Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My RES hasn't been eating for a month now and she tends to be scratching her platform a lot, also constantly twitching her hind legs. Are those symptoms of getting ready to lay eggs? The last time she was doing something similar to this, a week or 2 later, she laid 13 eggs in the water which I had to throw away. If those are the symptoms, what do I need to do?

Are you keeping her with a male? If not, the eggs would be infertile. IF she is gravid you would need to create a land area in her enclosure so she can dig a nest and lay the eggs. You can use a rubbermaid, just put it in there and fill it with a mix of playsand and some soil or peat. If you use soil make sure it has NO fertalizers in it.
Good Luck,
Chris
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Hey whats up, I'm Chris and I currently have 1.0 Softy, 0.0.1 Midland Painted, 1.0 Bearded Dragon

You can also palpate to check for eggs. GENTLY place a finger between the hind leg and shell in front of the hind leg, and slowly tilt the turtle to the side which you are palpating. You might be able to feel the eggs.

A vet check might be in order, too, if she doesn't lay. Sometimes turtles become egg-bound and need help laying. An x-ray can confirm if there are eggs.

Katrina

how do the eggs feel? Are they hard? Last time when she laid 13 eggs, I didn't really have a clue. I was very surprised to see eggs in the water.

The eggs sort of feel like a ball joint, if that makes any sense. You'll feel something round if it's there. Just be very gentle, and tilt slightly from one side to the other very slowly. And don't get bit!

Katrina

No, she lives alone. That's why I was surprised when she looks like she's going to lay eggs. It's been about a week now and I've tried to put her in soil several hours a day but nothing has happens. She doesn't seem to like the soil and keeps trying to climb out.