Reptile & Amphibian Forums

here are some recent pics of my sulcata. what sex do you think I have? front to back it is about 9" and about 4 years old. small I know. it has a realy small tail. so I think. whats your guess?

It gives every appearance of being a female. The anal scutes pointing straight back, plus the small tail and lack of concavity of the plastron are what I am noting here (though plastral concavity would barely be noticeable yet in a male of 9" either).

I have a 1.5 year old Sulcata. Am I able to tell what sex it is? And if so, how?

HARD TO REALLY SAY ON THAT ONE
DOESN'T LOOK FEMALE TO ME FOR SOME REASON
FEMALES ARE REALLY C SHAPED I AM SEEING MORE OF THE V BUT I CAN'T SEE THE TAIL THAT WELL
THE PLASTRON DOES NOT CONCAVE ON MALES FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS
TIME WILL TELL
THE PERSONALITIES GIVE THEM A WAY TOO
FEMALES ARE MUCH MORE MELLOW
MALES ARE MUCH MORE AGGRESIVE
PUT ANOTHER TORTOISE WITH YOURS AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS
DO NOT LEAVE THEM ALONE
MALES AT THAT SIZE WILL USUALLY SHOW BREEDING BEHAVIOR
BUT YOURS IS ONLY FOUR SO WHO KNOWS STILL YOUNG TO ME TO SEX FOR SURE
I AM CURRENTLY WORKING WITH AND OWN GROUPS OF THE TORTOISES LISTED BELOW
SULCATAS,LEOPARDS,BURMESE BLACKS, AND BROWNS,RUSSIAN,GREEK AND GOLDEN GREEKS,CHERRYHEADS,AND PANCAKE
NOTHING COOLER THEN WATCHING TORTOISES HERDS CHOW SOME MAZURI OR OPUNTIA CACTUS PADS
EMYS EMYS ARE MY FAVORITE TO WORK OR OBSERVE
THEY ARE LIKE DOGS BUT I LOVE EM ALL
Jeff
owner of
planet reptiles

thanks for the info Jeff,
I have seen signs of very aggresive behavior toward my greek but only when I put them together in a smaller area like 4x6 when they are outside they don't even come into contact. and if they do it is passing buy. your right time will tell. he/she does have a slight indentation on the plastron but it also has a very small tail so who knows? I too think there is nothing better than watching them feed and graze and I love to see my torts prosper like they would in the wild (as much as possible).
currently I keep my sulcata, a 5 inch redfoot, a 5inch golden greek male, and a baby leopard. I want to pair the greek and pair the redfoot.
I am not sure of the sex of my redfoot, what is your experience with the agresiveness of redfoots, I always see them in big groups. do they fight like sulcatas? If I got another one, and got the sex wrong I don't want to have to separate them all the time. I know the signs but I think it is just to young.
nice talking with you jeff.
new england.

HELLO
NICE REDFOOT
GREEKS ARE ACTUALLY AGGRESIVE TOO
I HAVE HAD THE MOST TROUBLE WITH GREEKS FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS BEING KEPT TOGETHER
I HAD ONE KILL 3 OTHERS IN AN OUTDOOR PEN 2 YEARS AGO.
I THOUGHT THEY JUST WERE SICK
THEN I ISOLATED ALL OF THEM IN PAIRS ONLY TO FIND OUT IT WAS ONE TORTOISE KILLING ALL THE OTHERS
THIS PARTICULAR TORT WOULD RAM THEM INTO THE SIDE UNTILE IT WAS OVER.
I HAVE HAD TO SEPERATE MALE SULATAS BUT NOBODY EVER KILLED THE OTHER
THE GREEK KILLED FEMALES AND MALES JUST THE SAME
I PUT THE NAUGHTY ONE BACK OUT IN THE OUTDOOR PEN TO SEE IF IT HAD CHANGED IT'S OUTLOOK
NOPE STRAIGHT TO THE FIRST OTHER TORTOISE IT SAW AND THE RAMMING BEGAN
I THINK THEY STRESSED TO DEATH
I WOKE UP THE FIRST NIGHT I BROUGHT THEM IN AND FOUND THE CULPRIT IN THE ACT
THIS GREEK IS KEPT ALONE
I WAS SHOCKED BUT HAVE SINCE HEARD OTHER STORIES THAT ARE SIMILAR
REDFOOTS SEEM TO BE MORE SOCIAL
THEY ARE ALSO HARDER TO SEX THEN OTHER TORTS
SNAP A SHOT AND I WILL GIVE YOU MY GUESS
I BOUGHT A FEW ONLINE BACK IN THE DAY AND KEPT GETTING FEMALES INSTEAD OF A MALE THEY ARE CONCAVED ON THEIR PLASTRONS
MALES ARE MORE EXTREME AND BARBELL SHAPED
I REALLY RELY ON THE TAIL AND THE ANAL SCUTES
I HAVE SO MANY AND HAVE SEEN THEM AT ALL SIZES AND HOW THEY MATURE
YOU KIND OF GET AN EYE FOR IT MORE THEN ANYTHING
SHORT BUSHY TAILS LEAVE EGGS
MALES ALSO USUALLY SHOW SOME TYPE OF BREEDING BEHAVIOR HEAD BOBBING ,BITTING,CHASING ,GRUNTS
THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS MY EMYS EMYS ARE THE REVERSE OF MOST
THE FEMALE MOUNTS THE MALE HEAD BOBBS ,GRUNTS ALL MALE ACTS
BUT SHE LAYS EGGS I STILL THINK SHE IS A BOY IN HER SOUL
THE MALE IS VERY CALM
HOPE ALL IS WELL AND THANKS FOR CHATING
I WENT FISHING FOR fATHER'S DAY WITH MY 2 DAUGHTERS AND BOY WAS THAT AN EXPERIENCE TO REMEMBER
THAT MADE WRESTLING A CROCK LOOK EASY
THANKS
JEFF

