Gender

Question
is my Southern Painted turtle about a little bit bigger then a 50 cent piece when i was holding him to clean his tank i felt a curve near 2 more the bottom of his plastron. would he be a male so when he mates he doesn't fall off the females shell?


Answer
Hello Justin, he or she is to small to tell just by the shell at this time. you can try a vet to see if they will probe it.

If there is a concave shell when it is larger then yes odds are male. this is for when he mounts the female and his shell is out of the way allowing him to maintain balance and achieve penetration