male or female ornate and 3 toe?

[Pameladale]

I was told the ornate was a male and the 3 toe was female but now im not so sure. My 3 toe is constantly mounting the ornate which I know can be a dominance thing but the 3 toe put her feet in his shell is it possible shes really a he? please help! Thank you!

 

[yagyujubei]

3 toed looks like a female. Ornate, I'm not sure, but maybe female as well.

 

[Gangreene]

Ornate is a girl - her eyes, inside nail on back leg and colors of her front legs

3 Toed is Boy - His colors, eyes and colors of his front legs

The inside back nail on most adult male box turtles curl inward towards the shell, helps in " hooking up"

You know you could take some more pictures of their tails? That's where the magic happens.

 

[turtlemann2]

Okay her is my opinnion. the ornate is a female and i say this due to her lack of a green tinted head which is seen in most but not all male ornates (ornata ornata) the three toed is a male due to the beavior (dominance doesnt usually invlove the feet holding open the shell for mating) and the fact that he has red tinted eyes a good sign for be being a male although this can not be 100% until either they lay an egg or expose their manly parts.

Somthing that you can do to help make a definitive guess is take a good picture of their cloclea (anus) in relation to the length of the tail.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

I say - female ornate and three toed male.

 

[DrewsLife727]

Doesn't red eyes indicate male for boxies?

 

[yagyujubei]

Do they both have a flat plastron? Or is one or both concave?

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Doesn't red eyes indicate male for boxies?

Not always - I have females with red eyes. I have males with flat platrons. I even have males with shorter tails. I like to look at all three (plus coloring) and use the totality of the four indicators to determine sex.

I think your three toed is a male based on the coloring of his face and legs, but to be honest - I have a female that looks exactly like yours. I thought he was a male until he laid eggs!!!

 

[fbsmith3]

I have a female three toed box turtle. Red eyes, flat plaston, mounting other turtle using back claws to hold other turtles shell open. She has short tail and laid eggs.

She has always left me confused.

You need all factors and then wait to see if you're correct. Good luck.