General Care Discussion :: Nesting

Taking care of your turtle's overall health.

Post Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2021 2:17 pm   Nesting

Hi everyone. My turtle (Mabel) is a 14-year-old red-ear slider. She is currently gravid for her first time (restless in the tank, trying to escape, lowered appetite, digging when outside).

I've provided her with 3 nesting boxes: one with soft play sand, one with topsoil, and I have filled her pool with soil and mulch. She has also been allowed outside. She has dug many holes but has not yet gotten anything out.

Mabel has a vet appointment next week, but I was wondering if anyone has any tips on how to help her get through this faster? I feel so bad because she is clearly uncomfortable.

She has been getting up around 5 for the last week, trying to escape her tank. I've been sleeping beside her so that I know when it's time to take her out, and I've been taking her out for a couple of hours each time, twice a day. With my and my partner's work schedule we aren't going to have the same time to devote to her on Monday. Any help is appreciated!!
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victoria&mabel
 
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Post Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:05 pm   Re: Nesting

I think you're on the right track. When you take her outside, make sure that the ground is not dry or too hard. Since it is her first time, it could take her a bit longer than usual.
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steve
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Post Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:54 pm   Re: Nesting

Great news! She laid her eggs. She had at least 8 from what I found and she is completely back to normal.
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Post Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 6:56 am   Re: Nesting

Fantastic! Did she do it outside?
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Post Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 2:12 pm   Re: Nesting

Hi, sorry for the late reply. She did lay outside. Mabel destroyed my garden but I would let her do it a thousand times over if that made her happy.

She is currently trying to lay again, I'm assuming she has another clutch to get rid of. It's nearly impossible to get her to even consider laying her eggs inside, which is unfortunate because we've been having a lot of cold-ish weather (for this time of year in our location) so I'm not really sure how to help her. I read that she can up to five clutches a season, but I am hoping that we are done after this.

We're more prepared this time around, so we should be able to get them out quicker. I do feel bad for her
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Post Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2021 9:20 am   Re: Nesting

As long as she's laying them, you're both good. In some rare cases, they have overactive ovaries and will lay many clutches.
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Post Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2021 12:15 pm   Re: Nesting

Hi again,

She is doing the same thing she did the last time and has been doing a lot of digging today so we're remaining hopeful. It has been quite hot out today, are there any temperatures that we should watch for overheating? It's about 25ish Celius out today. When she abandoned her last hole she was brought in to rehydrate and cool down. She will be back out this afternoon to try.

At what point should I make another vet appointment? I am worried that if she doesn't lay this clutch she will get sick from the eggs.

Thanks,
Victoria
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Post Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2021 12:55 am   Re: Nesting

Once she gets going, don't interfere or touch her but you should be able to give her some shade. If she just started showing gravid signs, I would give her a week or two.
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Post Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2021 9:55 am   Re: Nesting

She's shown signs now for the last week, plus before she laid the last clutch. This morning she was out for about an hour or more and dug a hole and then buried that hole, but we haven't found the eggs. Is it possible that she went through all of the motions but did not actually lay?

My partner is going to keep looking, but at some point, he'll have gone too deep. If so, should we be concerned? She had no trouble (once she figured out a plan) with the last clutch.

If there are no eggs, should we continue to take her out to try laying? I don't want to exhaust her.
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Post Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2021 10:49 am   Re: Nesting

Nevermind! He was able to find the eggs! We're hoping that is her last clutch but we will monitor her of course.
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Post Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 5:22 am   Re: Nesting

Great news! Those eggs are hard to find. How big are they and how many is she laying?

As for "through all of the motions but did not actually lay", I don't think I've heard of that with RES who are not gravid. And if she wants to go, let her but also within reason.
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Post Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 7:56 am   Re: Nesting

At this point, she has laid at least 13 eggs. The first time she laid 8 eggs, which were bigger than the last 5 she laid.

I say at least because when I dug up the first set a lot of them were in pieces, there could have been a few more than I put together. I have read that she could lay up to 30 a season but I am hoping that was the last of them haha. The last few were smaller and softer so I am thinking we may get lucky. I'll obviously keep an eye on her for more signs, but she is pretty good at letting me know she is ready.
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