All Turtles Message Board

slidersroc · Level 3 Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 353

im pretty sure my 5 inck res is pregnent, but i dont know how to set up a box for her to lay her eggs in. do i need to use vercumilite? or can i use dirt, or potting soil?
thanks, and opinions are great!
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Tim

shelngav · Level 3 Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 394

This is from the care sheets link above:
Be responsible!

To begin, you need to have at least a pair of sexually mature turtles. That means the female is at least five years old, and the male is at least three years old. They must be healthy. If your turtles are new, wait until after you have had them for a year. Breeding usually starts in the fall. It is recommended that you cool the turtles that you want to breed. You do this to simulate the actual seasons of breeding. It also brings better breeding results. January and February is the cooling period lasting 6 to 8 weeks long. To do this, turn off all the heating and keep the temperature around 50F to 60F degrees. It\'s normal that your turtles will eat little or nothing at all. Let your turtles have their quiet time and leave them be. You want to feed your turtles well during this breeding season of love. Ensure that the female gets enough calcium and vitamin D3.

You must provide a nesting area. For this, you can use a box. It has to be easily accessible for your turtle. It must have about 12 to 16 inches deep of slightly moist soil, sand, or moss. Water turtles can lay several clutches per summer consisting of two to ten eggs. There are a few weeks between each clutch, and their laying usually takes 24 to 48 hours per clutch. After the eggs have been laid, remove the eggs. DO NOT TURN OVER THE EGGS! To help, you can mark the top of the egg with magic marker ensuring that you don\'t turn the eggs over.

HOpe this helps

slidersroc · Level 3 Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 353

ya it does, i already got there setup, but i didnt want to illegally buy a small turtle and ive alwayse wanted a small one
_________________
Tim