Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've noticed a lot of birth announcements and hatchling photos on this forum and I was wondering what you all do with your babies? My pair of boxies were mating in the late summer and I'm hoping I might have eggs in the spring - I've read (maybe on here) that EBTs can lay 2-8 eggs in a clutch, and sometimes numerous clutches in a season... I know I shouldn't count my chicks before they hatch (or turtles before any eggs are even laid!) but I know if they had a large clutch I would not be able to keep all of the babies. So I was curious where all of your beautiful little babies end up! Thanks in advance
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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.1.1 Eastern Box Turtles: Daisy, Dozer, and Magnum
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie
0.2.0 Rats: Clementine and Elsie
0.0.2 Rainbow Cichlids

I 'headstart' the hatchlings here for later release as part of a repatriation study underway here in Virginia (under scientific permit).

What I would suggest that you do is check with your state's DNR to determine what regulations there may be: many states prohibit release of captive bred animals, or prohibit the sale of native species, etc., etc., so you should find out now what your options are should you wind up with some little ones next summer.

A typical clutch size is 4 to 6 eggs, but it really depends on the turtle: I have one female that has a 'personal best' of 9 eggs in a first clutch, and 5 more a few weeks later! Another female has layed 2 clutches of 4 eggs each, every year that I've had her, like clockwork, and yet another that lays 6 eggs in her one clutch per year.

Thanks for the reply. I would love to be involved in a program like that! You must feel a great sense of accomplishment when you release your little guys out into the wild, knowing that they are helping to replenish the turtle population.

I know that the sale of box turtles is illegal in NJ. I wouldn't want to sell them anyway - If anything, I would only give them to friends with the promise that they would be returned to me if they could no longer keep them. Releasing them, however, would be a much nicer alternative, although I have read on this forum (among other places) that this may impact negatively on existing wild populations, and I'm sure it's illegal in this state.

Oh, and your clutch of 9 eggs... poor mom! Did they all hatch?
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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.1.1 Eastern Box Turtles: Daisy, Dozer, and Magnum
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie
0.2.0 Rats: Clementine and Elsie
0.0.2 Rainbow Cichlids

7 of the 9 are thriving, 2 did not survive long after pipping.

That particular female just lays larger clutches of smaller eggs: I have another female who is about the same size, maybe a bit larger, that lays smaller clutches of larger eggs. Go figure.

Check out the link to Bills box turtles. He is also from NJ and he lists NJ rules for box turtles. He says that you can give baby box turtles away in NJ. Also you can sell baby box turtles in NJ but not for a profit. Only to cover cost. If you have a large outdoors turtle pen in your back yard, the property taxes alone on the land in NJ will make the baby turtles worth there weight in gold. My guess is that with some creative accounting you could never sell the babies at a high enough price to cover your "cost". He says you can get a permit to sell for a profit but that permit is expensive, compared to the cost of a hobbyist permit for box turtles.
Link

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Jack