How to Tell Male From Female Box Turtles
- 1). Notice the overall body color of both animals. The male Eastern box turtle is more colorful than the female. Look closely at the face and neck of each turtle. The male animal will have more and richer red, white, orange and black markings over his face, throat and neck region.
- 2). Closely observe the face of the turtles. Adult Eastern male box turtles have reddish-colored eyes, whereas those of female Eastern box turtles are brown.
- 3). Gently pick up the box turtle and turn it onto its back. Examine the plastron, or bottom shell, of the animal. The vast majority of Eastern male box turtles will have a concave area in their shell. This depression will allow the male box turtle to fit onto the domed top shell of the female turtle during mating.
- 4). Examine the claws on the back feet of both animals. The digits or toes of the male turtle are thick and noticeably curved, whereas those of the female animal are markedly straighter and much thinner.
- 5). Observe the tails of both animals. The tail of an Eastern box turtle male is noticeably thicker where it joins the body of the animal. The male Eastern box turtle's tail is also considerably longer than that of the female animal.
- 6). Look for the anus. The male's is positioned well away from the edge of the animal's shell. The anus of the female is positioned close to the body, typically within the edge of the shell.
- 7). Examine a male and female Western box turtle pair. All of the secondary sexual characteristics that applied to the Eastern box turtles apply equally to this animal, except that the heads of the heads of male animals are green, while those of female animals are brown, making them easier to distinguish. The legs of female animals are yellow, as compared to the red legs of male animals.
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