I have two males that I've housed with females (at different times, since one bullies the other mercilessly). The meaner male is always game for chasing the girls, but he always seems to prefer to go after the one who's the same size he is. I don't know for sure, but it seems to me that a female that was too small might make it difficult for the male to latch onto her shell at all four corners. As far as checking the girls out goes, my active mail always seems to nose around their tails before giving chase. I don't know if he's looking for visual clues like we use to sex them, or perhaps smelling/tasting something to let him know they're ripe for the picking.

My other male has no interest at all in the girls. Since he doesn't majorly stress them out the way the other guy does, he gets to stay in the pond with them all the time (unless I put the stud in there to do his magic--then the gentleman gets pulled out for his own protection). I'm planning on cooling or hibernating them all this winter, and I hope that'll get everyone on the same page breeding-wise for next year.

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