How to Find the Gender of a Baby Alligator

Unlike humans, alligators have no chromosomes to determine their sex. The gender of baby alligators, like crocodiles and turtles, is determined by the temperature the eggs are incubated in. The gender of the alligator fetus is finalized within 7 to 21 days after the start of incubation. In the wild, male alligators are much more predominant, with five males born for every one female. There are several ways to tell the gender of an alligator.

Things You'll Need

  • Thermometer
  • Illuminated magnifying glass
  • Tweezers
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Instructions

    • 1

      If you are near the alligator nest, you can tell the sex of the alligators even before they are born. High temperatures of 90° to 93°F (32°to 34°C) during incubation will result in male alligators; while low temperatures of 82°to 86°F (28°to 30°C) will produce females.

    • 2

      Look at the nest. If you don't have a thermometer, you may also be able to tell the gender of the baby alligators just by noting where the nest is. Nests constructed on leaves tend to be warmer, which means eggs found in these nests will most likely result in male alligators. Nests found on wet marsh are cooler and eggs found here usually lead to female alligators.

    • 3

      Once a baby alligator has hatched, you can tell the gender by examining the sex organs. These are found in the cloaca, a vent on its belly, and can only be seen with a magnifying glass.

    • 4

      Turn the alligator on its back. Using tweezers, you can open the cloaca where you will find the alligator's organs. Use an illuminated magnifying glass to examine the organs. If they fill the entire cloaca, the alligator is a male. Female organs are half that size.

    • 5

      Examining the color of the organs in the cloaca will also give you an indication of a baby alligator's gender. Organs that are dark pink to dark red are found on male alligators while female alligators have light pink or white organs.