Uh oh (maybe)

[Vynindis]

So my barrier between my male and female has failed me. I woke up today and the male had her mounted. I've experienced that before but his penis wasn't in so they came right apart. Today, it was and I moved them. I couldn't get them apart (didn't want to try too hard and hurt them) so I've left them that way.

I've read the male will lean back when he finishes but he keeps going between leaning back and can't quite get back to the position he was originally in before I moved them. He keeps trying to go into his shell and can't. He looks like he's in pain but I think I'm overreacting.

Is this normal turtle sex or did I mess him up when I moved them?

On a side note, the female seems absolutely fine. She drug him around, got a bite to eat, laid her head in the grass... Crazy that she was the one I was worried about. This looks TERRIBLE for him.

 

[Vynindis]

And now she has went to sleep, and he is still in there...???

 

[dmmj]

box turtles right. he could stay locked in for quite a while, I would let nature take its course

 

[Vynindis]

box turtles right. he could stay locked in for quite a while, I would let nature take its course

Yeah they're Eastern boxies... I kind of figured after the one try of getting them apart to just let them... well... "go at it" haha

I've just left them alone since a bit before this post. Man turtles have some awkward, awkward sex man.

 

[Yvonne G]

The male hooks his toes in between the female's plastron and carapace. The female then closes up tight on the back part, effectively trapping the male's toes inside. It seems it would be painful, but I guess the breeding pleasures outweigh the risks.

 

[Vynindis]

That's what I've heard but I didn't know his entire feet went in there, because they are. I'm not even sure he's in her anymore at this point either. I don't want to move them to see. He just seems stuck. He seems to be pulling his feet but they aren't moving so he could just be sexing I suppose.

He's like pointed straight up, both feet entirely in her shell, and he keeps putting his head into his own shell but his arms won't fit right now even though he seems to be trying. He never did get back to the position he was in before I moved them originally. I hope I didn't put him in some weird angle and mess them up but I know it's kind of common for noobs like to me be freaked out by turtle mating so I'll trust you guys and just let them be. Nothing else I can do I suppose.

 

[Vynindis]

Ok, I looked and his penis is definitely retracted but both of his entire feet are still in there. She WILL NOT open at all to let him go.

 

[Vynindis]

I finally got her to let go!

 

[dmmj]

The male hooks his toes in between the female's plastron and carapace. The female then closes up tight on the back part, effectively trapping the male's toes inside. It seems it would be painful, but I guess the breeding pleasures outweigh the risks.

I feel their pain

 

[dmmj]

I guess the female box turtle want to make sure the male doesn't leave afterwards. Right?

 

[Alaskamike]

Oh this is funny. Thankfully I read about box turtle breeding practices before mine got together.
I put my 2 females in the male pen temporarily while I planted some in their pen. He was sleeping ( I thought ). When I went to get them , he was " hooked up ".

I just left them and checked every 5 minutes. He was engaged for over an hour !

 

[Alaskamike]

Here is the way I found mine after less than 5 minutes together.

 

[thehowards]

Here is the way I found mine after less than 5 minutes together.

View attachment 148783

Geez that's painful