General Care Discussion :: Pregnancy!?!?!?!

[ColeweezY23]

So I have been reading other posts and don't know what to believe so I will ask you guys and girls here. I have one red ear slider male about 5.5-6 inches shell length and a yellow belly slider female about 6.5-7 inches shell length and I believe she is pregnant. I picked her up today and felt behind her feet in which I noticed two lumps and they were hard. I don't know if they can mate in the first place so if someone knows for a fact that red ear sliders and yellow belly sliders can mate or not please let me know. Also, should I just go see a vet about this or should I take precautions to start to make somewhere in which she can lay her eggs? AHHH I'm not really sure what to do. She does not seem to be in an obese state or over weight. So I will take today as the first day of her "pregnancy" if that's what it comes to be and see if anything else appears later. I will go downstairs and take pictures and post ASAP. Any kind of information of any sort would be very appreciated. Thanks.

[SSMcLeod]

Turtles like many reptiles and birds produce eggs - regardless if there is a mate there to fertilize them (chickens ) It just sounds that your yellow belly is producing eggs because she is a female and its in her nature, not because there is a male in the tank.

You will want to provide a cool place that is out of the direct light (so slightly shaded) with a medium for her to make a nest out of - I have seen soil, sand or reptile moss all used for this.

When she is ready she will lay her clutch and move on...

[ColeweezY23]

She can lay eggs but that doesn't mean they are fertilized and will hatch into turtles. So I should make her a space with sand out of the water and just wait it out?

[kmichael55]

Right, It's called being gravid. Search the forum for nesting box, I'm sure you'll find good info on what you should provide her.

[kmichael55]

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=28336&p=273913&hilit=nesting+box#p273913

[steve]

You want to feed in FRONT of the rear legs, not behind them. So, not the areas between the legs and tail.

[marisa]

Feel in front of the hind legs toward the stomach. What you felt was most likely bone or cartilage.