Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 6:08 pm Gravid or not gravid
My girl, a 5-6 year old River Cooter, has been off pellets for close to 2 weeks now and not basking regularly. Nibbling a little lettuce, cuttlebone and a few pellets. Still has the appetite for treats or foods from the "Entice" list. I thought this was shedding related, now I don't know. She has not laid eggs before. I have not seen any digging behavior, just scratch the shell behavior. This morning I took her out and put her in the pond (in ground molded plastic approx 130 gallons) and she began kicking her tail. Small amount of poop. I figured that was it, until she sank to the bottom and began kicking and kicking again at her tail. Then she exhaled big air bubbles, which I have never seen her do, kicked at her tail again and again. Bout the time I was ready to dive in after her, up she came. Hung on the plant shelf and kicked and kicked her tail again. I brought her out and felt in front of her legs. I can't feel anything however I was checking up under her tail and the areas to each side. The areas to each side are hard as rocks. Perhaps they are always like this, I can't recall ever palpating back there before. I put her back in the water, same thing happened. The exhaling the air just scared me to death. I set up her "little pond" in the bathroom, where she normally basks during the winter months (approx 24x12x4 plastic tub) plugged in her basking light, grabbed the organic potting soil and filled the tub. Heated a wet towel in the micro, laid it on the soil to warm it up, ran the shower on hot for several minutes to warm the room. Wrapped her in towel and brought her from the pond. She seemed vaguley interested in the dirt, I went out quietly and closed the door. 10 minutes later she was out of the tub and knocking on the door to get out. I held her for a while and we tried the pond again. She went in normal as could be. Checked on her at lunchtime-- she was out basking! I haven't seen her do this in a long time. When she went back in the water, I offered lunch - pellets and small freeze dried shrimp-- no deal. She began pacing the pond - agitated. This generally means, "i'm hungry" but of course she won't eat. I brought her out and took her to a flower bed, warm dirt and a place to hide. Her sniffed around and then took off for the pond, stopping several times to kick at her tail. Back in the water she went. Long story long, I realize I need a soil mix, a deeper tub if she is ready to lay eggs. I can't feel anything, the areas to either side of the tail--I have no clue what's going on there. Any ideas? Thank you for all info and suggestions.
