Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Howdy there all! I have a bit of a mata mata question for you... I've just received my first mata mata, a little juvie that I would like to sex. Thing is, I can't really find anything on doing so? Are there any tips, hints, or tricks any of you more professional mata mata owners can shoot my way?

Thanks!
-Sara Eyre
Ladywolf17@aol.com

If you have a juvenile, like most other turtles, you cannot determine the sex yet. When it reaches a certain size, probably around 8-10 inches for a matamata you should be able to determine the typical sex characteristics of most turtles. Look for a concave plastron and a long tail with the vent about midway down the tail for a male. A female will have a flatter plastron and a short tail with the vent at the base of the tail.
The Matamata Page

Hi Sara, I have raised 16 matas over the last 10 years. You can tell them apart once they are about 8-10 inches. The male has a thicker, longer tail, and the cloaca vent is more distal from the edge of the carapace.

Mata care in my opinion:

-water pH 6.0
-low ammonia/nitrates (biological filtration partial water changes)
-de-parasitize every 6 months with Panacur (possibly Flagyl also)if live fish are fed to them
-NO GRAVEL SUBSTRATE!!
-water temp 80-82 degrees F

Minh