Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone! I usually hang out in the boxie's section, but I have 2 water turtles too, and I have a question about one of them.

Here is their history: I got them from a reptile shelter about 1 1/2 years ago. They were confiscated as part of an animal cruelity/neglect bust. They were alert, active and ate well when I got them. They both had a couple of spots of shell rot which has cleared up nicely. The male is about 7" slider and the female is about 5" cooter. They were housed together at the shelter and I kept them together. They are in a 135 gallon tank outside.

I hadn't seen the female, Rose, for a couple of days and began to worry. I tore the pond apart and couldn't find her. I started searching the rest of the enclosure and finally found her. She was completely buried in one of the flower beds! She was in the hole head first.

What's up with that? Why would she want to bury herself? We have had some warm weather - 80's - is the water in the tank too warm for her? The slider seems fine.

Thanks for shining some light on this behavoir!
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0.1.0 ornate box turtle
1.0.0 eastern box turtle
1.0.0 Yellow belly slider
0.1.0 Red belly cooter
0.1.0 Australian shepard
1.11.0 chickens
1.0.0 Dutch(rabbit)
3.2.0 children (do I still count the married ones?)
1.0.0 husband

I'm assuming you didn't see any eggs? If so she was nesting. If not it could be a test nest. She could be hiding from the male if he is over exerting himself in courtship, yes males of similar but different species will court females. There is a male eastern painted at my businees partner's place of employment that totally ignores the female of his species in pursuit of a considerably larger female RES. There is in the same enclosure a male RES that court both the female of his species & a female N.A. wood turtle. Or it could be hiding from a presumed aivian predator. There are other possible reasons but those are the main 3.

Thanks for your reply.

I didn't see any eggs, and she was in the hole head first, so I didn't think she was nesting.

I did think maybe the male was harrassing her too much. I had them separated for a couple of months earlier because it looked like she was getting stressed. But when I put them back together, they both seemed much happier! Ie. relaxed, ate better, basked more. So I figured they were also security for each other.

I checked this morning and she is back in the pond, both of them begging for food! So, whatever it was, it seems to be over with for now! The things you mentioned seem pretty benign, so I hope it was one of those reasons! lol!
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0.1.0 ornate box turtle
1.0.0 eastern box turtle
1.0.0 Yellow belly slider
0.1.0 Red belly cooter
0.1.0 Australian shepard
1.11.0 chickens
1.0.0 Dutch(rabbit)
3.2.0 children (do I still count the married ones?)
1.0.0 husband