much for the tip!!
 

Miranda16

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You’re welcome. I understand why you’re concerned with having dealt with an impaction before. 2 days without pooping really isn’t something to be concerned about yet. If it was me, I’d soak him regularly so you can make sure he stays hydrated and is stimulated to go to the bathroom. This will also give him time to figure things out since being in the water seems to “excite” them. If you like you could feed things like cactus pads or aloe to help try and loosen things up if you think he might be constipated. I also noticed that once my tortoise was able to start getting some poop out (in his “figuring it out“ phase), his poop didn’t look how it used to. It used to come out as a big long log and suddenly it was coming out in bits and pieces. It was almost a week he went without pooping before the bits and pieces of poop started to come out. Eventually things seemed to get easier for him. Sorry if this is tmi, I just want to share what my experience was incase yours is the same. I was quite worried about my little guy until someone shared with me, what I’m sharing with you now.
Thanks so much. Its very helpful. ?
 
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