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How to Tell If Slider Turtles Are Male or Female

Common to Southeast wetlands, slider turtles are frequently seen resting on logs and rocks, basking in the sun. Similar to the painted turtle, sliders have bright markings including a yellow chestpiece with dark blotches, a red ear mark and greenish heads and legs with yellow stripes. During embryo development, a turtle's sex is determined by incubation temperature. Eggs incubated at temperatures between 71.5 and 80.5 degrees Fahrenheit become males, while eggs incubated in warmer conditions turn into females. You can determine the gender of a mature slider - a turtle 3 years or older and larger than 4 inches long - based on subtle size and anatomical differences.

Instructions

- 1
  Examine the turtle's front claws. Male sliders have dramatic, thick nails noticeably longer than a female's short nails.
- 2
  Turn the turtle chestpiece-side-up and examine the tail. Look for the cloaca, a small opening which releases waste and genital liquid. The male's cloaca is located near the tip of the tail. The female's cloaca is more toward the tail's center.
- 3
  Compare a male and female side by side, if possible. The female will be larger in size, with a shorter tail.
- 4
  Examine an older turtle. As male turtles age, dark coloration develops and obscures their yellow stripes. Their chestpieces become more concave, and their snouts lengthen. Older female turtles do not develop these characteristics.

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