Male or female?

[jenn4turtles]

So we've had Smaug since May, and he's 13 inches now. I've been online, this site and others, trying to figure out whether he is or isn't a he. Now that's he older and bigger, I want to be sure. I'm thinking "he" is actually a "she", based on what I've seen.

So I'm turning to y'all for your input!

 

[Taterbug]

Have you tried the flashlight technique?

 

[jenn4turtles]

No, but I saw that online. I would like to try that, but Smaug doesn't sit still! It took two of us to get that one pic. LOL. Is the flashlight method better?

 

[AHBD]

The flashlight method is really accurate, I'm not sure how well it would work on very small dragons though. Yours is prob. big enough for that method. Smaug does look female , but if you could get the same shot from a slight side angle it would be even better....but that pic does look like a female.

 

[jenn4turtles]

I'm gonna try to do the flashlight thing tonight, if he is willing. From what I've read, I think Smaug is actually a she, too. There's barely any bump. Whoops. If she is, in fact, a girl, I hope she doesn't mind being called Smaug. :lol:

 

[ParkerandMe]

I agree, she looks like a girl.

 

[Mngurl]

I tried the flash light trick and it was easy and clear I had a little boy! Try it right before bed mine was tired and put up with it very well. Only took a second or to just make sure the room is dark and the flash light is strong enough light source

 

[jenn4turtles]

I tried to use a flashlight last night at bedtime, but Smaug was too squirmy.

Tried again tonight, after finding a smaller pen light, and I'm pretty sure that Smaug is a girl! Maybe we can call her Smauggie Sue, or, even better, Smaugarita. :lol:

 

[Mngurl]

I like smaugarita!!

 

[CooperDragon]

Yep, Smaugarita =)

 

[jenn4turtles]

Yeah, that's my fave, too!

Poor thing has been called "little man" & "he" for so long now, we have to get used to it. It didn't matter to me, one way or the other, but my son is using this as an excuse to convince me to get another one! Nice try, kid. One is enough for now! I will have to do some research on females, though, since I have heard she can and/or will lay (unfertilized) eggs at some point.

 

[seth]

I think it's a girl.

 

[Markyy]

Thats def a female. Males have two small lumps. Looks like you had a girl all along lol. Who told you it was a boy?

 

[Markyy]

Oh and not all lay eggs. There are some females that wont lay an egg unless they mate with a male. So youll just have to wait and see. But if they do I heard its only after a year or two. If she does become gravid (preggo) at one point, just get some play sand and put some in a regular storage bin and put her in it and let her dig and lay the eggs then just toss them away. She'll start scratching the glass and pacing back and forth like shes on fire when shes ready to dig and lay lol.

 

[jenn4turtles]

Thats def a female. Males have two small lumps. Looks like you had a girl all along lol. Who told you it was a boy?

The girl at PetSmart (where she came from) said it "looked" like a boy, but she DID explain that it was hard to tell at such a young age and further stated that we would have to wait awhile to be sure. That wasn't why we picked her though ... She was the most active in the tank, very inquisitive and alert, and she jumped into the container when the worker went to retrieve her.

I did some research online last night - this is all new to me! - and I see that it's not usually until they are older. (Whew!) Hopefully I won't have to deal with that at all! Some of what I read is scary - becoming egg-bound, needing surgery, several infertile clutches in a short period of time, depleted calcium, etc. There's even cases of them becoming gravid (with infertile eggs) at less than a year old. :shock: I know - it's the worst case scenarios, and I'm worrying too much! I just love that little girl and want her to stay happy and healthy! :love5: