Urgent Care :: Help my tutle just mated

[Evecolonycamander]

My turtle just mated. how long until the turtle lays the eggs. I've already read all i can on what to do WHEN i just need to know how long until the eggs are layed after mating.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Turtles are like chickens, they lay eggs whether or not a male is around. However, they are very picky. Females can lay eggs days after mating or even weeks when she finds the right place. And if you just saw them mating, this may not be the first time. You will just need to pay attention to her behavior and give her ample time outside for nesting.

On a side note, how big are your turtles? Do you know the age? A female under 3-5 years old and less than 6" is likely not ready to lay eggs, so nothing may have actually happened.

You will want to humanely destroy the eggs after they are laid (boil or freeze them and then crack them all open so nothing hatches in a landfill somewhere) as the RES population is already far too many, and you may want to separate your male and female to not have to go through this again in the future.

[Evecolonycamander]

not to be mean or any thing but i was asking when conditions are right when should i have to worry about the eggs not what to do when they came this is the first time they have mated sense i just got them

[seano997]

She will probably become gravid in about two to three weeks.

You'll want to make sure you have a seperate area away from the main tank such as a spare plastic tub or something filled with soil a good few inches deep at least. When the female starts showing signs of over-activeness such as constantly swimming or trying to dig, she's showing signs she might be ready to lay her eggs and you'll want to put her in the tub with the soil.

She might not lay them right away the first time you put her in there but you'll want to do it whenever she seems super active so she does have a chance to lay them and not become egg bound.

[TheComputerGremlin]

not to be mean or any thing but i was asking when conditions are right when should i have to worry about the eggs not what to do when they came this is the first time they have mated sense i just got them

Not to be mean or anything either, but I answered that question right away:

However, they are very picky. Females can lay eggs days after mating or even weeks when she finds the right place.

There is no exact time between mating and laying. The female may even opt to retain them until they burst inside her. It's all about when she feels ready to lay them and when she feels she is in a good, safe place. Feel around between her back legs and tail gently, and you may start to feel something like grapes rolling around inside. That means that she has eggs and is becoming gravid. Once you feel that, you may also notice a lack of appetite or a dramatic desire to get out of the tank. That means she is ready to lay.

[Evecolonycamander]

Thanks