Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Goodmorning to all of you. Just wanted to let you know that yesterday I was out in the turtle pen as Marley (my largest boxie) was up and about so I wanted to check her out to make sure she was doing ok. Well, I was looking under one of the cubbies to see if any other boxies were ready to make an appearance and lo and behold there was a baby boxie under some leaves! I couldn't believe I was seeing it! I have no idea who the mom or dad is. I am thinking that possibly it could be from Marley, as she is older than all the others and since a boxie can store sperm for several years I am thinking that "yes, this is Marley's baby". Who knows? Anyway.....now I definitely know I need to get the males separated out.

I have taken the baby out of the pen and put him/her into a large plastic container just like Squirt is in, but I will not put the sod in this one. On second thought, perhaps I will just go ahead and fix the baby in one of the large wooden box pens that I used to have the other boxies in. I should probably move Squirt into the other large wooden pen for this year. Guess I better wash them (the pens) down with some clorox water and let them dry good out in the sun today before I put the baby and Squirt in them though. Also.....I better go out after while and see if there are any other babies anywhere. There are lots of large dove and grackels that frequent the trees and wires around here, so could be this baby is a lone survivor. Anyway.....I will check! (I did check around where I found this baby yesterday, but perhaps I better check out all the pen this a.m. and see if there are any others.

By the way.....I will get a pic of the baby sometime today and post it on here so you can see. The baby is really cute! I am not sure how old it could be though. There was no yolk sac or egg tooth on the baby, so perhaps he was hatched before winter started? Or what? I have never had a baby turtle (other than Squirt who was this size when he was given to me, but I think he had an egg tooth remnant at that time!)so I am really not sure how old it could be. Do I need to put a quarter by the baby when I take his picture?

Alright.......You all have a good day today. I better read up on hatchlings to see what I need to do special for him/her. I really can't remember what I did for Squrt, but he has turned out fine I think. Take care! .............9boxies

I've had that happen a couple of times now...found a little one that probably overwintered in the nest...it's amazing.

Congrats!! How neat to find such a cute surprise!!
Can't wait to see the pictures!
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PHRatz

I had a surprise last year. For some reason or another I decided to go out the back door and walk passed the pen early the morning of May 8th, instead of going out the front. And what do I look over and see, but 3 baby ornates!

Maybe if you water and stick around the pen for the next couple of mornings you will find a few more.

What a great little present!

This seems especially common with Ornates. With my Easterns, it's easy to look for egg laying females during the right conditions and time of day. Ornates seem to be rather unpredictable with egg laying. Also, they're really fast nesters!

It makes for a frustrating egg laying season but an exciting fall/spring.

That's cool! Coongrats!

Be sure to look in your pen for more, you never know!

Looking forward to pics of your new hatchling.
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Patrick

congrats on the hatchling, keep an eye out for more in the pen!

Had a suprise myself this year. No idea why I went to look in the pen, but I did and saw a little hatchling starring up at me. I always search now to see if there are anymore, but I don't think I'll find anymore babies. We'll see what my girl does this year. She can't be bred due to overmating (got her through a rescue, this is how I know), but laid 7 eggs last year, three of which were definately fertile (have found four other babies, but these were in the yard and I have no idea if they were from her). Now its just luck and see if she has anymore sperm stored in her to make a few more clutches. Gonna hold off on actual breeding with my other female until I get my own house (mom seems to think 11 turtles is enough, 5 adults, 6 babies). Yeah Right!

"She can't be bred due to overmating (got her through a rescue, this is how I know)"

What does that mean?

She was taken in by a rescue because she was housed with multiple males and severly overmated. From what I understand there was damage to her cloaca. I was told she couldn't be mated again.