Urgent Care :: Eggs

[a_e_skelton]

Not sure here but we have a 10 year female, she is in a large 30”x12”x18” tank with a water level of 12”. She has a few large rocks in the tank so she can rest on with her head out of the water. Tonight we found 2 complete eggs in the tank along with some other matter that looked like it could have been partial eggs. She is the only turtle in or around, can she lay eggs with out a male around. What should we do if anything and should we remove them from the tank? This is the first time this has ever happened.

Eric & Angela

[Diamondbacks4Life]

Yep a female can lay eggs without a male around. Most likely she will eat the eggs if you let them go. You can take the eggs out and throw them away because they make a mess. She might have more eggs coming too. If you can take her outside and watch see if she will dig a nest in the garden and lay the rest. It doesnt matter if she laid 2 eggs already the rest she should lay no problem too and you will find them in the tank.

[simonji]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to owning RES's, I just adopted them about a week ago. A male and female in a 30 gallon tank with a 40 gpm filter and a turtle topper with basking light. Tonight I noticed something strange in my tank and when I fished it out it was part of an egg shell, I told my wife about it and we started looking more into the tank we found a whole one that the male started to go after and I got it out of the tank and into a plastic bowl with the heat lamp to keep it warm. What do I do?

Please I'm at a loss and I don't want to lose any babies and Taking her outside is a problem cause I don't have a garden and it is almost midnight here.

Thanks,

John

[jozzep]

Simon,
I know it's your first post, but just for next time, you cannot hijack someone's thread no matter how old it may seem.

When i started getting interested in breeding, google was my best friend. With a little research you will find everything you need to know.
RES are the most overpopulated, over bred, and over abandoned/released turtle on the planet.I don't believe you should try to breed them, but that's just the opinion of an experienced breeder. I understand it may be different for you since it's a new experience.

[simonji]

Thank you Jozzep,

I am new to doing any kind of forums and last night I was in a panic cause I didn't know what to do. I got the turtles from someone trying to get rid of them and my foster son loves turtles so I went and picked them up. The guy couldn't tell me what sex they were, but after getting them home and doing some research I figured out their sex. I did not even think about breeding them, I think that is why I panicked when I found the broken shell in the tank and then later found the other full egg in the tank, which right now I have under a heat lamp and the female is in a plastic tub with potting soil (the only dirt I had last night).

John