Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When A gravid tortoises startes to make oxytocin in the brain, does it,1. start nest digging/ building? Or 2. just the egg laying contractions ect.Or 3. Both. On a side note, does anyone notice "tears" maybe indacating the hormone reliece. Species in question is a Manouria emys and the delima is, if it is still nesting then its got enough oxy, or does it need more to lay the rest of the eggs. She seems to only have relieced one side of the ovaducts,as she has stopped at exactly one half of her historicaly recorded number of eggs. Meaning the other side could be full. An exray will tell me if i'm right on the egg count but I woundered about giving oxy if she was already making it. Things that want to make you go hummmmm Vic Morgan

It's been a long while since I"ve had to recall the hormonal reproductive cycle. I'm honestly somewhat distracted at the moment, but I would hold off giving oxytocin as long as the tortoise is nesting and not unproductively pushing.

I don't think there is any evidence to suggest that nesting behaviors are directly related to blood horomone levels.

I hope this helps for now, I'll try to get back to you with some more detail.

Ian

If reserch has been done it will most likely have been done on Sea Turtles. Thanks let me know what you find out. Vic

I couldn't find anything beyond what you already probably know. To the best of my knowledge much of the hormone information in reptiles is extrapolated from mammals. How is your girl doing?

Ian