This makes mating easier. Males also have short, thick, curved hind claws, while females' hind claws are long, straight and thin. Ornate box turtles are another kind of turtle that is sexually dimorphic. The male's vent (opening to the cloaca) is farther away from his body than the female's. A male tortoise has a larger tail than the female. 4  The males also have greenish colored heads with red or orange leg scales and females have brown heads with yellow leg scales. Also, male turtle tails will be slightly longer and wider at the base than a female. This is so he doesn’t fall off the female during the mating process. Box turtles are said to have very strong homing instinct so relocating the female might not be the best idea. Male three-toed box turtles sometimes have a dark red head; Males have longer, thicker tails than females. If the straight edge shows daylight along the centre of the plastron (concave plastron) the turtle is usually a male (see below). If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. Female plastrons will be either flat or slightly convex. Also, male tortoises have 2 chin glands that are enlarged during mating season. So I was bringing them out food one day (just some lettuce and fruits and veggies) and put them both at the plate. In males, the tails are usually longer and the vent is located below the edge of the carapace. In contrast, female box turtles commonly have shorter tails with their vent residing above the edge of the carapace. I think this is where I screwed up. Eastern box turtles walk energetically with their heads upright and may travel about 50 meters (55 yards) in one day. Adult box turtles typically range in size from 4 to 7 inches (10.2 to 17.8 cm) across the carapace, depending on the species. Male and female ornate box turtles can be distinguished by the larger size of the female and the color of the irises. Males are generally larger and have shorter, thicker tails than females. The male American Box Turtle will at most times have red or orange eye irises. Eastern box turtle males also have another feature that makes mating easier. One way to tell the difference between the female and male tortoise is by the TAIL. On most male turtles, the shell is slightly concave. The Coahuilan Box Turtle, Terrapene coahuila, and Spotted Box Turtle, Terrapene nelsoni, inhabit Mexico. In addition to that, the female American Box Turtle will also have the tendency to possess a higher-dome and a much more well-rounded shell than its male counterpart. Males have red eyes; females have yellowish-brown eyes. The males will have a concavity to their plastron...even if its slight. Some really good tells on male vs. female is the back claws on a male are very curved (especially the middle claw) and "longish" but the females back claws are fairly short and straight. Physical characteristics. Mature male ornate box turtles have red eyes while female eyes are brown or yellow. 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