??? Behavior

[shayee]

I believe that Shelly is digging with her back legs under the condo hide. I went outside and her whole backside was covered in mud. I washed her off and she ended up going to the small hide. Then I looked under the condo and it is muddy and there is a pit under the side where the stairs are and foot prints everywhere. Does it sound like she is digging to lay eggs?

 

[dmmj]

Yes it sounds like it to me.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Sharon:

Yes. The female will dig a bit then pee quite a bit to soften the dirt and make it easier to dig.

You should let her alone and allow her to finish digging.

 

[shayee]

I am just watching really. When I come home from work each day I check the area out to see if there are any changes or eggs (wishing) but then I get out and just do what I normally do and that is feed water and watch them all. She is always walking around and plopping down then getting up and walking and it's a cycle.

 

[RonHays]

It's a dark and very humid area under there. Will she still lay eggs in that spot with no sunlight getting in there? Or do they prefer shaded humid areas?

 

[alben909]

These are signs

 

[dmmj]

They will lay wherever they feel like. Sunny spots, dark damp spots, they may even dig several fake nests, just to mess with you.

 

[SailingMystic]

They will lay wherever they feel like. Sunny spots, dark damp spots, they may even dig several fake nests, just to mess with you.

Lol!! My girl did that this week --(dug a lot of fakes), but tonight it's a very deep hole... But I actually think she got tired and went to bed and left it ...

 

[turtlelady80]

Did you check the muddy wet spot where she was digging for eggs? Dig them up?

 

[RonHays]

Did you check the muddy wet spot where she was digging for eggs? Dig them up?

No. Should I try now?

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It was just a deep mudhole is all. She did come up to me to see what I was doing. Lol now she's back under there just sitting.

 

[turtlelady80]

I have heard and read that a female sulcata will come back to her nest sometimes even ramming you to protect her nest and I have heard they will sit on it as well so YES if I were you, I would start digging lol. The cavity could be deep. Kind of feel the dirt and see if there is a spot that feels kind of loose. Start there. Be careful. Let us know if you find anything!

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Was she recently with a male? What size is she?

 

[RonHays]

I have heard and read that a female sulcata will come back to her nest sometimes even ramming you to protect her nest and I have heard they will sit on it as well so YES if I were you, I would start digging lol. The cavity could be deep. Kind of feel the dirt and see if there is a spot that feels kind of loose. Start there. Be careful. Let us know if you find anything!

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Was she recently with a male? What size is she?

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I dug pretty deep and it was loose muck for the most part but like I was saying... She was watching to see what I was doing and as soon as I left the enclosure, she went underneath there to check everything out. Maybe I haven't gone deep enough.
The answer to your other questions is that she is 12", my other female is 8 1/2 inches, and my male is 11 inches. They're all in the same large enclosure.

 

[bigred]

I have heard and read that a female sulcata will come back to her nest sometimes even ramming you to protect her nest and I have heard they will sit on it as well so YES if I were you, I would start digging lol. The cavity could be deep. Kind of feel the dirt and see if there is a spot that feels kind of loose. Start there. Be careful. Let us know if you find anything!

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Was she recently with a male? What size is she?

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I was wondering what size she was as well. Usually my redfoots will start digging in the late afternoon in a spot that gets late afternoon sunshine

 

[RonHays]

So it sounds like to you that She was watching me to see if I was disturbing her nest?

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I was wondering what size she was as well. Usually my redfoots will start digging in the late afternoon in a spot that gets late afternoon sunshine

Thats just it bigred... The spot she has been digging in never gets any sunshine. It's underneath the upper deck enclosure where it's dark and muddy. I'm baffled by it. I figured she would lay where there's sunshine.

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How long does it typically take a female to dig approx 12" into the ground if the ground is soft and murky?

 

[bigred]

So it sounds like to you that She was watching me to see if I was disturbing her nest?

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I was wondering what size she was as well. Usually my redfoots will start digging in the late afternoon in a spot that gets late afternoon sunshine

Thats just it bigred... The spot she has been digging in never gets any sunshine. It's underneath the upper deck enclosure where it's dark and muddy. I'm baffled by it. I figured she would lay where there's sunshine.

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All torts are different and are going to pick different spots, Mine walk around for about 5 days and dig test holes and smell the ground for the perfect spot. Sometimes they dig for 5 hours and just walk away. If she has some eggs in there she will dump them somewhere. Have the ever laid before

 

[turtlelady80]

Ok so if she is 12in she is too small to lay. Sulcatas should be atleast 17 in before breeding. The male sounds to be too small to produce too. She probably was just making a pit to get cooled off. If your male does decide to mate with her, I wouldn't let it happen. You shouldn't have her breed when she is too small because it could cause serious health issues.

 

[RonHays]

Ok so if she is 12in she is too small to lay. Sulcatas should be atleast 17 in before breeding. The male sounds to be too small to produce too. She probably was just making a pit to get cooled off. If your male does decide to mate with her, I wouldn't let it happen. You shouldn't have her breed when she is too small because it could cause serious health issues.

She's not a sulcata. Lol she's an adult redfoot.

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I do have a sulcata but he's only a hatchling. Lol

 

[bigred]

Ok so if she is 12in she is too small to lay. Sulcatas should be atleast 17 in before breeding. The male sounds to be too small to produce too. She probably was just making a pit to get cooled off. If your male does decide to mate with her, I wouldn't let it happen. You shouldn't have her breed when she is too small because it could cause serious health issues.

She's not a sulcata. Lol she's an adult redfoot.

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I do have a sulcata but he's only a hatchling. Lol

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Im thinking we are talking redfoots right? Another thing I have encountered is that I try not to spook my torts while they are laying or at least not let them see me. I have spooked them in the past and I try to keep other torts away when they are digging. You dont want another tort climbing over the top of them while they are digging a nest

 

[RonHays]

Yes they're redfoots.

 

[turtlelady80]

Oh oops. Then yeah she's ready lol. I don't know where I got Sulcata from. Did you check the spot again?