Other Turtle Discussion :: nesting area

[College_Turtle]

I just read a message about a res laying eggs. i don't think she'll be laying eggs soon but curousity got me how would you give them a nesting place in a tank? i've looked on line but really haven't found anything on it unless im typing it in wrong.

[sonyj]

I'm not faced with this situation...yet(if Koopa's a girl). But here is a link that is often used here on the site to help others know more about providing a nesting area. One thing I do know is that a nesting site should not take up swimming room in the tank but be supplied along with the tank and easily accessible to the female turtle. Hope this site helps.

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Nestsites.htm

[JessicaTS]

I use a square shaped kiddie pool. I place in the biggest rubbermaid container I can find (right now I have a 150 gallon) and place it in the corner of the pool. I fill it with some sand and alot of potting soil. Then I fill up the pool with the water, about 3 inches lower than the nesting site. I place in some plants in the nesting site, so she has a sense of security.

[College_Turtle]

hmm alright thanks a bunch that helps. I'd hate to be faced with some thing I would not be expecting and i'd totally freak out at leat i would know there are no hatcling in there..next problem to figure out when the times comes is how long to keep in there to make the mother she thinks she is happy

[JessicaTS]

If you happen to see your female digging around and basking alot (with slightly loss of appetite) feel her plastron for bumps. If you feel them, chances are she has her eggs.
If you set up a suitable nesting site (thorough research on this is highly recommend it, not best to completely rely one someone else) she should feel content and within days or a few weeks, she should dig a hole and release about 5-20 eggs, for res.
I know some people that replace their females back into their tank, but I prefer to keep her in the pool for about a week at least.

[College_Turtle]

oh ok thanks i'll keep that in mind. That really helps a lot

[lushusblonde]

I just put my female RES in coconut husk substrate today around 6p. She's burrowed and covered herself. (She might be close to a year old; the pet store told me in December she was a few months old. She is almost 5-6 inches.) She's the only turtle I have, so she is not fertilized, but I do think she has eggs to lay. She has been extremely restless at all hours of the day and her plastron seems bumpy, but she rarely lets me get close enough to it to feel it. How long should I leave her in the tank with the substrate? I have no way of connecting the two tanks.

[sflemin2]

College Turtle, how big is your tank? I saw one person put the nesting box beside the tank and build a ramp to it (and of course, made a barrier on the side so she couldnt escape). This would work best if you already had an ATBA because you will have to fill the tank full of water. It doesnt work as easily with bigger tanks though . A lot of turtles don't use the nesting boxes and seem to have more luck letting the turtle go outside in a fenced in yard (with supervision of course).

Lushusblonde, your turtle is definitely over a year old is she is 5-6 inches. Probably closer to 4-5 years (is that an accurate guys fellow members? Its been so long since mine were that little lol). You can't actually look and see the bumps. You have to gently touch the skin above her leg and it feels like little tiny BB (like BB gun) sized bumps that push back against your finger. You can always have the vet do an Xray to see for sure.

[steve]

This is a pretty old topic bump.

Lushusblonde - the shell is bumpy? This could by pyramiding, can you post a picture? Can you post a new topic and add some of the information requested in my signature?

[sflemin2]

haha I never pay attention to the dates..opps

[lushusblonde]

I never do, either, sflemin2! ^_^

[sflemin2]

Well at least the info will be there in case people search threads!

[lushusblonde]

Steve, I made a HUGE error in anatomy! I meant her cloaca, not plastron, is somewhat bumpy. Ugh, just been stressed out. Sorry for the error. I had gravel in the tank before, and I'm hoping she isn't impacted. She's still eating, and I've seen waste in the tank, so I guess she's not clogged. I've since changed to river stones that are much bigger than her head. She's been extremely restless, and seems to mimic digging with all of her feet. She moves things around in her tank, like driftwood and the stones.

This is why I decided to give her the other tank with the coconut husk. She completely buried herself in the substrate last night. I took her out because I wasn't sure if I should leave her without water overnight.

Here is Lexi (Don't mind the plastic scoop she's using as her basking platform right now. I took her ramp out to utilize it in my ATBA design. And she's getting a water change today, too.):

Lexi, basking on the scoop.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/ ... i/lexi.jpg


Some shell spotting...wondering if she's getting ready to shed some layers of the carapace or if this something bad. Any advice??
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/ ... AG0673.jpg



ATBA should be done by Friday.

[steve]

Hi, I'm not liking what I see in that last picture. It reminds me of what I had to deal with a few years ago. There are 3 problems, all somewhat interconnected. You have shell fungus, retained scutes and whatever gunk thats trapped under there. What's trapped there can damage the shell and seams.

Has she shed before? Are there any scutes lifting?

[lushusblonde]

It does look like some are lifting, but not extremely. I have already stopped by the vet to check out if they were turtle-friendly, and they are. So, we will be making a trip there very soon. I appreciate the reply. How does this condition come about?