just was curious how your greek does outside with your climate
i have a little female "petunia" if i put her outside she instantly starts getting a cold
24 hours and baytril injections would be necessary
i live in southern ca everything seems to do well
add water for humidity with misters for tropical species
but the golden greeks do horrible
i keep the 1 female in a tortoise table and she is healthy as can be inside
sorry to chat so much but i can keep radiateds and stars just fine
but golden greeks have proved to be very hard for me outside
thanks again
jeff

Jeff, I like the chat
I too went fishing on fathers day with my two boys!

thanks for the info, my greek has never acted healthier since I put him outside this spring. he seems to love the space. it is very warm inside their greenhouse and I have tunnels (with gates that I can close) that I open on nice days Above 70-75 I try to keep the temp regulated and the humidity regulated by opening the windows and roof of the greenhouse but I have noticed that if its going to be warm, I will crack the windows and open the tunnel gates before I go to work in the morning and when I get home from work the torts are outside basking if its not to hot or hiding under weeds or logs or in tunnels if its hot. they will find a place to regulate.

I have not witnessed any agressive behavior at all since I built this outdoor house. I hope all that is well ends well we've got about 3 months before I have to pack them up and move them back inside!!

I'll talk to you later jeff
thanks
chris in New England

ps I'll take some shots of my redfoots privates for ya and some updated shots of my tort house.

HELLO
YOU ARE A LUCKY MAN
I AM GREATLY OUTNUMBERED AROUND HERE.
4 WOMEN AND ONE OF ME
CHATING ABOUT TORTS IS ABOUT THE ONLY PEACE AND QUIET I GET THESE DAYS.
YOUR GREEK LOOKS NICE.
I THINK THE GREEK FIGHTING THING IS MAINLY BECAUSE THE GREEKS I HAD ALL SEEM TO BE FROM DIFFERENT PLACES
THE GOLDEN GREEKS WERE REAL PASSIVE .
THE GOLDEN GREEK I HAVE IS FEMALE
IF YOU ARE EVER INTERESTED IN A FEMALE I COULD WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH YOU
I ONLY HAVE THE 2 LEFT AND THEY ARE FROM DIFFERENT LOCALITIES
SHE IS VERY HEALTHY INSIDE THE HOUSE
SHE EATS LIKE A SULCATA
BUT THEY DO NOT LIKE THE WEATHER HERE
YELLOWFOOTS ARE ALSO HARD FOR ME BECAUSE IT IS SO DRY WHERE I LIVE.
I HAVE LEARNED TO ONLY KEEP SPECIES THAT ACLIMATE TO MY CLIMATE
I REALLY JUST NEED TO SEND HER TO A PLACE WHERE SHE WILL BE USED TO HER FULL POTENTIAL AND PROSPER OUTSIDE
I DO NOT LIKE KEEPING ADULTS INSIDE FULL TIME
SHE WAS TREATED WITH PANACUR AND BAYTRIL WHEN SHE ARRIVED 2 YEARS AGO AND WORMED REGULARLY SINCE
SHOWS NO SIGNS AT ALL OF UPPER RESPERATORY
BUT GETS A CLEAR RUNNY NOSE OUTSIDE WITHIN HOURS OF BEING PUT OUT IN PERFECT WEATHER
MAYBE THE DUST
I AM GOING TO BE SELLING THEM ON KINGSNAKE IF I DO NOT FIND A HOME.
I AM NOT TRYING TO SELL YOU STUFF
JUST HAPPENS YOU HAVE 2 GREEKS AND I HAVE 2 AND YOU MENTIONED YOU MIGHT WANT TO PAIR THEM UP
I WILL NOT BE WORKING WITH THIS SPECIES BECAUSE THEY DO NOT DO WELL FOR ME.
I HAVE PLENTY ON MY PLATE WITH THE TORTS,TURTLES,TEGUS,LIZARDS,AND SNAKE BREEDING GROUPS I HAVE GOING ON
TORTS AND TURTLES ARE MY PASSION
I WILL SEND YOU PICS OF MY SETUPS
I HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT THE PICTURE THING FOR THE FORUM YET.
I HAVE A WEB PAGE FOR THE STORE IT SHOWS SOME OF MY PETS IN THE GALLERY. www.planetreptiles.com it is a very primative web page sorry the kid is just learning
well thanks again Chriss for the tort chat
take it easy
jeff

