Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey Vic I have a question for you. Two weeks ago i purchased a 35lb female brown. I put her in her pen with some leaf debris and what not. Well fri. when i came home there were 3 eggs in the pen. I have not seen her try to make a nest or anything. I am concerned she is egg bound as i found another egg today. I have not made a vet appt. as they are not open on the weekends and for sure will first thing monday. Is there anything i can do to help her out in the meen time?

Hi Vic, I have the same similiar question too. I've had what was thought to be a male 30lb 12-13 years of age, Emys Emys that I purchased 3 years ago. The last couple of years I've observed the tortoise attempting to mount, sounds and all, one of my much smaller Emys Emys of roughly 8 lbs and 13-14 inches and well less than half of the largers size. Two weeks ago what was thought to be my large male laid a half dozen eggs. Today she laid 25 more eggs in her enclosure. Prior to this she had piled all of the cypress mulch in her enlosure to one side. Is it normal for this species to lay multiple cluthes weeks apart? I would assume these are sterile eggs. Is it normal for this species to lay sterile eggs without a male being involved. I have at no time seen the other much smaller Emys Emys mounting the much larger Emys Emys. Not expecting any eggs I had not had an incubator on hand. Thanks for any advice. And to the person who posted above maybe your female will deposit the rest of her clutch shortly too.

man i really hope so! It worrys me that she never made a nest.

HOLY MOOOOLLY. Well sorry I'm late. This is an egg laying month and it looks like you've hit the jack pot.CALLLLLm down!Id be nervice too.They can lay a lot of eggs over a few weeks. If the animal is up and active just try to give them room alone and you have to be there to collect the eggs. An xray may come into play.It would be best to let her have them first if health permits and then be sure by the xray. SOAK FEMALE and make sure they drink. Eating too if they will.Keep eggs in a air tight container with a little slightly damp vermiculite. 84F /- 2F Other things work too just dont get them to wet. Both please let me know what has happened. Will see if we can get them to hatch too. E mail for phone # Vic

Speddy33 How are the eggs doing. As far as your questions. This species has been diffacult for people to sex forever. The mounting would fool most people too! So,what gives. Different combos of sexes will mount and grown like a "real" male. Its just a mixed up captivity thing. Whenever a new Mt.Tort. is introduced to others all kinds of things can and will happen.Your not the first to have a male lay eggs.Vic

So i went to the vet today and he said she was in perfect helth good weight. We xrayed her and there is 21 eggs we counted. We discussed oxytosin (sp?) as an alternative if she dosent lay in the next week or so. So as i shall soak her every day, isolate her in her own pen and hope for the best. Hey Vic I have a couple questions about your post. Why the air tight container and why do you need to collect them right away?

I was wondering the same thing about the air-tight container, wouldn't that kill the developing eggs?

-----
Thanks for looking!
www.zoo-otics.com