Red-eared sliders are beautiful kind of turtle. They’re named after that bright and red area that is behind each of their eyes.
As with many species of turtles both males and females appear identical in appearance. It’s not always easy to distinguish between female and male turtles at first glance.
However, there are many techniques and subtle differences can be used to identify the red-eared slider either male or female.
If you’re looking breeding your pet, or are trying to choose a suitable name for your turtle, you should determine the gender and gender of the turtle. Are you interested in learning what to do? Read on for five easy methods…
Red-Eared Slider Male or Female
Male & female Red-eared sliders look similar at the first glance.
When you begin to take a closer look, however, there are five important methods you can employ to identify what the species is of your turtle. These methods are best used when it comes to sexing adult sliders however some are also applied to hatchlings and babies.
1. Length of the Claw
The easiest way to distinguish male sliders from females is by the length of their claws on the front.
Male sliders sport large front claws with a mean of 1.52cm. Their claws can be used while mating females during breeding season. Male claws are three times the length of claws on their backs. On average their front claws measure 1.52cm in comparison to 0.5cm for their back claws.
Females’ claws are much smaller and stubby with a mean of 0.8cm. Their claws are about the same size as the claws on their backs.
To get ready for breeding males’ claws develop rapidly as they reach sexual maturation ( 2 to 3 years old). Females’ claws are growing gradually throughout their entire lives They never grow the same length as male claws, even when they are old.
For a turtle to have sex check out its claws in the front.
At the age of when the male is three years old and three, he’ll be on his way to possessing the typical long nails. Females do not become sexually mature until five years old. However, even at that point their claws are considerably smaller that males’.
Sometimes, males who were or were raised in tanks with small sizes or were not provided with adequate nutrition may have claws that aren’t fully developed. If, however, you care for your turtle and notice that it has long claws on its front and long front claws, it’s male.
Be aware that this method only works for sliders with red eyes older than three years old.
Sliders younger than two years old will also have nails that are short regardless of sexual orientation because male claws haven’t yet been developed.
2. Shell Size
They are dimorphic in their sexuality. This means that fully grown males and females differ in physical characteristics, especially the size of their bodies. Sliders for females will be bigger than male sliders.
Female red-eared sliders be weighed as much as 7lbs with the average size of 10 inches although lengths as long as 13 inches and weights of 7.5 tons have also been reported.
However, males typically weigh about 4 pounds as well as a length of the shell of 7 inches.
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Shell Length | 7 inches | 10 inches |
| Weight | 4 pounds | 7 pounds |
This method is best used in the case of several turtles.
A comparison of sizes will give you an more precise information about the gender of a turtle than taking a look at the average size.
Male sliders might be larger than the average male’s size, while certain females could be smaller than that average size for females therefore, determining the sex of a turtle based on the averages alone is not the correct method. It is better to compare the dimensions from two turtles or more. If one of them is larger than the other then it is probably female.
When comparing turtles make sure that they’re identical in age. Comparing a two-year-old turtle to a six-year-old turtle won’t work.
Red-eared sliders mature when they reach the age of six years. age.
Check that your turtle is adult size before looking at its weight or shell length.
3. Shell Shape
Female and male sliders have different shaped shells called plastrons (i.e. the lower of the shell, or “stomach-side” of the shell). This is the case for every turtle shell.
Females’ bottom of their shells is smooth or flat. The shell may also be constricted (i.e. convex).
Male red-eared sliders possess an outer shell that bends toward their spine (i.e. concave). This shape creates an angular bowl-like depression or depression in the shell . It is also helpful in the breeding process by mounting females.
To inspect the shell, gently lift your turtle with care using two hands. Don’t turn and tilt the turtle. You can feel your bottom (underside) inside the shell using your fingers. If the plastron appears flat or has a slight curve towards the outside, it is female. If it curves towards the inside the slider is male.
The shape of the shell starts to form in the young turtles between 1 and 2-years-old.
The hatchling turtles aren’t big enough to be able to effectively sex in this manner However, for species slightly older than that, which have a length of four inches the shape of the shell will help you to sex the young.
4. Tail Shape
The red-eared slider’s tail can also help identify its gender.
Males have thick, long tails which stick out quite a bit out of their shells.
Females have smaller, thinner tails that appear less obvious.
If we compare male and female red-eared turtles those with the longer tail is probably male.
Males have long tails due to the fact that they have their reproductive organs situated at the back of their body. Females have their reproductive organs further away from their bodies, making it easier to lay eggs which is why they don’t require a long tail.
In addition to the shape of the tail and position, the Cloaca (i.e. the opening for reproductive or waste) in a turtle will reveal whether the slider is male or female.
The cloaca of male turtle is located further in the tail, which allows him to mate with female. Females’ cloaca can be found situated just beneath the edges of their shell.
A cloaca halfway across the rear is typical of male sliders.
5. Slider Color
A differentiator between female and male red-eared sliders is the extent to which their appearance changes through their life spans. Females and males hatch almost identical, however males’ colors change as they get older.
Male red-eared sliders who age their colors tend to darken. Although female and male sliders share similar designs for their shells and skins, males may get darker over time.
