Urgent Care :: My turtles are doing it!

[robind]

Well ComputerGremlin, I've seen RES in the lagoon, so I'll see what fish & game has to say.

[SpenceMasta]

sure dont listen to the experts with years of turtle care

ppl here have a hard time realizing turtles are not humans, and treating any animal like they are leads to damaging results for both parties

[robind]

Thanks for your input SpenceMasta. I'm sure that the experts that care for the lagoon also have no idea what they're talking about.

[SpotsMama]

ok folks, let's keep all the dialogue friendly. We're all searching for information and it helps to hear different points of view.

[TheComputerGremlin]

I agree, I would check with the fish and game police or whatever they are before moving forward. But I still highly recommend terminating the eggs as soon as they are laid. And remember, once your turtles start mating, they will continue, possibly as many as 5 times a year, for the next, I don't know, dozen years or more? When a male and female are kept together, they mate more frequently than a female would lay on her own. You probably want to separate them unless you want to be dealing with this moral dilemma frequently ...

[robind]

I'm not struggling with the decision to destroy the eggs. But it's minimal effort to send an email to fish & game. As soon as I hear back from them I'll know what I'm going to do.

[robind]

I've had my male turtle up for adoption on craigslist for some time, and I got this email from someone. I don't think there's any validity to it, but here it is:

She will lay eggs, fertilized or not. They need a buddy, I rescue and know this for a fact. She will mourn and go into a decline, probably get sick if she is left alone. Good Luck, Ann Marie

What do you guys think?

[octpusgirl8]

She will lay eggs no matter what, but she'll lay more often if there's a male in the tank with her. As for the buddy thing, pure crap. My turts both live alone and believe me, they love every minute of it. Turtles are just fine on their own.

[TheComputerGremlin]

There may be a short period of mourning, but nothing that she will decline or die from. She will be much happier alone, as will your male. A lot of people that rescue animals only choose certain facts to pay attention to and distort other facts to their opinion. My girl is plenty happy alone.

[SpotsMama]

My turtle lives alone and is a healthy, well adjusted male seven years of age. Turtles do well alone. Most of the time when they have to share a tank with another turtle they wind up fighting and have to be separated. One turtle will dominate and the other will show signs of stress and intimidation.

[LakieLu]

Please save the babies or at least ask the lagoon like you suggested but killing them is the same as abortion. Don't kill the poor babies!!

[SpotsMama]

OK, this thread has reached its natural end and I'm locking it.