General Care Discussion :: Female RES

[marie_09]

Howdy everyone!

I haven't been here in awhile but just wanted to bip in and ask a question. My RES marie is about 5 inches long or so now, and I'm wondering when she should start exhibiting any behavior to laying eggs? I JUST got a new/used tank set up for her. It's fairly large and will be making a seperate post shortly with pics and will post its progress. My tank WILL be including a nesting box but I'm wondering what time of year she should be doing this? Is it all year round? I thought perhaps I would have the nesting box be removeable during the times she "should" be using it. Or would it be better to place her in a different set up? Any answers you can give me would be much apprectiated!!! Thank you!

[jozzep]

I say you have a long way to go before egg laying is a concern. At 5" your turtle is still too small.
Just to answer a few questions anyway......
The turtle will get restless and try to escape the tank. It's usually around June in the wild, but if a turtle is kept indoors, it can happen at any time since the temperature is the same year round.A detachable nesting box "could" be a good idea if the turtle likes it. If not it was just a waste of time and you will need to let her choose a nesting spot outside or in a separate box.

[marie_09]

Thank you for the info!!! Much appreciated! I will wait then to worry about a nesting box. By de-tachable I ment that it would be removable from the tank during the times she doesnt use. But that makes sense letting her pick her own spot. I guess we will experience with "locations" when that time comes! Thank you! I'm still learning!

[industrial_girl_2000]

LOL, I just responded to another person with a female RES, so check that out here:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=27793

Nesting boxes have never worked for Sheba. She's just too darned stubborn. But the good news is that I found ways to work around it. The bad thing is that if the turtle is in captivity, she may lay eggs several times a year (and that gets to be a real pain since you are constantly having to monitor the situation!). The only thing that helped Sheba stop laying eggs was rehoming our male RES.