# Male or female?



## Kazzy (May 26, 2008)

Alright, Xander is pretty big but I still see no spurs on him whatsoever. He was supposed to be male, but either way I still love him...or her? lol! About what size can I pretty much say male or female?


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## Mvskokee (May 26, 2008)

i dont know exact siz e but not when they are little. bobby will know for sure


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## Kazzy (May 26, 2008)

Thanks! I tried searching the forums, but searches don't like me...lol


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## Mvskokee (May 26, 2008)

i know thetegu back in the day had a thread on it


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## Kazzy (May 26, 2008)

I'll check it out...I really never go back there. This place is too cool. lol


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## Mvskokee (May 26, 2008)

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tegutalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=279&highlight=spurs">http://www.tegutalk.com/forum/viewtopic ... ight=spurs</a><!-- m --> ok here is a link all about spurs on here


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## Mvskokee (May 26, 2008)

says they show up about 3ft


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## Kazzy (May 26, 2008)

Thanks so much!!!


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## Mvskokee (May 26, 2008)

i know im amazing


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## Kazzy (May 26, 2008)

lol *bows down*


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## Mvskokee (May 26, 2008)

thats right


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## dorton (May 27, 2008)

My female is 42"


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## Kazzy (May 27, 2008)

I'll have to measure Xander and check...


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## tupinambis (May 28, 2008)

If you know what to look for, you can sex the tegu by spurs when they have an SVL of 4-5".


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## DaveDragon (May 28, 2008)

A sure way to know is to look for the hemipenes to extend when defecate. With our big Red it's WAY obvious!! This guy is hung like a horse!! He goes every time I take him out, I gotta get a picture. 

Our Supposed male Blue Tegu has spur buttons but I've never seen his hemipenes so I'm wondering. The Red was "courting" with both Blue Tegu's last weekend so either he knows something I don't know or he's just trying to get a piece and doesn't know the difference!


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## Kazzy (May 28, 2008)

What about pores? Do they all have them, male and female alike? 

Yeah...let's hope that maybe he knows something you don't...lol


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## DaveDragon (May 28, 2008)

Kazzy said:


> Yeah...let's hope that maybe he knows something you don't...lol


It would be interesting to have (2) female Blues and not a pair. I'm just afraid the big Red might tear them apart. He's over 8 lbs and the others are 4 lbs. I'm still waiting to hear back from Bobby. Where is that guy???!!!


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## Kazzy (May 28, 2008)

I know, I was about to ask. I emailed him 2 days ago and haven't heard from him.


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## tupinambis (May 28, 2008)

Both males and females have pre-anal and femoral pores, there doesn't appear to be a consistent difference between the sexes concerning the pores.

Davedragon, if your tegu's hemipenes are everting all the time (ie. with each defecation), that ISN'T a good sign. Superficially, constant everting and repositioning of the hemipenes abrades the tissues and can very readily lead to infection or scar tissue forming. There are several possible reasons you are witnessing it this often. Sometimes everting the hemipenes is done as a threat display (which is strange because in many animals if another male is present they will often attack the hemipenes), sometimes it is related to diet that is causing the animal to unduly strain during defecation, or it could also be do to loss of control of the everting tissues. Hopefully it won't develop into a serious issue with your tegu before surgery is required.


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## DaveDragon (May 28, 2008)

tupinambis said:


> Davedragon, if your tegu's hemipenes are everting all the time (ie. with each defecation), that ISN'T a good sign. Superficially, constant everting and repositioning of the hemipenes abrades the tissues and can very readily lead to infection or scar tissue forming. There are several possible reasons you are witnessing it this often. Sometimes everting the hemipenes is done as a threat display (which is strange because in many animals if another male is present they will often attack the hemipenes), sometimes it is related to diet that is causing the animal to unduly strain during defecation, or it could also be do to loss of control of the everting tissues. Hopefully it won't develop into a serious issue with your tegu before surgery is required.


Thanks. That's all we need is another Tegu with a health problem. :roll: This guy is very regular, going almost every day. He always goes when I take him out and I think he inverts every time. I've never seen him go in his enclosure. I've thought about him inverting and pulling in some cypress mulch.


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## tupinambis (May 28, 2008)

Didn't mean to alarm, but the one thing you can try playing with is diet. Increasing fibre content (such as fruit and veggies) should help soften up the stool and you should then see if the hemipenes keeps everting. You could also try mixing some Metamucil in his drinking water.

I was given a New Guinea side-necked turtle that was constantly everting his phallus and we were considering having an elastic ligature sewn around the cloacal opening to remedy this (yes, this is a standard procedure for this sort of phenomenom), but I found once I had him on a corrected diet this issue went away. The best thing is to try to be preventative, correct the issue before it becomes a problem. I'm sure the last thing you want is your tegu to develop a problem with his hemipenes.


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## DaveDragon (May 28, 2008)

tupinambis said:


> Didn't mean to alarm, but the one thing you can try playing with is diet. Increasing fibre content (such as fruit and veggies) should help soften up the stool and you should then see if the hemipenes keeps everting. You could also try mixing some Metamucil in his drinking water.


He gets fruit every other day. A rat every weekend & tilapia once during the week. His stools a solid when he goes out of his enclosure but many times looser in his enclosure. Coincidence?


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