my beother had a turtle about a year ago and one mrning y mom didn't find him in his aquarium, so she came and woke me up and made me look for him. it took me about 5 minutesto find him and we found him hiding under a cusion(sp?) all the way acrosss the livingroom (very far for a small turtle) i think only vets can tell the gender of turtle, they have to stick something inside it, i think that's how it is with snakes too.