Gender Issues

sophiewins · 11-01-2007, 09:05 PM

Hi
This evening after their bath, I put let my tortoises have a wonder around. The male (I definitely know he is male because his penis was out the other day) tried to mate with both the other two. I was told that all three were males when I was given them but now I am worrying that we may have two females and one male. I have taken some pictures, can you tell me what gender you think they are.

As I thought that all the tortoises are the same gender I have not ready anything on mating so am panicing a bit. Is it usual for a male to want to mate in the winter? Do males try to mate other males? Do females have a season as other animals do? I am assuming that if we have different genders we will have to separate them.

Big Boy (male)

Spot

Big Boy and Spot

Crunchie

Thankyou for any help.

Sophie[/img]

**egyptiandan64** · 11-01-2007, 09:16 PM

Hi Sophie,
I can't see your pictures. If you try with the IMG address for the picture you should be able to post it. On photobucket, if your using that, it's the third address

Dan

sophiewins · 11-01-2007, 09:18 PM

Thanks, I am just waiting for my husband to sort them out for me!

**Eire_Ade** · 11-01-2007, 09:20 PM

Hi Sophie,

Did you use the add image to post button at the bottom of the typing screeen?

As for mating in winter, surely the tortoises are oblivious to it being winter if they are indoors and in a table top enclosure.

How old are they all, and how long have you had them?

Ade

Henry-flash · 11-01-2007, 09:23 PM

Here you go I have changed the URLs to images

sophiewins · 11-01-2007, 09:30 PM

Thankyou for doing that, we couldn't work it out! However, there seems to be 2 pictures of Crunchie, top and bottom and none of Big Boy!

I have had them since September and they were born in August 02

Sophie

**egyptiandan64** · 11-01-2007, 09:41 PM

They are all three males Sophie

and yes males will mount other males. You might have to seperate all three of them.

Dan

**Eire_Ade** · 11-01-2007, 09:50 PM

They are a nice group, but you may need to sort out the fellow pictured in the 2nd pic as his beak is getting overgrown, and is not as a result of your keeping, it wouldnt have overgrown like this since September.

I assume they werent hibernated because they were only yours since September, where did they come to you from, they look quite big and maybe older than 4.

Ade

sophiewins · 11-01-2007, 09:59 PM

I will breathe a sigh of relief for now then and hope that I don't have to separate them.

What do I need to do about the overgrowing beak? I have started putting their food on slate as I have read that this helps.

A friend gave them all to me and she reared them from eggs so they are definitely 4. They do have some pyramiding from being fed the wrong foods so they may also be big from the wrong food.

Sophie

**Eire_Ade** · 11-01-2007, 10:08 PM

Hi Sophie the wrong food explains the large growth, hopefully you will have them settled into a good healthy diet with 2 to 4 g per month weight increase.

As for the beak, I wouldn't be experienced in this matter, but a dremmel tool or emery board can be used to file the beak down yourself, but I would actually be worried about hurting the tortoise so I would be taking him to a specialised tortoise vet who is recommended as a badly filed beak wouldnt look good and might cause eating difficulties too, so make sure the vet is a tortoise specialist not one pretending to be.

Ade

11-01-2007, 09:05 PM	#1
sophiewins Member Incubating Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 218	Gender Issues Hi This evening after their bath, I put let my tortoises have a wonder around. The male (I definitely know he is male because his penis was out the other day) tried to mate with both the other two. I was told that all three were males when I was given them but now I am worrying that we may have two females and one male. I have taken some pictures, can you tell me what gender you think they are. As I thought that all the tortoises are the same gender I have not ready anything on mating so am panicing a bit. Is it usual for a male to want to mate in the winter? Do males try to mate other males? Do females have a season as other animals do? I am assuming that if we have different genders we will have to separate them. Big Boy (male) Spot Big Boy and Spot Crunchie Thankyou for any help. Sophie[/img]

11-01-2007, 09:16 PM	#2
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	Hi Sophie, I can't see your pictures. If you try with the IMG address for the picture you should be able to post it. On photobucket, if your using that, it's the third address Dan __________________

11-01-2007, 09:20 PM	#4
Eire_Ade Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 8,422	Hi Sophie, Did you use the add image to post button at the bottom of the typing screeen? As for mating in winter, surely the tortoises are oblivious to it being winter if they are indoors and in a table top enclosure. How old are they all, and how long have you had them? Ade __________________ Ade ----------------------------------------------- Y.O.B 1971 (40 years young! ) My Tortoises :- Dug (Testudo Graeca Ibera Terrestris (Syrian), Penny, JJ (JennyJack), Buttons and Gem (Testudo Graeca Ibera)

11-01-2007, 09:23 PM	#5
Henry-flash Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cheshire Posts: 9,304	Here you go I have changed the URLs to images __________________ Peter Keeping: Testudo hermanni, Testudo graeca (graeca & ibera ), Testudo horsfieldi, Astrochelys radiata, Malacochersus tornieri and Kinixys belliana. The North West Tortoise Group

11-01-2007, 09:41 PM	#7
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	They are all three males Sophie and yes males will mount other males. You might have to seperate all three of them. Dan __________________

11-01-2007, 09:18 PM	#3
sophiewins Member Incubating Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 218	Thanks, I am just waiting for my husband to sort them out for me!

11-01-2007, 09:30 PM	#6
sophiewins Member Incubating Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 218	Thankyou for doing that, we couldn't work it out! However, there seems to be 2 pictures of Crunchie, top and bottom and none of Big Boy! I have had them since September and they were born in August 02 Sophie

11-01-2007, 09:50 PM	#8
Eire_Ade Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 8,422	They are a nice group, but you may need to sort out the fellow pictured in the 2nd pic as his beak is getting overgrown, and is not as a result of your keeping, it wouldnt have overgrown like this since September. I assume they werent hibernated because they were only yours since September, where did they come to you from, they look quite big and maybe older than 4. Ade __________________ Ade ----------------------------------------------- Y.O.B 1971 (40 years young! ) My Tortoises :- Dug (Testudo Graeca Ibera Terrestris (Syrian), Penny, JJ (JennyJack), Buttons and Gem (Testudo Graeca Ibera)

11-01-2007, 09:59 PM	#9
sophiewins Member Incubating Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 218	I will breathe a sigh of relief for now then and hope that I don't have to separate them. What do I need to do about the overgrowing beak? I have started putting their food on slate as I have read that this helps. A friend gave them all to me and she reared them from eggs so they are definitely 4. They do have some pyramiding from being fed the wrong foods so they may also be big from the wrong food. Sophie

11-01-2007, 10:08 PM	#10
Eire_Ade Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 8,422	Hi Sophie the wrong food explains the large growth, hopefully you will have them settled into a good healthy diet with 2 to 4 g per month weight increase. As for the beak, I wouldn't be experienced in this matter, but a dremmel tool or emery board can be used to file the beak down yourself, but I would actually be worried about hurting the tortoise so I would be taking him to a specialised tortoise vet who is recommended as a badly filed beak wouldnt look good and might cause eating difficulties too, so make sure the vet is a tortoise specialist not one pretending to be. Ade __________________ Ade ----------------------------------------------- Y.O.B 1971 (40 years young! ) My Tortoises :- Dug (Testudo Graeca Ibera Terrestris (Syrian), Penny, JJ (JennyJack), Buttons and Gem (Testudo Graeca Ibera)

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