Female snapping turtles still grow larger than males. Then the male will perform a mating dance to attract the female. 1 inch long painted turtle. If you observe the turtle nesting, such as the one below, then obviously it is a female. At first glance, male and female turtles appear very similar, but there are a few ways to help them apart. If it's convex (bulges out), it's female. How do you know if a baby turtle is male or female? The differences may be very subtle in younger turtles. 1. If you look at the bottom shell of the turtle (on its belly), if the shell is concave (dents in), it's male. It actually depends on the kind of turtle. So far we know this turtle is 2-3 days old. 1 inch long painted turtle. How do you tell if a baby turtle is a boy or girl? Always remember to stay away from snapping turtles heads but never hold the from their tail because that can injure their backbone!!!! Males are typically 4-6 inches in most breeds, females tend to be 10-12 inches. Baby painted turtles, regardless of gender, look the same. Take a peek at the underside of your turtle. How to Tell a Turtle's Age. Not only will dropping the turtle scare it half to death, but it could be seriously hurt by a fall. It's hard to determine the gender of a baby painted turtle (Chrysemys picta). So far we know this turtle is 2-3 days old. Try to get the turtle to stand still so you can use a ruler to measure. Wiki User April 08, 2012 11:37AM. How do you tell if a baby turtles a male or female? There are many different species of turtles that make great pets. Measure your turtle. This comes in handy when you want to keep more than one turtle in the same tank.You won’t want to keep a male and female turtle in the same aquarium unless you are planning to breed them. 2. Start by measuring it from tip to tail so you get a basic idea of how big it is. Males will generally have longer tails, longer nails, and, well, they're quite small in comparison to a female. Many of these characteristics are … Female snapping turtles still grow larger than males. How do you tell if a baby turtle is male or female? On most male turtles, the shell is slightly concave. Males have longer, thicker tails than females. Always remember to stay away from snapping turtles heads but never hold the from their tail because that can injure their backbone!!!! Don’t Miss: How to Care for Your Pet Turtle. The visible characteristics do not form until the turtles mature to at least 4 to 6 inches long. Hold them from the very back of the shell!!! you can tell by if its belly is round then it is a female. This is so he doesn’t fall off the female during the mating process. How community needs impact on career choices . Female turtles have short and skinny tails while males sport long, thick tails, with their vent (cloaca) positioned closer to the end of the tail when compared to a female. 3. Having an enticing treat can help get the turtle to pull its head out of the shell. Hold them from the very back of the shell!!! Wiki User August 29, 2012 11:58PM.