Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently acquired a pair of adult eastern mud turltes (long term captives). While I know how to care for them day to day, I know little about social behavior between adults, and nothing about breeding.

So far I've noticed that they don't appear to be any near as agressive toward each other as other aquatics. Is this the norm, or am I lucky, or is it just taking the turtles time to adjust to their new surroundings before they they let loose on each other?

I've observed breeding at least twice in the last two weeks. Will the female produce viable eggs, as neither turtle was over-wintered for some time? They might have had a "cool down" period, in the fact that their care was sub-standard before I took them in. They were pretty much kept like box turtles.

How long before the female will lay eggs? How long is incuabtion, and at what temperatures?

Right now they get a variety of turtle pellets (Turtle Brittle, trout chow, Wardley's), occasional rosie red feeder fish, and earthworms. Also, I've kept water lettuce and water hyacinth in the tank. So far, they've ignored the water lettuce, but have slowly destroyed the water hyacinth. I also added collard greens one day, and they ate a small amount. Has anyone else noticed their eastern muds eating so much greens (as compared to what the literature says)? It's not a huge amount by any means, especially compared to sliders, but they do seem to enjoy an occasional green or two.

I've seen a small amount of basking, but not much. Is this normal?

Katrina

Katrina,
So far everything sounds normal and OK. Eastern muds are one of the Kinosternids that you can kept a pair of together. Two males no...a male and a female usually yes. They will mate off and on throughout the year in an indoor environment. You can keep them apart and cool them for a few weeks in January and February. The key is to keep them cool but not too cold and in a dark place. I know of friends who back off on feeding a week before putting them down to make sure their guts are clear of undigested food. Then they are put in cardboard boxes with damp spaghnum moss.
When you bring them back out increase the temps gradually and begin offering food again. They should be fine and they will mate like mad too.
Having said all that, you don't HAVE to go through that trouble if you don't want to. They can be kept at normal temperatures and the fertlity may not be hindered at all. But many keepers feel that they have better success by cooling them for a while.
Of course, eastern muds are a temperate species and with tropical muds cooling isn't needed. Or recommended.
Your feeding sounds fine too. Like all turtles give them a variety. Mud turtles will eat just about anything and obesity is usually your biggest problem.

Forgot to add.......I incubate 'native' species at 80 to 85 degrees but frankly, I don't pay a lot of attention to that. I set them up on my back porch (out of the sun) and they hatch on their own. I seem to recall 60 days for an incubation time. Give or take.
Basking is infrequent but provide the basking spots and lighting anyway as it can only help.

Thanks for the advice. Don't have to worry about obesity for awhile yet. They were pretty underweight when they go here. I was surprised that the fecal came back negative, so I'll repeat it again when time allows.

Katrina