Gendering my BTS

[TheChamp185]

Hello everyone I was wondering if you could enlighten me on how to properly sex my bts. Right now it’s about 5 months old, I wasnt sure if they have to be a certain age to sex. I feel like it’s a guy but I do want to actually know for sure.
Thanks in advance!

[rixusaku]

When your skink becomes an adult (around 8 months) you can schedule an ultrasound at an exotic pet veterinarian to determine the sex of the skink. Or if you want to go the free route, although it is the long route, you can wait for your skink to sexually mature (around 2-3 years old) and watch out for sperm plugs in the tank. If your skink is a boy they'll release them whenever they go tot he bathroom. They usually look a little more translucent and sticky than the urates. If you don't see any at all for an entire breeding season (in winter) then you can safely assume the skink is a girl. But getting an ultrasound is the 100% proof way of determining it.

[splashy07]

Subadult males may drop sperm plugs as early as 8-10 months. The lack of such in no way determines female. They do not drop them every time they defecate, only when in season which for northerns is late January to mid March here in the northeast. If you have another type BTS you'll have to do some research to determine breeding season.

[rixusaku]

Ohhh I didn't know they could drop them so early. I did know they only drop them during mating season, but I guess I wasnt clear enough in my explanation. Sorry about that. It is a pretty questionable way to determine the sex though, which is why I mentioned the ultrasound was the best way to actually determine it. I always heard to use ultrasound if you really want to know.

Are there any other cheaper ways to 100% determine the sex? I know ordering an ultrasound might not be cheap.

[splashy07]

I have had 10 month old males breed and produce. I have been told by professionals ultrasound is not always accurate with reptiles. There is no sure fire way to determine gender unless you have seen:
Males dropping plugs
females expelling slugs (unfertilized ova)
actual breeding
actual birth
I can usually tell at one year but I have a lot to use in comparison as I am a breeder. Trying to determine gender of one young skink is just not possible unless you have witnessed any of the above.

[rixusaku]

Ahh, alright. So then, I guess all you have to do is wait for either sperm plugs or slugs to gender.

[IvanDanko]

As Splashy pointed out beyond the direct confirmations listed it really is a bit of a crapshoot. Here in Australia one of the popular methods for BTS is injecting a dye into the cloaca which is followed by an X-Ray - the visible distribution pattern of the dye in the vessels indicating male or female.

[splashy07]

Well that I wouldn't even dream of having done. And just to affirm, you may never see sperm plugs or slugs regardless of gender. I have never experienced a lone female that has not been bred pass slugs. I've had many males either not drop plugs or they disappeared into the substrate never to be seen.

[IvanDanko]

That's interesting you said you've never seen your lone females not drop slugs Splashy? Not a guarantee as you've stated but when did you typically observe it (I'm assuming ~2-3 years) was this only after brumation/cooling or irrespective?

[splashy07]

After giving birth.

[IvanDanko]

Ah that makes more sense, thanks