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Hello! I'm new to the forum but I've had my turtle for seven years. She is roughly 8 years old and this is the first time she's ever been gravid. I took her to the vet for an x-ray to confirm. I increased her water temp and have been feeding her shrimp treats because that's the only thing she'll eat. Otherwise when I take her out, she tries to dig on the tile floor, or outside on pavement underneath a car. I have a nice-sized container of half dirt, half sand and she absolutely REFUSES to dig in there. She just tries to climb out every time. I'm worried that her eggs will start binding soon, as it's probably been close to three weeks. What else can I do to help her? Thank you!

Did the vet do anything besides the x-rays? Any real nesting areas you can take her, like a garden bed?

The vet performed a cursory examination, weighed her etc. But that was it. She wasn't a herp specialist but I was recommended to her by the former office I took my turtle to, where there is no longer a herp vet. I live in an apartment complex and there are garden beds all over the place, but when I let her outside she either just wanders all over and ignores the beds, or makes for the shade of a car.
As we speak she is "digging" in the carpet behind our couch she's been there for half an hour or so and hasn't given up yet

I't good that she's still trying. Can you carry her to those beds? You might need to moisten them a bit for her too.

Any other advice? She still refuses to try to dig anywhere except hard surfaces

If she won't make a nest, hopefully she'll end up laying them on her basking area or in the tank.

Does anyone know how long until eggs start to bind so i get an idea of when I have to take her back to the vet?? Or any other potentially useful tips?

Based on what I've experienced, it could be a few weeks. I'm sure there are a wide range of cases to go over, but there are probably so many different factors to consider.