General Care Discussion :: Gravid turtle question please help

[unclejoe]

Is that one to two week window when they start showing signs of being gravid? Like not eating and trying to escape their enclosure and banging the sides of it??

[steve]

Yes, that's my opinion. Weather conditions need to be right as well. My female RES liked to go after a rainstorm, when the dirt was softer.

[lizamarie0686]

the frist spring mine went a month or two holding them, as I didn't know about the oxytocin and two it being winter. What ever i did this time though is terrible, she's becoming really unbearable with banging in tank and trying to climb out, I have to let her walk around in the house all day trying to dig the floor or everyone in the house will go insane, its supposed to be 50s this week, so hopefully i can get her outside to dig a hole for her imaginary eggs. Yes I know 50 is cold, but she's laid at 45 before. She lived 6 years in a 20 gallon non heated tank and lived, until I got her and gave her the right conditions.

[steve]

I'm a bit impressed she'll go at 50. The last time my RES was gravid was also during the winter and we were lucky to have 70+ day, but she didn't want to have any part in that.

[lizamarie0686]

and just like that, her hormones are gone, woke up one day and she's fine again.

[unclejoe]

Long couple of weeks eh?? lol Glad she is doing better..

[steve]

Keep an eye out for expelled eggs in the next couple of weeks.

[Tampa Bay Turtle Fan]

Thats what I'm thinking! The vet is around an hour away and I don't think they are a "herp" vet, I do they they will look at all animals, but I'm not sure if they really know. i want to see if anyone has had experience on here first.

I did one more round of oxytocin nothing, she had contractions, i could see them but no eggs, so Im 99% sure she's egg free, Im just wondering if it hormones that makes her dig, and that they are still in here because she had the eggs so early with out actually digging once.

Just for general knowledge in seeking a herp vet. The most common veterinarian who has specialized reptile experienced are known as "Exotic Veterinarians " . Though many do not advertise as a herp vet, they received specialized training and experience doing so more than any other veterinarians out there. Many years ago while going through college, I worked for exotic veterinarian Dr. Sudo as a Veterinarian assistant in which he put me overseeing the snakes in general with administering antibiotics and treatment. Unfortunately, I received very little experience with medications and treatment of turtles and tortoises and only administered injections he prescribed for them and general husbandry care during treatment.

With reading over this thread, I seen some outstanding educational advise from other members and Admin Steve. The only thing that I seen not mentioned was the advise to seek a Exotic Veterinarian instead of a normal veterinarian to seek so you can get more specialized treatment for your pets. Dr. Sudo unfortunately died while at the Miami Springs animal clinic during late evening hours and he was one of Miami's Metro Zoos main Veterinarians for their animals. He was not only my boss and trained me in specialized areas, he was one of my closest friends ever with taking me out on his boat and sharing hotels at all the main reptile shows held in Florida when we had time off.