# Sexing Mint terribilis



## NWMusician (Apr 30, 2007)

Are these frogs sexable by body shape and toe pads? Or, is it better to just wait and see if I hear calling in a couple months?


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

Sexing terribilis can be quite problematic. Toepads aren't helpful and body shape can be misleading. Keep in mind that terribilis also tend to take 18 months or longer to become sexually mature.

Bill


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## NWMusician (Apr 30, 2007)

That's what I was thinking, but just thought I'd see if I might be able to sex them by any visible body things


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

Maturity depends on food availability and temps. If you feed a mainly ff diet w/ terribs it`ll take a long time. I just grew up some orange terribilis and the first male was calling at about 10-11 mos. problem is the biggest was calling first. Females tend to dominate males and get bigger quicker. Eventually all 3 called. I was quite sure I had 3 males after the first called and I was right. If grown up in a group, your in luck if one of the smallest starts calling first, generally. 
If you`ve worked w/ enough of them it`s possible to have a hi ratio of guesses come out correct but it`s hard to describe the differences, they are suttle. It`s even harder to impossible when the animals are overweight.


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## SlamminJoJo (Apr 10, 2007)

You might want to try playing a recording of a male terribilis from the internet. When I do this with my pair, the male always calls back in an attempt to show up "the new guy". While the female gets frantic, and hops around the tank looking for the other male.


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## lacerta (Aug 27, 2004)

my terribilis (4) are about 11 months of age and yesterday I heard and then witnessed one calling. So I guess I can be reasonably sure that this one is a male. Unlike my tincs, there is nothing really different about the size or body shape of this individual that sets him apart. My tincs are much easier to sex, the males are about 1/4 smaller and have larger toe pads. No such differences in my terribilis, unless all four of them are males. 
George


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## pl259 (Feb 27, 2006)

Couple things I've seen and noted about my terribilis...

Both males and females call. The male's calls are louder and longer. The female's are short and quiet. The female will often call with no sound, kinda going through the motions. 

I've yet to find a consistent physical trait to use for sexing. Sometimes a males vocal sack/throat will be extended and/or darker in color. Behavior is a big clue. Even though terribilis are "good" in groups, they often establish a pecking order with a dominant male and subordinates. They are more territorial then some people think. The typical male behaviors can be suppressed in subordinates depending on the available space and dynamics of the group.

Females often display a submissive behavior, by creeping up to a male with their head bowed down very low. When a male is calling they often come up behind and stroke his back. When they hear a recording or another calling phyllo outside their tank, they spin around trying to find out where he is. They keep their head low. 

Males when they hear another calling male or recording, raise up their chins and sit very erect. 

Anyway, those are some of things I've seen mine do.

EricG.NH


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## sbreland (May 4, 2006)

frogfarm said:


> I just grew up some orange terribilis and the first male was calling at about 10-11 mos. problem is the biggest was calling first.


Hmmm... so should I be excited that yesterday I saw and heard my first ornage terribillis call (he is the largest).... at 5 months old! :shock:


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

I will second the females calling, and have seen mine do it a couple of times. As for telling who is who, I have a 2.1 and my female is a little larger, but as already mentioned it is hard to tell the difference.


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## NWMusician (Apr 30, 2007)

Well, hey, they could not be more confusing as a frog species then!  I don't know that I wanted to breed them as much as I just wanted to know if their sexing was the same as other dart frogs. I have two that are really stout bodied and two that are smaller and rather svelt, so I thought I would see if you went about sexing them the same way. Thank you all for your information though!


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