Differences Between Male Box Turtle & Female Box Turtle

Male and female box turtles look very much alike. Like many reptiles and amphibians, their reproductive organs are not clearly visible, making gender distinction difficult to the untrained eye. However, other distinguishing features can often be noted in the body color, eyes, shell, claws and tail that make it possible to accurately determine the sex of your box turtle.

  1. Body Color

    • Like many other animals, the male box turtle is often more colorful than the female. This is especially true of the markings on the turtle's head and front legs. If your turtle is predominantly a drab brown, possibly with dull yellow or orange markings, chances are good that it's a female. If, however, your turtle has an abundance of bright orange, yellow, black or white markings on its head or legs, it may be a male. Take caution when using this method, however. Sometimes the differences can be subtle.

    Eyes

    • A turtle's eyes are often one of the easiest ways to gather clues about its gender. Female box turtles usually have dark brown or orange-brown eyes at maturity. Males, on the other hand, often have red or deep orange.

    Shell

    • A turtle's shell is made up of two parts: the upper carapace and the lower plastron. Both of these halves vary slightly by gender. The male carapace is usually flatter than the female's. While the female shell will more closely resemble half of a sphere, the male shell is more like half of an ellipse. The male plastron may also have a concave section, while the female plastron is always flat.

    Claws

    • The back claws of the eastern and western box turtles vary by gender. A male's claws are thicker than a female's, and curved. A female's claws, on the other hand, are relatively thin and straight.

    Tail

    • A box turtle's tail also has a tale to tell. A male box turtle will usually have a longer tail than a female. It will also tend to be thicker at the base with an anus that is further towards the tip, beyond the rim of the shell. In comparison, a female's tail will usually have the anus within the shell's rim, close to her body.