You cannot conclusively determine the sex of a turtle by visual signs until they are about 2+ years old.

Female aquatic turts reach sexual maturity between 3-5 years of age.

*Characteristics of a female turtle:*

•Flat Plastron (bottom of the shell)
•Shorter and thinner tail
•Shorter nails
•The opening on the tail (cloaca) is closer to the body
•They tend to get big (up to 14 inches)
•They tend to be more aggressive

Male aquatic turtles reach sexual maturity between 2-4 years of age.


*Characteristics of a male turtle:*
•Slightly concave Plastron (bottom of shell is curved inwards)
•Long, fat tail
•Very long nails
•The opening on the tail (cloaca) is closer to the tip of the tail


Below is a series of photos of a male turtle. You can see the progression of the claws growing longer and the tail getting thicker and longer. (Ages are approximate)

In order to get proper information about the care of your turtle, you will need to know its species, gender, and approximate age. Here you will find pictures of many different kinds of turtles. We hope this will help you identify what kind you have or what kind you hope to add to your family.

Red Eared Slider

Yellow Belly Slider

Cumberland Slider

Eastern Painted

Western Painted

Mississippi Map

False Map

Florida Cooter

Common Musk (Stinkpot)

Reeves Turtle

Spotted Turtle

Common Snapper

Red-bellied Short-Necked Turtle

Black Marsh Turtle

Eastern Mud

Three-Toed Box Turtle