Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Yesterday evening I discovered a box turtle laying eggs, I guess, right in the middle of our back yard. The turtle had dug a hole and was, what appeard to me, to be laying eggs. A little while later I checked and the turtle was about three feet from the original digging site and the site itself was all covered over. Even with grass clippings. Now today the turtle is not around, but the covered over area is still there.

What should we do? Our lawn cutting service will be coming on Friday and I don't want them to mow over the turtle's nest and destroy it. And what about the turtle? Should I try and find it and move it somewhere else? I really don't know how to handle this. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

B in Maryland

Well, here's my two cents worth. Hopefully someone else will come along soon and add to it!

The turtle is fine. She knows what she is doing. However, I guess if it were my lawn, right before the lawn service was due to come, and look over the lawn to make sure there weren't any critters hiding in the grass!

To protect the nest, you could get some chicken wire or some other such thing, and make a "cage" to go over the nest area. That was it won't get mowed, other critters won't raid the nest, and you will be able to see the babies when they hatch!

Good luck to you.
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0.1.0 ornate box turtle
1.0.0 eastern box turtle
1.0.0 Yellow belly slider
0.1.0 Red belly cooter
0.1.0 Australian shepard
1.9.0 chickens
3.2.0 children (do I still count the married ones?)
1.0.0 husband

you can get a milk crate to place over the nest site as well, that might be a little easier to see for the lawn service, just tell them not to move it.
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My Site
1.2.1 Terrapene Carolina Triunguis
0.1 Nymphicus hollandicus
1.1 Melopsittacus undulatus
1.0 American Cocker Spaniels
1.0 American Short Hair? Cat
1.1 Rouen Ducks