Three-toed nesting today!

[zesty_17]

I just got back from a trip to see family in Texas & had a little surprise-one of my little box turtles getting ready to lay eggs! She has been digging and searching around for the past 2 days now. I am always on pins & needles during this phase. I had a sub-adult male with her, so not sure if they will be fertile this go round- the last clutch was infertile. But she sure is determined moving one little foot full of dirt at a time!

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Congrats! It's so much fun to have one nesting. One of mine was nesting the other night. My husband didn't notice and put her into her little night box. When I went out in the morning, I saw the hole with an egg in it and three inside the box. Poor thing! I popped all the eggs into the incubator - hope they will still hatch.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Congrats.

 

[terryo]

Congrats! Will you take in the eggs and incubate them?

 

[zesty_17]

Thanks everyone! Yeah, I am planning on incubating them in a natural substrate outside to see if they develop. Not sure if they will, but the eggs look good & she was a great momma, carefully created a very nice looking nest & hid it well. Will update how everything goes, this is only her 2nd clutch ever, with no success with the first. I grew up with this girl, got when I was in elementary school one year for xmas.

 

[zesty_17]

just an update, 2 of the 3 eggs are developing nicely, with observable movement in "R" egg. Monica (3-toed) has one retained egg she still has not laid yet, and Cindy (ornate) has 3. Still keeping in touch with some specialists about the egg retention, but so far the girls are doing fine. Wish the pictures weren't so blurry, but I didn't want to risk moving the eggs for a better shot. enjoy.

 

[kbaker]

just an update, 2 of the 3 eggs are developing nicely, with observable movement in "R" egg. Monica (3-toed) has one retained egg she still has not laid yet, and Cindy (ornate) has 3. Still keeping in touch with some specialists about the egg retention, but so far the girls are doing fine. Wish the pictures weren't so blurry, but I didn't want to risk moving the eggs for a better shot. enjoy.

How are you determining that your turtles are retaining?
When my 3-toeds hatch, the eggs sweats and you start to see slashes in the shell. No one has confirmed seeing the sweating when their's hatch. Can you note whether yours sweat when they hatch?

 

[zesty_17]

One of my girls (Cindy) has a history of over-sized eggs, and often needs help laying them. It was extreme last year, because they had to be internally aspirated in order for her to lay. I generally palpate the girls' femoral cavity and feel for eggs, then follow up with x-rays to confirm. I have not encountered the sweating. My turtles have only just started laying within the last 2 years, and so far this is the first clutch that is developing normally. Prior to this I had only one fertile egg and he died in development, I am pretty sure it was due to too high humidity-and partially because she laid it in november I will be on the lookout for it though. thanks

 

[zesty_17]

eggs are hatching!

 

[austinl01]

That's awesome!

 

[Jacqui]

Your long wait is over and looks like it is paying off for you! We need lots of baby pictures, so keep showing us his/her progress, okay? ....and congrats!

 

[zesty_17]

Your long wait is over and looks like it is paying off for you! We need lots of baby pictures, so keep showing us his/her progress, okay? ....and congrats!

Thank you! This morning when I checked on them, this little guy was turning circles in his egg. I will be posting more pictures later on in the week. enjoy!

 

[dmarcus]

seeing them come out of there shells are so cool..

 

[zesty_17]

2nd baby is piping!

 

[kbaker]

2nd baby is piping!

Wonderful!!

I suggest cutting the worms up into bite sized pieces.

 

[zesty_17]

2nd baby is piping!

Wonderful!!

I suggest cutting the worms up into bite sized pieces.

thanks! will do, i have small red wigglers in the fridge now along with some blood worms, rep-cal box turtle formula, and mustard greens... does anyone suggest other things i might be missing for first feedings? the babies still have a button of yolk, so probably wont eat this week, but middle of next week i am going to try them to see what happens.

 

[zesty_17]

2nd baby is piping!

Wonderful!!

I suggest cutting the worms up into bite sized pieces.

update on the babies, they are 1 week old now! Still not interested in food yet, both have lost their egg tooth & little turtle belly buttons look good, enjoy the pics!

 

[dbsneed69]

2nd baby is piping!

Wonderful!!

I suggest cutting the worms up into bite sized pieces.

update on the babies, they are 1 week old now! Still not interested in food yet, both have lost their egg tooth & little turtle belly buttons look good, enjoy the pics!

I love that last pic. The baby is gettin its first piggy (turtle) back ride.

 

[jojodesca]

Omg, How exciting!!!
She is so cute too!!

Jojo

 

[terryo]

2nd baby is piping!

Wonderful!!

I suggest cutting the worms up into bite sized pieces.

thanks! will do, i have small red wigglers in the fridge now along with some blood worms, rep-cal box turtle formula, and mustard greens... does anyone suggest other things i might be missing for first feedings? the babies still have a button of yolk, so probably wont eat this week, but middle of next week i am going to try them to see what happens.

Everything sounds good. You could cut up a tiny piece of strawberry or melon, or sweet potato. After all the live food, those are the things I start mine off with when they get a little older. I have never had any luck with any of mine eating greens so young, but I know others have.