Happy Turtles Pub

Sexing a turtle

You cannot conclusively determine the sex of a turtle by visual signs until they are about 2+ years old.

Female aquatic turts reach sexual maturity between 3-5 years of age.

*Characteristics of a female turtle:*

Flat Plastron (bottom of the shell)
Shorter and thinner tail
Shorter nails
The opening on the tail (cloaca) is closer to the body
They tend to get big (up to 14 inches)
They tend to be more aggressive

Male aquatic turtles reach sexual maturity between 2-4 years of age.

*Characteristics of a male turtle:*

Slightly concave Plastron (bottom of shell is curved inwards)
Long, fat tail
Very long nails
The opening on the tail (cloaca) is closer to the tip of the tail

Below is a series of photos of a male turtle. You can see the progression of the claws growing longer and the tail getting thicker and longer. (Ages are approximate)

One and a half years

Two years

Two and a half years

Three years