Length of tail and dbt’s sex

[irnbru@erols.com]

Vickie, Can you explain to me when the length of the tail comes into play for determining the sex of the dbt? I thought that I was sure that my (3) 1 1/2 year old dbts were females. But after looking at your dbt tail pics I have become really confused. I have trouble determining whether a side is curved or straight….and I don’t really see the vent locations well. Whether or not the tail is a straight sided V or has a curved sided V is really a tough call for me. Is this just a way of guessing the sex when the dbt is very young because its tail length hasn’t developed? I think that is what you are saying with your pics but I am not sure. You are not saying that adult males and females have the same length tails are you? After time doesn’t the length of the tail become the dominant trait in determining the sex? My only experience is looking at the adult dbt’s at the Florida aquarium. The really dominant difference that I saw was that the tip of the males tail is further out that the maximum extension of the rear legs. The tip of the female tail is inside the maximum extension of the rear legs. The male tail is thicker in width too. My dbt’s tails at 1 1/2 years have a length that extends within the maximum extension of the rear legs. I conclude female based on that alone unless in a year from now the tail grows past the maximum extension of the rear legs. Anything wrong with that analysis? Bob

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