I have had my two FEMALE RESs for a little over SIX years. I am by no means an expert, so I assume they are both female as neither has the front talons that males seem to have. Both were rescues, so in truth I have no clue how old they are, but neither was a hatchling, per say, when I got them. I have tried to keep up my tank size as the girls have grown and bought a new tank a few weeks back. Yesterday I added 2 bubblers to the tank. I figured it would make all the open space pretty (without clogging up their swimming area) and give some aeration for the fish (aka occasional dinner) that live in the tank with them. This morning I glanced in the tank and saw 3 white things in the water. My first thought was "what on earth are those?" and then it became "what the ....." One turtle had set herself on the edge of the basking zone and dropped eggs into about 20 inches of water. I didnt even know she was pregnant (for 6 years?) so I hadn't prepped any type of baby friendly area. Over the next few minutes she produced 10 more eggs. Despite the fall, only two seem damaged. I fished the eggs out of the water and currently have them in a plastic shoe box cushioned by moist paper towels and the whole box is on a heating pad. As they were dropped into water, I have no clue what is "up" on the egg and the internet seems to imply you are supposed to keep the top of the egg up, but I dont know what that is. I am totally over my head here!
1) What do I do here? I really dont want to kill these babies, but I also cannot have 11 new turtles! Is there some place they can go after their shells harden? I can put the babies in the old turtle tank until that time, but when they start to get bigger, I just cant keep them! I have sold all the other tanks and in fact was putting this tank on craigslist this week ....guess not anymore!
2) Is momma ok? What should I do for her now? Anything special diet wise? She is really really skinny now!
3) Could she have been pregnant for 6 years, or is the other "she" a "he" without the scary front claws? If that is the case, I will have to get rid of them, or at least one of them. I do not have the space for multiple large tanks so separation is not an option.
After 6 years or having these girls, I NEVER expected eggs to be an issue. This is not what I needed this morning!
