Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It's strange how things work sometimes... About a month ago I posted regarding eggs that my 3-legged EBT Speedbump had laid in her hospital tank. It turns out that they were not fertile. Suffice to say, I was pretty dissapointed. I had really looked forward to having hatchlings!

However, yesterday I was outside looking at my EBT turtle enclosure before the tropical storm hit. I wanted to make sure that Daisy and Dozer were well hidden and safe. As I was scanning the enclosure, I saw this TINY little turtle trudging along the dirt!!! And over the course of the day, I found 3 more! So far they are doing great! Only #2 and #3 have eaten (3 pinhead crickets yesterday and 2 today). I am hopeful that #1 and #4 will eat tomorrow. They do not seem interested in food yet. I assume that these babies hatched sometime in the past few days (presence of an eggtooth and slight whitish coloration around yolk-sack area) and therefore may not be ready to eat so I am not terribly worried.

I am concerned however that there may be more babies outside. Does anyone have advice on finding the babies in an outdoor enclosure? I feel like I was incredibly lucky to find the 4, however, I think maybe the storm brought them out, since I've read that hatchlings normally hide. #1, #3, and #4 were found strolling out in the open, #2 was hiding under the rim of the water dish. I have been going out at night and periodically throughout the day to look for them (never stepping in the enclosure, of course!), but so far no luck. I just don't want the parents to eat them, since Dozer will devour anything that moves. Any advice you can give on the best time of day, or best conditions in which to find them would be great!

Also, anyone have name ideas? I think #1 will be named Hannibal after Tropical Storm Hannah

Below are pics of Daisy (mom, top) and Dozer (dad, bottom) and their enclosure. I will include the babies in a separate post.

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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.2.5 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Speedbump, Magnum and 4 hatchlings
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

So cute... # 1 was the only one who would sit still for the pictures. We can tell him/her apart by the yellow V's on the carapace.

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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.2.5 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Speedbump, Magnum and 4 hatchlings
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

Congrats, I'm envious!

RE: Names.. for the baby w/ the "V"'s on its back, how about Victory?
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0.1.0 ornate box turtle
2.2.0 eastern box turtles
1.0.0 Yellow belly slider
0.1.0 Red belly cooter
0.1.0 Australian shepard
1.9.0 chickens
1.0.0 Dutch(rabbit)
3.2.0 adult children
1.0.0 husband

This one eats readily and seems to be one of the most active We were thinking of the name "Acorn" because of the Oak leaf on the plastron

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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.2.5 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Speedbump, Magnum and 4 hatchlings
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

This one is my Dad's since he found it. He was the first to eat. Also, IMPOSSIBLE to keep him still for the pictures!!! Also, he will not eat the heads of the crickets. He eats the rest of them and leaves the heads and front legs behind. We like the little holsters on his hips on his plastron.

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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.2.5 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Speedbump, Magnum and 4 hatchlings
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

My personal favorite. His/her shell is a much lighter brown than the others, and s/he has a lot more yellow on the front and back legs, plus great marking on the face already! Plus, s/he doesnt seem to hide as much as the others, and is a lot of fun to watch as s/he climbs the huge log in their tank

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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.2.5 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Speedbump, Magnum and 4 hatchlings
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

Congrats! What cuties and you'll have so much fun watching them grow-as I hope we will via pictures.

Allow them to have steady but slow growth. My first hatchlings grew too fast (I followed the hobby tips at the time which was to feed baby turtles several times daily) and they ended up with big round shells and little skinny legs that could barely touch the ground if they tipped over. Think Mother Nature and follwe her lead. Food one day- and let them rest to digest it for another.

Your pen looks escape-proof so even it there is another hatchling in there you'll find it soon enough- so not to worry. Good luck! Tess

They sure are cute little buggers, I wonder if 4 eggs were all she laid and you already found them all?
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Jeff Benfer
1.0 cinnamon pastel Python regius
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
2.3 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
2.0 66% het snow Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 butter p.h. stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 carmel stripe p.h. amel Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 amelanistic p.h. carmel,stripe Pantherophis guttatus

Lilypad42, Congrats on your new surrogate motherhood. I forsee an expansion for your enclosure in the future!!

Haha, me too! I have big plans which include a new large enclosure with two mirrored sides, separated by a wall (to keep males and females separate). I believe someone on this forum posted a picture of one very similar to my plan I have a few years before that is implemented however!
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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.2.5 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Speedbump, Magnum and 4 hatchlings
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

You'll probably have fun raising up baby easterns! Especially when they start demanding attention like my baby ornate does!
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Cliff

My Collection:
0.1 Florida Box Turtle
2.2 Eastern Box Turtles
1.1 Ornate Box Turtle
0.0.1 Desert Ornate Box Turtle
1.1.1 Redfoot Tortoises
2.1 Russian Tortoises
1.0.1 African Sulcata Tortoises
1.0 Burmese Python
0.1 Virginia Opossum
1.0 German Boxer
1.0 Pit Bull
1.1 Chihuahuas