So... I got my painted turtle in minnesota in early June while traveling back from a vacation in Minnesota (I live in Iowa). I found the turtle next to the interstate... about 1000 yards from the closest lake I think. I took it home with me... and I suspected that it was between 3-5 years old and female.



I just noticed that my turtle laid an egg... I just noticed it out of the corner of my eye... but I think its fairly fresh. I didnt expect it to ever lay eggs as its not caged with any other turtles... so I keep it in a tank with water and a rock to stand on. The turtle laid the egg in water, and that immediately struck me as odd... as I am under the impression painteds lay eggs in like sand or dirt. I moved it as quick as I could... I put it in some sand with a heat lamp over it (in a ten gallon tank).



I need some help.... this is what I need to know:



-is it possible for a painted turtle to lay a fertile egg given the time span she has been without contact from a male turtle... or any turtle for that matter



-how many eggs do painted turtles usually lay?



-how do I care for the egg? (or eggs is she lays more)



-how long do eggs take to hatch?





Any other advice would be greatly appreciated... I dont know much about turtles... just basically there eating habbits. My turtle was originally from northern minnesota... near leach lake, north of brainerd.



Thanks!

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