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-   -   Reproductive behavior of a male t.graeca (http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=74860)

Lorebassi 17-08-2018 12:04 PM

Reproductive behavior of a male t.graeca
 
Hello everyone, i own a pair of t. graeca (ibera i suppose). Female 40+ yo, with my family since baby, and male bought 3 years ago, he's 13 yo.

They are both in good health (i'm a vet) but since the male arrival, no attempt of mating was observed, neither any kind of interest from the male (e.g. biting). I own other species and i always observed reproductive behavior from males earlier than normally indicated in books, bit this isn't the case.

I don't know if it's possibile that the female does not attract males anymore due to age, but time ago she was with an adult t.h.h that was very violent with her. I think it's a male problem and so my question is if anyone had ever experienced this situation with a male of this species/Age (and size, look at the photo).

My unique other ideas is to perform an endoscopy to evaluate reproductive organs appearance, but i want to know more expert opinions on the breeding topic.

(With any animal species i personally think that collaboration between medical notions of a vet ad pratical experience of an expert breeder can give the best results)

Thanks

Pic https://ibb.co/m9rHOK

sandy 17-08-2018 12:35 PM

I have kept iberas for over 37yrs, and have bred from them, having three females now adult from the original male and female:0)
It is unusual for a male not to be interested in a female, no matter what age they are:0)
Females can produce eggs until a really ripe old age, my females still lay eggs (although I dont incubate them any more) I have one female that is easily over 40yrs old. My oldest female that I bred was hatched in 1988 and is the most popular with my male as she is the biggest.
Have you tried separating the male from the female for a month or so?
Sometimes this can help.

Gordon 17-08-2018 12:39 PM

Are you 100%certain it's male can we see a pic of tail end from underneath.

Lorebassi 17-08-2018 12:50 PM

Of course it's a male, i have no photos right now but trust me, i need help but not that much ;)

I tried a separation of about 1 and a half month last year with no results (no try this year).
As i imagined this lack of interest is not usual, thanks

sandy 17-08-2018 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorebassi (Post 675591)
Of course it's a male, i have no photos right now but trust me, i need help but not that much ;)

I tried a separation of about 1 and a half month last year with no results (no try this year).
As i imagined this lack of interest is not usual, thanks

A friend who kept hermans, had a male with five females and the male prefered an old shoe to mate with. So it does happen:0)

Lorebassi 17-08-2018 01:45 PM

If i can find some way to obtain his semen i will do artificiali insemination, but i never seen him acting as he wanted to mate with anyone/anything :/

sandy 17-08-2018 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorebassi (Post 675593)
If i can find some way to obtain his semen i will do artificiali insemination, but i never seen him acting as he wanted to mate with anyone/anything :/

Maybe you have a female with a long tail?
As it is really odd for a male tortoise not to try and mate with something. Shoe, stone ornament, leg are just a few things males will try and mate with:0)

Lorebassi 17-08-2018 05:38 PM

No, it's a frank typical male with long tail and convex plastron and nevertheless i saw the penis multiple times. No doubt about external organs, yet about internal ones it's my intention to investigate.

CherryBrandy 17-08-2018 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorebassi (Post 675595)
No, it's a frank typical male with long tail and convex plastron and nevertheless i saw the penis multiple times. No doubt about external organs, yet about internal ones it's my intention to investigate.

This thread made me laugh out loud ! You are a vet!


If you are not trained to know a penis from a keyhole then we all need to pack up ! so I would trust your judgement on this. Maybe your male is a little late developer in testosterone production ...it must happen. logic says there are males that just not interested just like in human world....

Nice pickies by the way. CB

Lorebassi 17-08-2018 06:19 PM

Thanks
I didn't even think at these questions because seemed so obvious to me ;) next week i'll be back home and i'll post the photo xD

A late developer was also another thing that i wanted to discuss, never happened to me but i wanted to hear other experiences about. The fact is that the male is now 13, slowly the hypothesis is becaming less probabile and with that he is in full health, very active (sadly not in what was supposed to be) and quite big in size


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