Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here's the latest up-date on my 2 Central American Wood Turtles I adopted from the pet store last November. Not only have they survived the neglect from the previous owner...they have thrived and are Now exhibiting courtship behavior!!! However I think things are a little backwards: In January I saw the male briefly bob his head. A couple weeks later I noticed the little female began bobbing, too. She sticks her neck way out, rapidly nods her head up and down and waves it back and forth right in front of him. She also raises up her back end and sways back and forth kind of like she's dancing for him! So far he has been un-responsive. She has kept this up quite frequently. I've noticed her doing this at least 3 times a week. Now...recently...she has taken to crawling up onto the male's back and tries to bite his head! The male is 5 and 1/4 inches long. The female measures in at about 4 and 3/4. (I can also count 5 or 6 "growth rings" on her shell plates. None visible on his) I'm almost certain they were wild caught as they were originally purchased from a Petco or PetSmart and had the bad luck of ending up with a kid that kept them both in a totally aquatic environment. They were both nearly Dead when brought in to the pet store I got em from. Since then their shells have hardened up nicely and they are quickly regaining their brilliant colors. I believe what I have here is the equivalant of a "college boy in his mid-twenties" shacking up with what may be a very horny "14 year old teenage girl"!!! So far he has remained a gentleman, though, despite her very obviously amorous overtures. So...Any helpful hints on how to get them through this awkward age differance? They've got full spectrum light, plenty of heat and humidity, large water bowl, substrate to dig in, etc. He loves Nightcrawlers! Her favorite food is frozen thawed Minnows. They both get a variety of tropical fruit and calcium powder. Incidentally...They Both had to "learn" to eat these! (Apparently they were only given cheap "turtle food" sprinkled into the water) During the first few days in their new home...every time they tried to bite the food placed on a plastic tupperware lid..they missed repeatedly as if they hadn't done this in a Long time. I'll put in a few pics of the happy young couple. TJ.

Female on the left...male on the right.

Their new (temporary) home is plywood and plexi-glass 2 and 1/2 by 2 and 1/2 feet square. The inside is completely lined on the front, sides and bottom with plexi-glass to keep the wood from rotting. You can see the female about to plunk into the water bowl...which has to be changed every few days! One reason for this is: As soon as they emerge from the water...they both fling dirt up onto their backs and then, of course, wander Back into the water and dump in a load! The full spectrum light shows up as blue to the right. The standard heat bulb shows up orange to the left. The male (on the left) is on top of the new 'parking garage'. They both spend the night underneath the shelf partially buried in the dirt. They have about 3 inches of tree stump mulch and black dirt to dig in. They get about 12 hours of daylight and darkness. The hinged lid on top keeps in the heat and humidity until next morning when the lights come back on...the lid is opened and fresh morning air is let in.

...Here's the male basking up on the roof. This little recent addition gets them closer to the heat and light source AND they really appreciate the shade it provides when its time for afternoon naps! More photos and up-dates coming sooon.

Looks great and they both look very happy.It's nice what a lot of good care can do. I'm wondering though since I just got a ca wood turtle shes not the ornate wood turtle. But I have heard that they are very much a like but she acts different then the ones that I hear about here. she never basks and she never digs even though this is available to her.she eats great. but if she is not eating she is always in her water. I wonder if it has to do with her housing. She is currently housed in a fifty gallon rubbermaid.We are building her a 4ft by 4ft out of plexi glass. But are having problems getting it to stay together sturdy.Maybe when she has more room she will act like everyone elses. I'm thinking she may be getting to warm on the other side of the tub so she stays in the water?Then I know for sure we will make her a spot outside this summer.Do you know if hog fence would work for that? It is very sturdy and could be buried deep to prevent digging out but I wonder if it will bother her to see out and be able to get out.She would not be able to get through the holes because she is nine inches long from the front of her shell to the back of her shell.Lisa

do not use any fence type stuff, turtles CAN climb. and our CA woodies...Nothing stops them.

sounds like you got them on the right track BUT

what you're saying is the female is exhibiting male behavior, are you sure she's a she?
My boy Don will do the head swing/bob(initially) and climb on Jessie' back and reach over and stick his face in her shell. He'll also love nip her arms and facing her he'll stick his face in her shell.
He'll grovel if she responds to his advances, he acts like he's afraidof her and backs off and scrapes the bottom with his hands. She will aslo reply with swinging and bobbing. I dunno if you can really call it bobbing because it's rapid. They do it while swinging their head. Weird. Their behaviors are only in water too.