It’s Photo Hunt time, and this week, we are flexible to talk about anything we want to, as long as it is something we 
love
And well, if that’s the case, you know what I’m going to talk about, right?
This river terrapin looks sleepy because it has just been anesthetized for a non-invasive non-sacrificial surgical procedure to determine its sex. The procedure is called laparascopy. We administered some Ketamil according to its body weight and then allowed it 5 to 10 minutes to fall asleep.
After it has completely knocked out, we make a small incision (about 2cm) near its leg, and insert a laparascope (an inverted telescope) into its body cavity to look for its reproductive organ (either a testis or an ovary). I blogged about the entire sexing procedure on my previous blog.
And in case you’re wondering, yes, the sex of a river terrapin, as with any other reptiles, is determined by the temperature in which the eggs were incubated. Cooler temperatures produce males, and warmer temperatures produce females.
Updated: This particular terrapin hatchling was a male, as with many of the others that we sexed, due to the low temperatures at the hatchery on campus 
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Awww.those are cute!!!! Beautiful photo!
Hi sleepyhead. Wake up! Wake up! Come play with me!!
Pelfy’s latest blog post: Photo hunt: I Love Cheongsams
What a cute photo! Happy photo hunting, and have a great weekend!
oh! I assume this cutie really very sleepy as it don’t even feel shock as you snap a pic of it! Or you did not on the flash?
Everyday Healy’s latest blog post: I Love Facial
Very interesting. When I was little I found a turtle on the street, so I rescued it and took care of it. I loved turtles too!
Nope, no flash. I used the macro mode. Plus, the anesthetics was beginning to take effect, heh
The river terrapin is cute. He/She is rubbing the nose. Gosh, he/she has long finger nails
Chen’s latest blog post: Photo Hunters : Cream Puff
This is cute. So it’s a he or a she?
Criz Lai’s latest blog post: PHOTO HUNTERS: I LOVE MY LIFE
What a fabulous photograph! And neat window into your world.
Is this work or school for you?
This Girl Remembers’s latest blog post: Photohunt: I Love Amazing Circles
Wow that is a beautiful shot! Happy weekend
jams o donnell’s latest blog post: I Love……..
Hmm…. ehh.. got other people who love turtles too.
Me too.
Same gang!!
But then my post is not about turtles though
danielctw’s latest blog post: PhotoHunt 83 : I Love Memories
That’s a great photograph of the turtle and interesting post. Hope you have a happy weekend.
carver’s latest blog post: Photohunters: I love _____(fill in the blank)
very cute! great shot too
mousey’s latest blog post: Photo Hunter: I love cheese!
So interesting to me that you need to do surgery to find out the sex. WOW!
cute photo!
happy weekend!
Corey’s latest blog post: Photo Hunters~ “I love……”
Awwww so cute. Look at his/her cute right ‘hand’.
Che-Cheh’s latest blog post: Photo Hunters: I Love …
Looking at this sleepy river terrapin reminds me of myself for the past few weeks
I’m so sleepy & tired as well ! zzz…
Anyway, this is simply a great photo with nice timing!
littlebro’s latest blog post: t i r e d
That is fascinating. Love the photo.
Heather’s latest blog post: Saturday Photo Hunt: I love?
Ouch ! Poor thing has to see a doctor to know its sex? Animal life is though !
Zhu’s latest blog post: Lazy
Nice post there, pelf
yenjai.net’s latest blog post: The Power Of A Song
Oooo… so cute the turtle. But you have to cut it! Interesting post, lucky people can see my sex at one glance. Don’t even have to undress me. kakaka…….
eastcoastlife’s latest blog post: Photohunters - I Love Blogging …
I love to watch turtle laying eggs. Unfortunately I was not allowed to take any pictures.
Poor turtle have to go through all that to determine its sex. Thanks for sharing the photo and information. It’s educational as well as fun.
Enjoy your weekend.
jesie’s latest blog post: PhotoHunt - I Love This Couple!
Excellent picture and the accompanying story. But what was the gender of this specimen?
SnoopyTheGoon’s latest blog post: Photohunt: I love my Treo
Great pic - and a very informative post. Have a great weekend!
Siani’s latest blog post: PhotoHunt: I love …
Great pic!!
Jodi’s latest blog post: Saturday Photo Hunt
Beautiful photo! It seems you are a turtle-aholic person
Diana13’s latest blog post: PhotoHunt: I love ____
This is one fantastic and interesting post. My favorite! Thank you.
Andrée’s latest blog post: Photo Hunters: I Caught the Train
Oh, I had to tilt my head to look at his face, so calm! I have friends who collect turtles. But one baby turtle which was in their garden was eaten by a big sewer rat. Bad rat! Poor baby turtle.
Lovely photo, Pelf
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That’s great! Turtles are great!
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I had no idea that you need to get inside a turtle’s body to determine its sex.
The photo looks great, I like the expression on the terrapin’s face: it looks like he’d like to sleep a little longer.
Does it really count as non-invasive when you’re making an incision and inserting something into the animal?
Not saying that it’s a horrible procedure, by any means, but I don’t think it’s non-invasive.
Interesting post, though.
Adam Snider’s latest blog post: Edmonton Next Gen is Recruiting
You were right, Adam. Perhaps a better word would be “non-sacrificial” as we do not sacrifice (kill) the animal.
Thanks for pointing that out
o my gosh they r the cuitest things i have ever seen i love turtle they r so cuite