Check Points

• 1). Examine the body coloration of your box turtle. Male eastern box turtles usually have more orange, red and or white on their heads and necks while females are slightly more subdued with mainly yellows and greens. Male ornate box turtles have green on their heads with red and or orange on their legs. Female ornate box turtles have brown heads with yellow scales on their legs.
  
  
• 2). Turn the turtle over to view the plastron, or breast plate. Males will usually have slightly concave plastrons to assist with mating, while females will have flat plastrons.
  
  
• 3). Check the claws on the back feet of the turtle, looking for arches in the nails. Male box turtles have thick, curved nails that look like bird talons, while females have straighter claws.
  
  
• 4). Compare the tail of your box turtle with another turtle's tail or a picture of one. A male's tail is thick at the base where the tail meets the body. Females have short tails with an anus located where the tail connects to the body. On the male, the anus is located farther down the tail, close to the rim of the shell.
  
  
• 5). Look for a flattening on the top of the shell. The male box turtle shell is flatter on top while the female's shell is more obviously round.
  
  
• 6). Examine the eyes of your box turtle to determine whether the eyes are more red or more brown. Red eyes are characteristic of males and brown eyes usually belong to females.