Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'd like to hear from some of the experienced BT keepers.

Last evening I went out to check on my turtle pen and noticed my old female backed into a hole under a small log,....nesting. Today I find the hole covered up and suspect that she may have layed a clutch of eggs. I moved the log to make is a less desireable place to burrow but I feel like it might be best to dig them up and incubate them myself. I've also thought about putting another log or rock there in a position that would discourage the other turtles from burrowing there. I do have alot of experience incubating lizard and snake eggs. I've never done turtles eggs.

What would you do? I'm open to any and all suggestions.

She layed the eggs in the hole under this log.....

Here she is again. She was backed into the log where the smaller turtles is in this pic.

-----
Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

I think if you incubate them yourself you can be certain of the sex of the turtles. Turtle sex is dependent on the temperature. I'm not sure what temperature is required to produce males and females, but I'm sure some more experienced people will chime in soon. I do know people who let the eggs incubate all by themselves and the eggs hatched just fine, but the result may varied depending on the condition provided. Good luck!

Usually at higher temps you get males and lower temps are females. Anyone know what kind of temps to incubate turtle eggs? I usually did snake eggs between 78-85 degree F
-----
Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

With box turtles, higher temperatures produce more females.

So what temperature range would you incubate at to get the best chance at equal numbers of males and females? I know there is no guarantee.
-----
Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

Here is a good link to caring for the eggs:
http://boxturtlesite.info/bred.html

I've been looking at this sight for the past couple of days. Good info there.
-----
Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

Incubating the eggs in a controlled environment (rather than leaving them in the pen) would give them a better chance of hatching. Females sometimes dig "false nests" and don't lay their eggs in them - by digging them up, you'd know for sure if she actually laid eggs.

Tim

Third Eye

She is a pretty old turtle. I'm definately leaning to dig them up and incubate them myself. She nested the night before last and we got a good rain yesterday. Any tips on incubation substrate and temps? Do you bury the eggs or incubate them on the surface of the substrate?
-----
Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

I've had good luck with hatchrite substrate for snakes and I am currently using it to hatch out some painted turtle eggs, burried half way but not all the way and I added a bit of water to make a tad bit moister, put in small tub then put in a bigger tub, no air holes, keeps humidity up, the lid isn't perfect plus open it every couple days to check on them anyway provides plenty of air, place big tub on heat tape so the small tub they are in isn't directly on the heat tape, roughly 82-84 degrees should give a good mix of sexes, which I have read isn't set by the temp untill the last few weeks, should hatch 70 days same as the painted turtle eggs. Good luck, let us know how many eggs you find. Ohh also since you didn't dig them up right away you should mark with a pencil the top orientation the way they are when you find them, keeping the eggs same upright while you clean them off a bit with water and paper towel and when you set them in the hatchrite to make sure they remain in the same orientation, maybe you already know this from snake eggs, but just thought i would remind you. Good luck

Link

-----
Jeff Benfer
gartersnakemorph.com

I still have not dug them up. I've been reading some and have been thinking about just leaving them and covering them with a wire mesh. I have had them hatch out in my yard, twice before. I didn't breed any snakes this year so I dont have an incubator set up. It wouldn't be that big a deal to set one up so I'm still mulling it over.
-----
Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

i have had other turtles in the pen dig up the eggs and eat them, so that’s why i always incubate my eggs.

Yes I am worried that they may burrow and or dig them up.
-----
Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

I'd protect them from the others and leave them there..

I'm leaning that way. I'm thinking I'll put a peice of wire mesh over the nest site to protect them from the other turtles.
-----
Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables