Male or female? Male turtles also have longer, thicker tails than females and bear an enlarged claw on their hind feet that is used during mating. Some really good tells on male vs. female is the back claws on a male are very curved (especially the middle claw) and "longish" but the females back claws are fairly short and straight. The males will have a concavity to their plastron...even if its slight. Mature male ornate box turtles have red eyes while female eyes are brown or yellow. Physical characteristics. So I was bringing them out food one day (just some lettuce and fruits and veggies) and put them both at the plate. A male tortoise has a larger tail than the female. If the straight edge shows daylight along the centre of the plastron (concave plastron) the turtle is usually a male (see below). The female’s is very short. If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. Males are generally larger and have shorter, thicker tails than females. provide clues as to whether you are looking at a male or female. Adult box turtles typically range in size from 4 to 7 inches (10.2 to 17.8 cm) across the carapace, depending on the species. Male and female ornate box turtles can be distinguished by the larger size of the female and the color of the irises. Males also have short, thick, curved hind claws, while females' hind claws are long, straight and thin. There is a male turtle (lets call him bob) and a female I named bubba where I work. Eastern box turtle males also have another feature that makes mating easier. On most male turtles, the shell is slightly concave. Ornate box turtles are another kind of turtle that is sexually dimorphic. This is so he doesn’t fall off the female during the mating process. One way to tell the difference between the female and male tortoise is by the TAIL. Female plastrons will be either flat or slightly convex. In contrast, female box turtles commonly have shorter tails with their vent residing above the edge of the carapace. 4  The males also have greenish colored heads with red or orange leg scales and females have brown heads with yellow leg scales. Also, male tortoises have 2 chin glands that are enlarged during mating season. The female box turtle, on the other hand, will have brown or sometimes yellow irises. Also, male turtle tails will be slightly longer and wider at the base than a female. Males have red eyes; females have yellowish-brown eyes. Eastern box turtles walk energetically with their heads upright and may travel about 50 meters (55 yards) in one day. Male three-toed box turtles sometimes have a dark red head; Males have longer, thicker tails than females. The male's vent (opening to the cloaca) is farther away from his body than the female's. The Coahuilan Box Turtle, Terrapene coahuila, and Spotted Box Turtle, Terrapene nelsoni, inhabit Mexico. 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