Reptile & Amphibian Forums

As I had suspected, Gaya was indeed close to laying. I had hoped for four eggs, but suspected 3, which is what came. She watched curiously as I dug them up (after she lays she becomes the most inquisitive hunter, I'm sure she's just hoping for food, but it's quite adorable). Anyway, so far she was my only female turtle (out of ten) that I knew was gravid (all others have nothing to fell when papped). Hopefully it's just early enough or the weather has been cool and rainy enough that the season is merely delayed rather than stunted, but hey, I'll happily take what I can get.

I do have a clutch of eastern painteds SOMEWHERE in one of my pens. She was doing the traffic game and would not be deterred right by our house so we detained her overnight while she laid in the pen, then turned her loose late in the evening far on the other side of the road (and true to form she took of in the direction she had been heading).

link to album with gaya's clutch photo, feel free to look around

Congratulations. Interestingly enough, I haven't had as many eggs this year as in previous years. You know I am here in California, and our weather has been atypical as well. Our weather has been very overcast and cool at night - mid-50s. Interesting correlation, seemingly to have similar egg producing similarities, from different parts of the country.

Lets see when the weather gets to "normal" conditions what happens, and if we get an increase in egg laying.

Bill Griffin

I'm hoping we'll get to see that happen this year, and not have to wait til next, but sometimes that's how it goes I guess. I'm pretty sure it's weather, though, or it wouldn't be 9 out of 10 females...

odd. Anyway, their new pens will be ready soon and maybe the extra space and reclaiming territory will get them going if the weather doesn't.

The weather is heating up here again, and I have had more egg laying activity. I have recently herd that this weather pattern will remain the same for around 20 years, based on the rotation of the earth. Interesting though, and would be a very interesting study of wild populations - I guess I will make my assessment at the end of the year.

Bill