Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My big fat rescued 'female' rosy has miniscule spurs - had to use a hand lens to make sure. Does this necessarily mean it's male?
-----
Jack Jeansonne

Probably a male. Although, maybe some folks with large coastal females can offer info. I do not recall ever seeing even very tiny spurs on any female rosy I've had including big old coastals.

My first rosy breeding was the result of my female and a newly purchased "female" sharing the same cage over Winter and into Spring.

At least you checked, lol.
-----
Mark

Female rosies can have spurs...I have several that do...they should be diminutive and more 'rounded' when compared to a male's spurs.
-----
Thanks,
-JC
www.rosyboas.to

Could someone post a picture of these mysterious spurs?
-----
Mark Huntley
Sand Boa Morphs

Kenyan Sand Boa's
4.1 Rufescens
2.2 Albinos
0.2 Dodoma
1.5 Flame
2.5 Normal (orange)
3.4 Anery
0.1 Snow
2.2 Hopeful Yellow Snow
0.1 Splash Albino
1.0 Splash Anery
1.0 Orange Stripe 100% Het Anery
2.0 High Orange Stripe
1.0 Yellow Stripe
0.4 High Orange Tiger
2.2 High Orange
2.3 Boston Terriers
0.2 Sooners
8.30 Rhode Island Reds
0.0.15 Tropical Fish
0.1 Moody Wives
1.1 On the fence in-laws
2.1 Rug Rats

the spurs are so tiny, I can barely see them. Too small to get a decent shot on my camera.
-----
Jack Jeansonne

Male spurs are definitely visible with the naked eye, easy to see. If the spurs on your rosy are barely visible, then perhaps you do have a female.
-----
Mark

Yeah, spurs in newborns can be hard to see with the naked eye. I use a jewelers loop & a strong lamp to make sure.
-----
Thanks,
-JC
www.rosyboas.to

I know some breeders do have some female localities that have spurs. From what I have heard/learned is look at the spur, MALES spurs are kind of curved like a claw, females spurs are usually kind of like a cone shape and do not curve (like a cats claw). At least this is what I have seen and heard.

How old is your rosy? if it is a neonate or yearling it can be VERY hard to tell what the spur looks like or even if they have spurs. Yearlings you can usually start to see quite a bit easier. On adults you should be able to tell the difference as I stated above in my try at a description.

If female rosys have spurs, then they must be few and far between. I have data on over 450 rosys and I have never encountered a female with spurs of any kind. If someone has definite proof (like a birthing) that females can have spurs, I would like to know about it for sure. Yet, among the males, I find that the spurs can vary quite a bit in size.

Lichanura, hit up Randy Wright. he has some localities that females tend to have spurs. I have seen one he mis-took for a female actually be a male though. But I have heard it from a couple of rosy breeders that got them from him.

My fiance and I have a female Limburg albino with spurs. Hers do curve a little like a male's do and are visible since she is at least 3 1/2 years old. We have a male also and his spurs are fairly visible as well.

Sounds like you have TWO males then. Females do NOT have spurs that curve at all. MOST females will not ever have spurs in Rosys. Very few and far between. MOST breeders that say they are females even though they have spurs are usually wrong. How old are your rosys? Is this Lynsey? If so then I know you have heard this before. Time will tell if she/he doesn't ever get gravid I guess
-----
http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p23/morganjeeper/Rosy Boa Localities/

Yes Rich, this is Lynsey.
Our Limburg does in fact have spurs and was sold to us as female. We have come to the conclusion that yes, she is female. She is actually longer than our male. We are not 100% positive but then again, we're not planning on breeding anyway. She is 3 1/2 years old at least.