# Sexing Blue tongue lizards



## Reptiles101 (Nov 22, 2012)

This question must be asked a lot, but I want to know what's the easiest, safest and accurate way to sex a blue tongue lizard.
P.s not spending heaps on probing


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## JasonL (Nov 22, 2012)

There is no easy way. Any method of sexing Blueys require experience.
and probing isn't really a good option...


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## Reptiles101 (Nov 22, 2012)

So if probing is not a good option, how would i tell if its male or female?


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## JasonL (Nov 22, 2012)

interaction with other blueys is the easiest way, most aged wild ones are easier to after years of experience, fat captive ones can be more difficult... as I said there are various ways but they require some skill and a lot of experience


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## morrie (Nov 22, 2012)

what about DNA/chromosome testing? if there is such a thing?


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## glennh (Nov 22, 2012)

Hi, dont know how true this is but many years ago i was told that the lighter the belly means male where more colour or tint is female,
Any body else heard this?


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## Hazordous-Herps (Nov 22, 2012)

The best way to sex them is to look for the sperm plug( I think it's called) when it poops. But you could also try the interaction thing.


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## MrFireStorm (Nov 22, 2012)

Although not 100% accurate, I use a couple of different methods which of course all depends on age and size.

1. The distance between front and rear legs can be used. Generally if there is a longer distance between the legs can determine a female (due to extra room required to carry babies. Males are generally shorter in distance.


2. Head width is also an option. Females tend to have a narrower head width where as males are broader (boofier). This can be down to a couple of different opinions. 
a. Human females will try and tell you that all males are boofheads, but I prefer;
b. Males have a larger brain therefore need the larger head to be able to fit the brain.

Of course, these are just my opinions. :lol:

Daz


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## jinjajoe (Nov 22, 2012)

Hazordous-Herps said:


> The best way to sex them is to look for the sperm plug( I think it's called) when it poops. But you could also try the interaction thing.



True but if housed with a male a female can have a sperm plug during the mating season. 

Probing is pointless as I probed a bunch of animals of proven sex and females sometimes probed deeper than males and vice-versa.

The best way in my opinion is to build a case one way or the other based on the following 5 visible pointers;

1. Tail length and width (longer and thinner tails = males & shorter wider = females)
2. Head size (bigger pointier heads = males & smaller rounder heads = females)
3. Broader shoulders & narrow hips = males & narrow shoulders wider hips = females
4. Defined hemi-pene bulges = males & lack of hemi-pene bulges = females
5. & of course mating activity etc.

ALL of these 5 points need to be considered and a case built there on. As Jason said fat captive specimens can skew results which is why a multiple of indicators are needed. 

In addition neonates have no method of sexual determination to date.


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## Reptiles101 (Nov 23, 2012)

My blue tongue lizard had a poo this morning and i noticed these like white long things in his/her poo, my question is what are they?View attachment 271510


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## dragonlover1 (Nov 23, 2012)

the photo's didn't work but likely they are the calcium/caltrate part of the the waste which is a good thing because it means your lizard is getting enough calcium.
Sexing a blue tongue is usually done by looking at the tail,females have a shorter thicker tail than the male but it is not always as easy as that;we have had a bluey for several years who we thought was male by this method(and we have had several blueys including pregnant female)but after brumation this year suddenly went woohh she's a girl


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## Reptiles101 (Nov 24, 2012)

There like these slimy white long things, that are next to the poo. 
I thought they might be sperm plugs or something.

- - - Updated - - -

View attachment 271549
Here is the pic hope it works this time


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