Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Sorry for corss posts, but...

I found one egg today that was flattened. I threw it out. I am wondering what are the chances that my female may still be carrying other eggs? I placed a tray of moistened sand in her tank just incase. I hope that is all right. I read that some where.

Zoomer had been formerally housed with a trio of 3 toes. I just never thought about the fact that she might be gravid, because I only have females. Although it does explain a lot about the changes in her behavior the last few weeks. She hasn't been eating much and seems to be climbing and roosting.

How many eggs do boxies usually lay? How big are they in size? I was shocked at the sight of this one as it seemed huge for such a small turtle.

I have an incubator that was given to me last fall, never used, but have no idea on how to set it up. Is there a good web page that could direct me? What are the proportions of water to vermiculite? What temperature? Is there aything else I should do to help my Florida boxie? I've been hyperventilating over all this, but I don't think the lamaz breathing techniques will help her at all!

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Angela

If your turtle is wild-caught, they can often retain sperm for many years. They can continue to lay fertile eggs for years after one single mating. If your turtle has never been with a male, she may still lay eggs. A female turtle will often lay infertile eggs even though she's never mated. Those clutches are typically only one or two eggs. Fertile clutches are typically 2-8, more commonly 4-5.

*Reptiles are amazing, and there are reports of parthenogenesis in several reptile species. I personally know of a timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) that was kept isolated for its entire life at a university in NC. It gave birth to one, live, perfectly healthy female during its life. This was in the 70's, and no DNA studies were done to my knowledge. Both snakes are preserved. It's highly unlikely with your turtle, but I thought that some might find it interesting.

Here's a link to some box turtle breeding tips and rearing of the young. It also contains a link to egg incubation.

http://www.boxturtlesite.org/bred.html

Florida box turtles are becoming more rare and difficult to obtain. Their numbers are decreasing in the wild. I would encourage you to breed them true and not cross Florida box turtles with other subspecies. That's just my two cents.

Good luck with future breeding! It's very rewarding when it works out.

Sorry Ken, I forgot to add some information. I got Zoomer, my Florida box, as a rescue from someone who no longer wanted her. The former owner had housed her with the 3 toe trio. That trio was taken in by another turtle keeper. I dealt with Zoomer's shell rot, RI, dehydration, and never thought much about the her former existence until I found the egg. I have only females and had no intention of dealing with eggs.

That being said however, if I get a clutch I would try and incubate them as they do occur in the wild naturally between these two suspecies. I do understand the need to reproduce the Florida Box as a pure subspecies and that is the job for you serious breeders. My turtles are all pets that were no longer wanted. This is purely accidental that I should be dealing with this. These would end up, if any hatch, as solitary pets by other turtle lovers, but not breeders.

I have put together a nice nesting box of moistened peat moss, but Zoomer hasn't dug in. I am going to try and check to see if I can feel any other eggs tomorrow. Someone on TT suggested pulling back one of her back legs in order to try and palpate for eggs. Hopefully that will work and I won't get my finger pinched again.

That's a great point about the natural hybridization. I often forget about that.

Hey, I remember you and your turtle now. I've seen pics. In fact, I've always thought that your turtle may be a bauri/major or bauri/carolina hybrid of some ratio due to the very thick barring. She's beautiful, no doubt.

It sounds like you've given her a nesting spot...a heat lamp over 8-10" deep, moderately compact soil. That will help her from becoming egg bound. Palpating is good, but if there is only one or two eggs it can be difficult. If at all possible, you could get an x-ray to ease your mind. Many vets will give it to you at cost if it is a rescue and you regularly spend money there. An x-ray film only costs around $9. Plus, turtles are so easy to shoot.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed that you're not going to breed her. She could have hundreds of babies over her lifespan. But, I completely understand your reasoning. I almost threw a party when my dear pet Leopard gecko finally stopped laying fertile eggs! I can't let an egg go un-incubated, and I was up to my ears with normal phase Leopard geckos. Try finding them homes nowadays.

Ok, one more try...if you allowed someone to bring a male over for breeding, you could give them the responsibility of incubating the eggs and rearing the young. You'd really only have to provide her with a nesting spot and plenty of calcium in her diet. However, it sounds like this whole thing stresses you out too much. I know how you feel, my wife recently had our first baby...I know that the whole 10 months stressed me out far more than it did my wife ! I was a nervous wreck! She kept saying, "I'm FINE, calm down!"

Look Steff, a baby bauri...isn't it cuuuuuuute

CUTE! They are adorable! You are trying to tempt me!

It isn't so much the stress that is the problem with breeding for me. I am afraid that it would far too addictive to start the whole thing. I am dangerously close right now!

I'll take the visitation offer, in the future, under advisement.

Hope wife and baby are all fine. They say nine months of pregnancy but it is really 10.

Tempt you? Nooooooo, I'm innocent (blink, blink).

True, I wouldn't have some regular Joe or Josephine show up to my house either. There are some universities and conservation groups in FL that are attempting to breed, headstart, and release bauri. I'd try to hook up with them, if you're so inclined.

The wife and baby are great. The baby is intoxicating, I'm hooked. I have the best little video clip of her laughing hysterically at one of my Wood turtles. I wanted to post it somewhere on the net, but my wife won't let me. There are just too many wierdos. She's right!

She is right. We are ultra protective of our kids too. I'll keep that idea in mind about contacting a university......hmm...