Hobbies And Interests

How to Tell a Female Desert Tortoise From a Male

Desert tortoises are found in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of Utah, Arizona, California, Nevada and northern Mexico. This species grows to lengths typically between 6 inches and 14 inches, and is well adapted to desert climates. Identifying the gender of a desert tortoise is difficult for several reasons. First, it may take up to 15 to 20 years for an individual to reach sexual maturity, so if you find a younger tortoise it is often impossible to tell the sex. Second, these methods of identification depend on comparison, which you may lack until you have observed a number of tortoises.

Instructions

    • 1

      Look at the tail end of the plastron, or bottom shell, of the tortoise. On males, there is a concave curve in the shell, whereas females typically have a flat plastron. Do not flip the tortoise over to check this; instead, gently raise the animal and look from below.

    • 2

      Check for a long gular. The gular is a part of the plastron that extends underneath the neck. Males develop a longer gular to help them while fighting. On females, the gular does not reach much past the rest of the lower shell. However, males' gulars may break off in combat, so this can be a misleading form of identification.

    • 3

      Compare tail lengths. Males have a longer tail than females, but both tails are very short, making this method of identification a little tricky.

    • 4

      Notice if the tortoise has enlarged chin glands --- look for two visible sacs on either side of the chin. Females almost never show their chin glands, whereas they are often visible on males, particularly during mating season.


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