Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My EBT Daisy laid eggs last year and I found 4 baby box turtles in the enclosure during a storm at the beginning of September. After that, and to avoid any more unexpected pregnancies, I separated the male from the female. Although I've read that female EBTs can hold sperm and lay viable eggs for years after one meeting with a male.

She has been displaying nesting behavior for the past few months by excavating holes all over her enclosure. I've tried to feel for eggs, but I cant tell if she is gravid.

Well, I have been weighing my box turtles about every month and keeping a log of their gains and losses. Daisy gained a significant amount of weight in the month of May, but then last month lost 12 grams in less than a month:

5/15/09 - 546 g
6/12/09 - 572 g
7/25/09 - 570 g
8/15/09 - 558 g

Is it possible that this weight loss could be attributed to the deposit of eggs? If so, should I search for them and incubate them rather than leaving them in the enclosure?

Here are my concerns: If she laid eggs after July 25th, they wouldnt hatch for approx 3 months (I think), which would leave them to hatch around the end of October - Would it be too cold outside for them at night? Also, I would worry about the female eating the hatchlings or pulling up the nest in the meantime.

Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks in advance!

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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.1.4 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Magnum and 3 hatchlings (Chuck Norris, Bumblebee and Higgins)
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

My guess is that your turtle laid eggs, probably two clutches. I say this based on my own experiences with the turtles here.

It will be pretty much impossible to locate a nest at this point, especially if you've had any rain in recent weeks. It also might not be advisable to disturb a nest at this point even if you could locate it.

It's important to remember that incubation times were based on laboratory experiments: the eggs may take longer to hatch in the nest, and the baby turtles will almost certainly not emerge from the nest immediately upon hatching. If they hatch from a later clutch, they may not emerge from the nest until next spring.

I would say to be on the lookout for hatchlings over the next few weeks and certainly next spring.

Next year, watch your female more closely when she exhibits nesting behavior so that you can eliminate some of the guess work.