Reptile & Amphibian Forums

As a general rule, how old are boxies when they begin to show gender characteristics? My babies are 3 & 4-yrs. old this summer.

I have a group that is turning 4 this summer and a group that is turning 3 this summer. My 4-yr. olds are OBVIOUSLY males, and were showing signs by the start of their 3rd year (last spring). One of my 3-yr. olds was showing OBVIOUS signs of being a male also last spring, right along with the 2 older ones. I've been watching the rest of my 3-yr. olds and so far can't say one way or another if they're guys or girls. They "might" be girls, but when I try to judge based on eye color, plastron shape, and tail size & shape, it's just not conclusive.

Just wondering if it's realistic to expect the differences to show up when they're this young. I'd really like to be able to separate them by gender.

That can vary enormously...I've had headstarts exhibit characteristics and behaviors as young as 16 months or so (males fanning their penis), but then again each individual is unique.

You ought to have an idea by the time they are about 200g or so, but nothing is definite.

I have one here that I thought was fully grown when I rescued it from the construction site: it was as big as the other adults. Its eyes were reddish brown, had a *slight* concavity of the plastron, hind feet and claws weren't particularly characteristic of either male or female, even the tail provided no clues. So, the turtle was named Pat.

A year later he fanned his penis, the plastron concavity became more defined, two years after that his eyes turned brilliant red, and he is now gigantic compared to the others. He weighs close to 700g and may set a size record for the state. Turns out he just wasn't fully grown...

LOL You never know.