She upped the ante on me.
She started getting active around 9 in the morning the last few days of January. By Feb 1st (last Saturday) she was in-your-face gravid, frantically swimming and splashing.
OK what to do? Now we have a dog, and the dog has a doggie door, and Penelope needs to go to the yard, but can't have the dog nearby = OK. Sorry puppy, into your kennel.
Penelope made a beeline to a palm bush and did a little recon dig (just scratched the surface, really).
When she had enough, she went to the patio. Once she gets there, I'll put her back in the middle of the lawn. If she has more gravid-ing to do, she will wander; if she is done she goes right back to the patio. She was done.
Penelope in the tank; dog out of the kennel - whew!
February 2nd I had some help, so Penelope went in the yard, and the dog wandered in the house (with the doggie door locked).
That was the day the pup decided that she did not like Penelope after all. Bark bark bark the whole time Penelope was outside.
Penelope made her rounds and then back in the tank. Suddenly, Penelope became the pups arch enemy, and the pup knew where she lived. An afternoon of barking and stalking the tank - thank goodness she got over it!.
Feb 3rd was Penelope's big drama day. Right on schedule, at 930 she started swimming frantically. I was in the middle of a meeting, so I figured she could wait 20 minutes. Obviously, Penelope did not agree. She climbed up to her basking area and tried to escape by hanging on to the lip of the canopy and trying to heave herself up.
Meeting cut short; Penelope out to the yard. Another trip around the perimeter of the yard, another sample dig and then done.
The 4th was a repeat of the day before (except I was smart enough not to schedule a meeting at gravid hour).
It rained on the 5th, and Penelope wanted out twice that day (930 and 430p)..hmmm...seems like there may be something to Steve's rain theory
The 6th, she stayed on schedule 930 and 430 - a few hours in the yard, a few sample digs and done.
Yesterday, Penelope moved up to 4 hour intervals (930, 130, 430). It was kind of obvious since she continued her escape attempts.
Today - cold and rainy. Penelope did not want me to sleep in so she tried escaping at 730 in the morning. I awoke to sounds of shell smacking back on her dock. OK - nothing like sitting in the rain at 730 am while your turtle checks out every crevice of the yard. After an hour she was done.
However - she was on a major roll today - 2 hour intervals (730, 930, 1130, 130, 345, 520).
Penelope did a nice little dig on her 130 outing. It was not real deep, but she kept herself busy for 30 minutes or so.
I am pooped; Penelope is pooped, her tank looks like a mud pit and the dog is fat from getting treats to distract her while I scooted Penelope outside every other hour.
I am hoping Penelope is wiped out for the day, but just in case I yanked the platform from her basking area so she can't make any more escape attempts tonight (she is getting good - the last attempt she got her feet off the platform).
The good news is she is not straining.
Last year she dug 10 baby holes before finding the perfect spot. I think she is up to 5 or 6 now, so she has not broken any records yet.
I am, however, hoping that she breaks a trend and lays these little eggs all by herself the first time through (not 20 eggs later).
After her behavior today, I am feeling pretty hopeful about tomorrow.
