Other Turtle Discussion :: a turtle egg?

[countryluv9]

We've had this turtle for 10 years that lives in an indoor aquarium and it has never been with another turtle. I found a turtle egg in the bottom of the tank. Is this possible? It's white oval shape about 1 1/2 inches long and the turtle sits on it most of the time it's in the water. No lie-this is really strange. Can turtles lay eggs without mating?

[jenaero]

Yep. Females will lay infertile eggs. Just toss them out and make sure she's got a suitable nesting site. Sometimes, if a turt can't find a good nesting spot, she'll hold her eggs in and it could cause major health problems.

[countryluv9]

thanks! I learned something new. It's a girl! I guess we'll have to change her name from speedy to speedet.

[JessicaTS]

Sometimes, if a turt can't find a good nesting spot, she'll hold her eggs in and it could cause major health problems.

Really? I have only heard they keep their eggs inside for up to 3 years, didn't mention any health problems

[new turtle-lover]

What's the difference between unfertilized eggs and fertilized eggs?

[cam722]

A fertilized egg has been "fertilized" by the sperm of a male .. and an unfertilized egg hasn't therefore will never produce young.

[jenaero]

Sometimes, if a turt can't find a good nesting spot, she'll hold her eggs in and it could cause major health problems.

Really? I have only heard they keep their eggs inside for up to 3 years, didn't mention any health problems

"Retained eggs become increasingly calcified the longer they are held. The eggshell, which is normally flexible in many (but not all) aquatic turtles, will become brittle and may fracture internally; causing egg-yolk peritonitis, a very serious condition that can quickly prove fatal if not treated in the earliest stages."

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Nestsites.htm

[marisa]

A female can produce fertilized eggs for up to 3 (some say 4) years from the time she has mated (retains the sperm). Once the eggs develop to the point that the female is gravid, however, it's important that they be expelled, otherwise they could rupture inside and cause infection, requiring immediate medical attention.