Adult males of yellow-legged tortoises are generally larger than females. The adult carapace has an average length of 40-60 cm, the longest about 82 cm, and an average weight of 15 kg. The head is small and long, and the male turtle has a concave plastron. Males of yellow-legged tortoises typically have a flatter carapace, a wider, longer tail, and a pronounced concave plastron than females.

Sexually mature yellow-legged tortoise females generally can only give birth at a time Lay five or six turtle eggs, the incubation period of turtle eggs is generally about half a year (the artificial incubation time can be shortened to five months). Then, after eight or nine years of rearing, the yellow-legged tortoise can have reproductive ability.