Hey Jeff,
I checked out your web site and I think it is pretty good I like the contrast between the black screen and bright green letters!

your store looks fantastic I wish we had a store like that in the area I'm from.
where abouts is Norco california? I went to commercial dive school in wilmington/long beach/LA back in 1997-98 so I know that area quite well. I know the weather sure was awsome but the population is just rediculous. I grew up and live now in an area with about 35,000 in our town and all of the surrounding towns. Its perfect.
anyway you mentioned your greeks need a new home. don't bother posting them. you seem like you know what your doing and I was probably going to pick some up at the NY Metro reptile show or from kingsnake if the show didn't have any. so why don't we work out a deal? what do you need for them. I will take a couple of new pics of the set up I have for them and email them for you and maybe you can email me a couple of pics of them. just use the email link and I will do the same Ive used fed-Ex for a tort before and it seemed to be fine, but I am open for suggestions we do have a dhl service too.
I'll check with you by the weekend.
thanks jeff
Chris

HELLO
CHRIS

THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS IT MAKES THE WORK WORTH IT
WE ARE SMALL BUT WE LOVE WHAT WE HAVE AND MAKE THE MOST OF IT
I BOUGHT THE STORE 2 YEARS AGO AFTER I FELL OFF A ROOF
THE OLD OWNER RAN IT DOWN PRETTY BAD AND LOST THE PASSION FOR IT
REPTILES ARE MY PASSION AND I DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO BUY THE STORE AND GIVE IT A GO.
IT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS
I HAVE LEARNED ALOT IN THE 2 YEARS
LOTS OF WORK , NOT TO MUCH TIME FOR PLAYING WITH ANIMALS ANYMORE.
I BREED,RUN THE STORE 7 DAYS A WEEK, AND BALANCE A FAMILY AND WIFE.
I HAVE AN ACRE DEDICATED TO MY REPTILES
I GUESS YOU CAN SAY I GOT HOOKED BUT IT JUST SEEMED TO HAPPEN
I STARTED OUT TAKING IN REPTILES FROM SHELTERS AND IT GREW INTO MY CAREER.
I AM THE BEST WITH TORTOISES AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM SINCE I WAS 16
I WAS RAISED ON A HORSE RANCH
HORSES AND TORTS ARE VERY SIMILAR
WELL ENOUGH ABOUT ME
YES I WOULD LIKE TO RELOCATE THE 2 GREEKS I HAVE LEFT
I REALLY LIKE THE GOLDEN GREEK FEMALE BUT SHE WOULD BE BETTER OFF IN A GROUP.
THESE ANIMALS SHOULD BE PROPAGATED WHEN EVER POSSIBLE.
NORCO IS EAST OF LONG BEACH ABOUT 45 MINUTES AWAY
NORCO USED TO BE A TINY TOWN
NOT ANYMORE
THEY CALL IT HORSE TOWN U.S.A
I AM NOT THAT PROUD OF THAT BUT THE BACKYARDS ARE HUGE FOR SOUTHERN CA
IF YOU SEND ME AN EMAIL TO THE STORE ADDRESS I CAN SEND YOU PICS
SHIPPING IS BEST PROVIDED BY UPS IF POSSIBLE IN YOU AREA
I HAVE USED THEM AND THEY ARE BETTER THEN THE OTHERS
NOT SAYING ANY OF THEM ARE GOOD
I HAVE SHIPPED AT LEAST 50 TORTOISES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS WITH NO CASUALTIES
SEND ME AN EMAIL AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE TORTS
I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN TILL SUN-MON
YOU CAN CALL THE STORE AND THEY WILL SEND YOU PICS IF YOU WANT TO SEE THEM SOONER
TAKE IT EASY CHRIS
NICE TALKIN WITH YA
JEFF

I'm leaning toward a female.
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Julia
Sulcatas Echo and Tank