Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,
A few weeks ago my brother brought me an EBT female that was struck by a car. Her shell was intact but her back legs were crushed. Once we knew she would survive, we affectionately named her Speedbump. After numerous visits to my herp vet, it was decided that her one leg had to be amputated (too much shattered bone and dying tissue) and the other leg had a lot of dead tissue/muscle removed. For 10 days she received daily shots of Baytril and her wounds had to be flushed out twice a day with Sodium Chloride. She is doing GREAT! Despite everything she has been through, she is the sweetest, friendliest box turtle out of the bunch - and she will eat ANYTHING out of your hand.
I have been keeping her in a 10-gallon tank on papertowels, with a vitamin light (85 degrees daytime, 75-80 degrees night) and a hidebox. I was intructed by my vet to keep her contained, warm, and clean to give the wounds time to heal.
The last few nights she has been digging a lot into the paper towels. So I ripped up some towels to give her an area in which to burrow. This morning I found an egg! It is slightly dented on one side. I removed the egg from the tank (being careful not to touch it with my bare hand, and not rotate it) - I placed it in slightly damp soil in a shallow bucket in my yard (in the same position in which I found it), covering it with about 2 inches of soil. The egg is about an inch to an inch and a quarter long, and bright white. Because I do not know the history of this turtle, I do not know if this is a viable egg.
Would anyone be able to give me some advice regarding this situation? I have read that the egg should take approximately 3 months to hatch (if it is viable). Is there a better way I can keep this egg to increase its chances of hatching? Do you think after sitting for possibly hours in the tank that the egg may have died? Is there a way to tell if the egg is "alive"? Should I expect her to lay more eggs in the upcoming days/weeks?

It would be fascinating to see if this egg actually hatches. She is a gorgeous bright-orange turtle and I'm sure she would have beautiful, sweet offspring.

Thank you so much for any advice or comments.
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

Congrats on getting Speedbump healthy and happy. I presume she's in a 10 gallon tank just b/c of her health issues? Do you or will you have a larger enclosure setup for her once she's past her health issues?

As far as the egg goes, as I understand it, it could be viable b/c box turtles can keep the sperm of a male for up to two years, I think it is. Here's a link to our moderater, Tess', website and her thoughts on breeding and hatching eggs. Good luck!
Oh, don't forget to post some pics of speedbump and the egg.

http://boxturtlesite.info/bred.html

I intend on moving her to an outdoors enclosure once her wounds have completely healed. The 10 gallon tank is only being used temporarily as a hospital tank to confine her, keep her at the appropriate temperature, and keep her wounds clean.

Thank you for the link!
And I will definitely post pictures soon.
Lisa

>>Congrats on getting Speedbump healthy and happy. I presume she's in a 10 gallon tank just b/c of her health issues? Do you or will you have a larger enclosure setup for her once she's past her health issues?
>>
>>As far as the egg goes, as I understand it, it could be viable b/c box turtles can keep the sperm of a male for up to two years, I think it is. Here's a link to our moderater, Tess', website and her thoughts on breeding and hatching eggs. Good luck!
>>Oh, don't forget to post some pics of speedbump and the egg.
>>
>>http://boxturtlesite.info/bred.html
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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.2.1 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Speedbump and Magnum
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

What a great story, thanks for sharing, and best of luck with the egg and any future eggs!!!
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Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus

You may want to take her to the Vet. for a quick x-ray. Box turtles rarely lay just one egg. Egg binding is always something to be wary of.

I agree that your best chance of success with the egg is to switch up your incubation method.

Good luck! Great job with the rescue!!

Ken,
Thank you for the response! Unfortunately, our herp vet is not available today but we do have an appointment to have her stitches out on Monday. Can her X-rays wait until then? I called the vet to alert him of her egg-laying and he didn't seem very concerned (although I don't believe he sees a large number of turtles). She is acting fine and has been eating readily, as usual. Is it possible that she might lay more eggs in the upcoming days? She is still burrowing and scratching around a lot in her shredded paper towels.
Also, regarding the egg - We have placed it in a shallow plastic container with moist soil and sphagnum moss. It is currently in our outdoors shower in the shade, at approx 80 degrees. The egg is above 2 inches of soil/moss and covered with 2 more inches of soil/moss.
Is that an adequate environment?
Thanks for your help!
Lisa

>>You may want to take her to the Vet. for a quick x-ray. Box turtles rarely lay just one egg. Egg binding is always something to be wary of.
>>
>>I agree that your best chance of success with the egg is to switch up your incubation method.
>>
>>Good luck! Great job with the rescue!!
-----
1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.2.1 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Speedbump and Magnum
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

Photo of Speedbump - taken from my cell phone.
What you can't see - back right leg is missing. Left leg is stitched up and lame.
She is still beautiful

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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.2.1 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Speedbump and Magnum
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

Photo of Speedbump - taken from my cell phone.
What you can't see - back right leg is missing. Left leg is stitched up and lame.
She is still beautiful

-----
1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.2.1 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Speedbump and Magnum
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

beautiful ideed!!! she's a real looker and you're right should make some nice looking kids too.
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Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus