Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Our female,?, Eastern Box turtle is behaving in a peculiar way.
While she is in the bathtub she puts her rear legs and tail way up in the air with
her front down and appears to be straining. She has coming out of her what
appears to be a large sack or testicle or something I don’t know if it is eggs
or what. In a few minutes it subsides. I witnessed on one occasion and my wife has said she has seen her doing at other times.
Would anyone have an idea what this might be?
Thank you very much
As I write this correspondence, We are going out of town for a few days but
I am looking forward to the responses and will reply shortly
Thanks again NorristheNut

She's got eggs in her. Provide a place for her to lay at, if she don't lay then she might be eggbound, and a vet might have to give her an injection that induces egg laying or even perform surgery to remove the eggs.

if "she's" got something coming out of "her" and it's going back in w/o problems "she's" a he.. if there's nothing coming out "she" needs to see a vet, if "she's" got something coming out and it aint going back in "she" needs to see a vet
I'd be willing to bet it's just a male turtle fanning.

Thank you for the responses, I might ad that in the past three weeks, she/he has not eaten anything much at all, only picks at her food. She/he has lost no weight and weights 14.5 ounces.
I'm new to box turtles as my wife and I saved her from the highway with a cracked or broken shell from the front leg to the rear, It's been 6 months and she was doing fine.
If she is a he what is fanning?
Thanks again NorristheNut

Check the plastron (bottom shell) and see if it is flat or if there's a concavity. If it is concave, your female is a male. The differences between the sexes can be subtle, but it sounds to me like yours is a male.
For reasons that aren't entirely clear, male turtles are known to fan their penis when soaking. Maybe its a way to regulate their body temperature, maybe it just feels good. As long as he can retract it again, this is normal.
As for being off his food, that's normal too, for this time of year: easterns are readying themselves for hibernation, so emptying their digestive tract is part of the process.
Sounds like your guy is doing normal turtle stuff...
It is alarming to witness the fanning if you don't know what's going on.
Stephanie

>>While she is in the bathtub she puts her rear legs and tail way up in the air with
>>her front down and appears to be straining.

My female ornate also does this periodically when I soak her. Nothing comes out, though. It's disconcerting to watch, but it doesn't seem to be anything detrimental--I've had her over 20 years.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

I didn't even think about fanning, good call everyone

Thank you everyone for your input and support. StephF has hit the nail on the head, our little Tina the Turtle is now Tommy!
I hate to say this but he seems more attentive now...probably didn't like being called Tina, and he's still my wifes buddy.

Thanks again till the next scenario
NorristheNut

>>Thank you everyone for your input and support. StephF has hit the nail on the head, our little Tina the Turtle is now Tommy!

Well, I know MINE is a female, since many years ago she laid an egg.

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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

Its good that you're able to notice Tommy doing these kinds of things: its the best way to get to recognize what's normal and what isn't.