The natural process of aging occurs to all sexes, however males are more likely to develop melanin as they enter adulthood. Males typically have higher levels of melanin pigment on the skin than women which results in them becoming darker over time.
You’ll notice the older turtle’s shell and skin becoming darker overall. Males who are older may appear completely black without streaks of red and yellow found in sliders of younger age. This is more common in females, who prefer to have brighter colors.
If the color changes occur over a number of months, it’s an indication it is male. Although not all males will see his stripes disappear however the chance of it occurring is significantly higher for males than females.
Females can get darker as they age, however generally females retain their red and yellow marks.
Be aware that this method of sexing is only effective for mature turtles.
It’s not completely reliable, but it could give a hint about the gender of your turtle.
Red-Eared Sliders Differences of Female vs Male
The most significant distinctions between male and female sliders is how big their tails, nails and shells.
Male sliders develop longer claws and a concave plastron as well as a larger, more long tail than female sliders. The colors of male sliders are more likely to darken and fade when they are five years of age.
Females are considerably larger in terms of size than males however they don’t undergo the same color changes.
Female turtles and male turtles differ in a variety of other ways, most notably in their behaviour.
In the majority of cases males are more protective than females. They will seek out males who are too close, especially when they’re in an area with a limited supply of food sources.
Turtles who are aggressive may bite, hiss and smash each the other with their shells, until the weaker one returns and is moved to a new area. Animal male sliders have a higher likelihood behave aggressively towards their tankmates particularly during feeding times.
Females tend to be more accepting of living in groups than men.
In light of these behaviours, it is best for male sliders to be kept within their own tank.
Female and male red-eared sliders have different breeding habits.
Females can’t reproduce until they are a few more years old than males due to the fact that they require larger and more active to lay eggs. When she is five years old an age, females can show indications to indicate that she is ready to start laying eggs..
A female that is gravid may be more active and uneasy, and will cease eating until she has found an appropriate spot to lay her eggs. It is essential to give your female slider nesting boxes even if you don’t have any male turtles since she’ll likely have eggs that are not fertilized at one point in her life.
Although males and female sliders consume the same diet they eat, their diets may differ depending on whether they are breeding.
As a female begins to develop eggs, she could begin to notice a preference towards foods that are high in calcium, like beet greens or bok choy. Papaya or even whole fish. The calcium content of these foods helps to make solid eggshells.
Male sliders don’t exhibit nesting behaviour and don’t require any particular food.
At What Age Can U Tell The Difference?
Red-eared hatchling sliders are about the equivalent of the size of an entire quarter making it difficult to determine any gender differences difficult.
Fortunately young turtles grow quickly, and they can grow to two inches within the initial year. At the point they reach at least two years old there are some distinctions between males and females begin to show:
- Males will begin to develop long front claws, and their tails will get significantly more thick.
- Females could begin to get bigger in comparison to males at this time but it is not always the case.
When the slider turtle is the age of three males are easy to identify.
If you live in a safe environment, males will sport long front claws with an inward-facing curve towards the bottom of their shells. Also, you should be able to observe the position of their cloaca. It is found about halfway down the tail of males.
Female red-eared sliders do not mature until they’re five years old and 7 inches long. At this point you can tell with some certainty whether your slider male or female. Females tend to be larger and have smaller claws, smaller tails and an even plastron.
If you do not have multiple sliders and you wish to avoid breeding, there’s no issue making sure your dog becomes an adult to determine its gender.
How to Sex Baby Red-Eared Sliders ?
It is sometimes difficult to determine which gender belongs to a young slider.
The new hatchlings of sliders are roughly the equivalent of the size of an entire quarter so spotting any important male or female distinctions difficult! It’s notoriously difficult to have a sexual relationship with a turtle prior to when they reach the age of two years.
To determine the gender of the baby red-eared slider it is necessary to verify the temperature that the eggs were incubated at.
Sliders have temperature-dependent sex determination.
The turtles that hatch from eggs that were incubated at different temperatures are likely to be different sexes.
Eggs that are incubated within 78.8degF (26degC) can be all males. Likewise, those that are incubated with 89.6degF (32degC) are female only. Incubating eggs between these two extremes will result in an assortment of males and females.
The eggs that are incubated cooler can be 100% male. the eggs that are heated will be 100 100% female. Female Red-Eared Slider
Summary
To determine which species of red-eared slider depends on a few crucial indicators.
Male sliders have large front claws, there is a dip at on the inside of the shells and a long tail. Female sliders have short claws, a short tail, a cloaca , that is close to the body and they’re larger.
If you don’t are aware of what temperature the slider’s eggs were incubated and the temperature at which it was incubated, telling male and female sliders is virtually impossible for babies that have just hatched. It’s easier waiting until the sliders are 2 years of age.
It is possible to estimate the age of turtles older by its size as well as color.
Males and females will have a length of around 4 inches at two years old. If your turtle ceases to grow and is closer to 5-6 inches in length, it will probably be male. Should it continue to increase in size, it’s probably a female.
Did this article help you determine the gender of your slider? Tell us how old your slider is and whether you were able to determine your gender by commenting below!
