Reptile & Amphibian Forums

for round 2 to start....second clutch laying, that is. Eggs a-plenty.

How many eggs will you end up with, and do all yours naturally incubate? And if you don’t mind my asking how many turtles do you have? I’m patiently waiting for my female to lay eggs, tonight she’s walking around the pen and I think testing areas. She roughs up the ground and moves on.

Thanks, Alan

To answer your questions: the number of eggs varies each year, I don't let them incubate naturally, and I prefer not to divulge the details about my herd on the web.

Why don't you allow them to incubate naturally? How do you artificially incubate them?
jsc
-----
"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

I was head-starting them, so I used a Hova Bator incubator.

What temperature do you incubate them at?
jsc
-----
"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

It varies. In the range between 75F and 85F.

That seems like a wide fluctuation. Why is that?
jsc
-----
"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Three letters: T S D.

What does that mean?
jsc
-----
"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

OK. Temperature Sex Determination. That's probably what you were referring to. Sorry, I'm not up on all the acronyms and abbreviations. Don't text. Too old. My bad.

So, how does that work in Box Turtles? How do you apply that to the eggs you incubate?

jsc
-----
"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

I think that if you did a little reading you would find that you would not have to ask so many questions.

I apologize for not being quick on the TSD reference. I'd just come in from working out in the sun.

No. I think I'd like to hear it from you, since you've got all the answers.

What sex does low incubation temperatures yield and how much longer is the gestation period? Which hatchlings wind up being the larger of the two temp variables?

How do you divide the temps half low and half high per clutch, or one clutch low and another one high?

How long a period of time do you headstart your hatchlings? At what age do you introduce them to the wild?

How do you raise them? Indoors or outdoors? What do you feed them?

How many years have you been hatching and headstarting Box Turtles?

jsc
-----
"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Des wegen haben wir bucher.

>>I think that if you did a little reading you would find that you would not have to ask so many questions.

Actually Steph, reading does negate the purpose of the forum which is to engage in discussions. And since I have no plans to incubate or breed box turtles, but found this interesting, I would be interested.
-----
Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
Visit kingsnake on Facebook!
Follow Kingsnake on Twitter!

This isn't a discussion: this is a Q&A session.

>>This isn't a discussion: this is a Q&A session.

Then here I will pose this as a question, because I do find this interesting.

What exactly is your method for incubating these eggs?
-----
Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
Visit kingsnake on Facebook!
Follow Kingsnake on Twitter!

StephF,
That was a question I knew I should not have ask after it was posted and I totally respect your response. I find myself not talking about my turtles to much as I try to keep attention away from them. I have a friend who is a veterinarian assistant and incubates turtle eggs on a regular basis for various people and situations, at any rate he has helped me set up am incubator for when the time comes. Our female is pacing the pen the last few nights hopefully she is about ready to lay eggs, I think this is harder than when my 3 daughters where born.
I’m afraid I’ll miss the something…………….thanks again StephF.

Alan

No harm done. )

What I usually do is check after sundown/near dusk and just make a mental note of where the nest is. Then I dig them up the next day.

At the beginning post you say you are "head starting" the Box Turtles. Are you collecting wild Box Turtle eggs or from a captive group. If they are captive the term "head start" usually applies to eventual release into nature. Are you aware of the various diseases such as the RI epizootics in wild Gopherus polephemus and Gopherus agassizii populations caused by well meaning people releasing captive tortoises with diseases into wild populations. As Terrapene populations are already under tremendous impact from many factors a disease introduced could be the proverbial "straw that broke the camels back". Also if these are wild populations that are being harvested for eggs this could become problematical to the populations being harvested as Terrapene carolina like most Chelonians have a low reproductive rate. Your post indicates that these Terrapene are either temporary captives or are permanent captives. I'm very curious as to why you are doing this. In any secenario if these "head started" turtles are being released this could be a ticking time bomb waiting to explode if you're not very careful. In any case actual releases of any captive herp is something not to be taken lightly...Thanks
-----
Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

LOL.

Why don't you take a few minutes to read through the archives: I've gone over this material ad nauseum over the years. All of the questions and 'concerns' you have have already been addressed.

BTW, can you vote?

Certainly, why, are you running for public office? What does any of your questions have to do with my request and explainations of potential problems concerning "head starting" Box Turtles. I've not heard of this before and am curious as to how and why you are doing it. This is a forum for discussion and I'd like to discuss Box Turtles. Believe it or not I know a little bit about them and would like to further my knowledge base...thanks
-----
Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

"I've gone over this material ad nauseum over the years." Just doing her due diligence in order to further her agenda.
jsc
-----
"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Well, I'm still interested in her projects and have no way to find what she refers to. I've asked legitimate questions and gave some legitimate concerns that have gone unanswered. I never heard of a "head start" Box Turtle project an am interested if this is just Steph acting independently or if it's an actual study being facilitated by a University etc....Perhaps she will enlighten me at some point. Already I'm quite well versed with Terrapene, have a keen interest in them, and wish to expand my knowledge base. I breed Terrapene c. carolina here [ just for fun] and have studied Gulf Coast and Florida Box Turtles in nature for many years [nothing formal just field notes etc.]...thanks
-----
Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

I posted a very cordial, informative, and "non-advertising" paragraph about Steph's work...it was deleted. Go figure. Nobody told me why.

How's this? The program Steph participates in has taken all necessary precautions to protect against your concerns, Tom. The issues you brought up are valid, and no individual should be haphazardly releasing their captives, as you pointed out.

I would be more specific, but it is apparently in violation of some aspect of the TOS.

Oh, I think I get it. I think my post was deleted because of the fact that it came after someone else's post that was deleted. That makes more sense. Either way, I won't elaborate beyond my previous post. Steph can be more specific if she chooses.

Cheers.

I still would like a link to this "research project" on Terrapene...thanks
-----
Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

It is a bona fide headstart and release project. Of course, some research is included.

Contact Dr. Joe Mitchell, formerly with UVA in Richmond. I believe he is now in Florida. As an ongoing project, there isn't a whole lot of published information yet. You may just have to wait.

Thanks, I've just got in back to the farm after traveling a bit...
-----
Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com