Steph or anyone else who has records of laying, do you have any data supporting that they usually lay in late evening or night, also do you have any trends as far as best or most likely weather conditions for laying, i.e. night temps, ground temps, before rain fronts, during or after rain, sunny and dry, ect.
Thanks
Jeff
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Jeff Benfer
gartersnakemorph.com
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Question about egg laying conditions
boxienuts
Jun 13, 2009 08:59 AM
Replies (8)
StephF
Jun 13, 2009 12:40 PM
There is plenty of documentation showing that box turtles start the nest digging process in afternoon-evening.
There is also plenty of literature that indicates that nesting frequently coincides with rainfall (shortly before, during or after a storm). I would guess that moist soil is easier for a turtle to dig than would be dry soil.
boxienuts
Jun 14, 2009 09:27 AM
OK thanks for the reply, but I just was wondering if you had kept any records and/or personal experience to support that rainy conditions, or if moon phase, soil temp, ect. ect. had anything to do with it, or if it was just X number of days after copulation?
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Jeff Benfer
gartersnakemorph.com
StephF
Jun 14, 2009 10:27 AM
I've just been noting dates. Since I have been known to run a sprinkler in the enclosure, that skews rainfall observations. 
boxienuts
Jun 14, 2009 12:01 PM
Ok, thanks anyway, yah I don't need to spray them with water this year it has been a very cool slow to warm up spring here with plenty of rain but not flooding like last year, we have been in the 70s all week, nice weather to be outside but I think the boxies would like it a bit warmer, but they are eating well anyway and a couple females feel like they are getting really heavy, so I'm still hopefull.
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Jeff Benfer
gartersnakemorph.com
StephF
Jun 14, 2009 02:07 PM
It's sinking in now...
My turtles were originally fairly local and they stay outside year round, so I don't pay too much attention to some details.
phil nj
Jun 17, 2009 07:53 PM
Mine always lay around the second week of june, late afternoon early evening, except one time one girl layed early morning. They typically renest 3 weeks or so later. This year nothing yet. Its been cool and rainy.
Phil
boxienuts
Jun 18, 2009 12:55 AM
It's been very cool and rainy here as well, so I still have some hope. Thanks for the input, what state are you in?
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Jeff Benfer
gartersnakemorph.com
phil nj
Jun 18, 2009 06:25 AM
south/central new jersey
Phil
