Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone! It's been quite a while since I've posted but I have been reading to keep up with everyone. My adult female EBT, Daisy has been hibernating and her mate, Dozer has been very lazy and lethargic all winter in the house so I haven't had much to say.

FINALLY Daisy came up to the surface to bask yesterday in the 70 degree weather. Much to my delight she ate 2 crickets last night and a lot of strawberries this morning. She was so "sleepy" from hibernating that she could hardly catch the crickets! It was like watching her in slow motion! I'm so happy she is eating and I'm glad it's finally warming up so Dozer can go back outside to get some real sunlight - He was such a mope in the house - I think he missed his girlfriend

Speaking of which... some of you may remember that I caught them mating last year at the end of the summer. If they were successful, when should I start looking for nesting behavior? And what kind of behavior is typical of a gravid female about to lay eggs?

As always, thanks for any info you can provide... I still can't believe how happy I was to see her alive and well yesterday! I didn't realize how excited I would be - but after 7 months, I really missed her grumpy little face.
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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

Ah, it is always a relief to see them again. In NJ, I think most of the nesting begins early June, although they may nest later or have a second clutch later. You will see changes in her behavior, often soaking much more and becoming more restless....trying to climb out etc. Make sure you have an area of suitable soil for her to dig. It is better described elsewhere, but if you can extend her hind legs you can feel the eggs in the soft area in front of the legs. This may be somewhat mysterious until you feel them and then it is unmistakable.

I was definitely relieved to see her up... Regarding feeling for eggs, would I be able to feel the eggs right after she comes out of hibernation, or does it take a little longer for them to form completely after she comes up? Thanks for the reply, I'm trying to learn as much as I can so I can be prepared if she happens to be gravid.
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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

My experience has been that you can't feel the eggs this early.

>>My experience has been that you can't feel the eggs this early.

Hi Steph,
When should I start feeling for eggs? I figured that since her body slows down so much from hibernating that she probably wasn't producing eggs while her metabolism was so slow (although I could be wrong, it's just a guess). What is the normal cycle as far as egg production and hibernation is concerned? Thanks a lot for any response!
Lisa
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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

If you have never palpated for eggs before, it would probably be helpful for you to try it now, so that you have an idea of what a female 'feels like' before she is gravid. Then, feel her again, I would guess in about three or four weeks. That would just be a guess, based on the timing of things here.

Another helpful tool is an ordinary kitchen scale: by weighing a female on a regular basis, you will be able to detect the weight gain that will be a signal for whether or not she is gravid. Walmart sells a fairly accurate digital kitchen scale for about $40, which is what I use to measure the adults I have here.

Thank you so much for the prompt response. I will go purchase a scale and start keeping track of their weights. This will also be helpful with my yearling so I can track his growth. Also, I will try to palpate tonight to see how she feels prior to having any eggs.

As always, you've been very helpful
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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

Hi

I also raise EBT up here in NNJ, your female will probally start looking to nest around the middle to begginning of July, if mating was successful. I wouldn't feed her yet let it stay warm for a while, I usually wait to it stay warm, and the boxies become active right now thery are just soaking up the warm from the sun. I hibernate all my turtles outside, I would suggest to that, the only ones I dont hibernate outside are the babies. good luck any questions feel free to email.

Pat

Hi Pat,
Thanks for the reply... This was my first season with my two adult EBTs and my first attempt at hibernating. I did not hibernate the male due to an injury he sustained over the summer from which he was still recovering (poor little guy was missing part of his shell!). He will be hibernating this coming season though.
I'm really hoping that their breeding was successful - I think the two of them would have beautiful babies. Again, thank you for your repsonse. I would love to see pictures of any of your turtle's offspring!
Take care,
Lisa
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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'm is south/central NJ

Mine usually wake up anytime from the end of march to mid april. One old girl is always the last down in the fall and always the first up in the spring. For the past 5 years the first clutch is usually mid june. Just watch for any late afternoon activity from the girls. I can say I almost never see any activity from them in the afternoon except after a heavy rain or during nesting. The second clutch for me is usually 3 weeks later. I only missed a second nesting once. I thought see only single clutched, but the next spring I was planting and found a nest with egg shells that I missed. (Never found the hatchlings but the enclosure is very large and heavily planted)

Phil

Hi Phil,
How many eggs do you usually have per clutch, and how many actually hatch of the eggs laid? Last summer she was very lazy in the afternoons, so it will be easy to notice that change in behavior. My pair are not in a very large enclosure (it's kind of their "starter home" so I think I would have to remove the eggs and incubate them myself, or place them in a different "enclosure" and let them incubate naturally there. Do you incubate, and if so, how do you do it? Thanks for the reply!
Lisa
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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 always dig up the eggs to incubate indoors,except the first year.I had them. I left half the clutch outdoors and the other half in a hovibator incubator and had the same hatch rate. So I now take all the eggs in.
I have 2 laying girls right now. The big female usually gives me 7-9 eggs first clutch and 6-7 2nd clutch. The little girl is only one or two eggs less but they are smaller eggs. Usually most of the eggs hatch. Last year the little girl's first clutch went bad, and hatched 3 of 5 eggs in her second clutch.That was her first clutch since I had her. The year before she didn't lay. This year everything is a few weeks behind, so I'm not sure when they will lay. like I said when the girls are out and about in the afternoon, it usually means they are looking to nest, especially if it didn't rain.

Phil