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Differentiating Male and Female Geochelone elegans (Indian Star Tortoise) - Chris Tabaka DVM
Copyright © 2003 World Chelonian Trust. All rights reserved
Indian star tortoises are sexable at a very, very young age as compared to most other chelonia.
The following examples are from confiscated Turtle Survival Alliance (www.turtlesurvival.org ) animals which are estimated to be about one and a half years of age.
Please also see the care sheet on this species at:
Star Tortoise
(
Geochelone elegans
)
- Chris Tabaka DVM and Darrell Senneke (http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/Geleganscare.htm )
The picture below is to give some size reference on these animals. This pictured animal is the male pictured below. The fingernail polish is to identify the animal in a group of similarly marked and sized baby star tortoises. For details on this marking technique, please see the article at "in Press*" (*article will be posted here after publishing)
In the pictures below, on the left you can see a young male star tortoise.
The tip of the tail extends well past the anal scute in this animal.
On the right you can see a young female.
The tip of the tail stops short of the anal scute.
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Male Geochelone elegans |
Female Geochelone elegans |
Pictured below you can again see this same male on the left with the long tail. Another short tailed female can be seen on the right.
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Male Geochelone elegans |
Female Geochelone elegans |
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