All Turtles Message Board

MishFish · Level 3 Joined: 07 Sep 2002 Posts: 159

Hey everyone,
I\'ve had turtles throughout my life but this would be the first time that I\'ve attempted to mate two of them. We have had them both(Zeus and Zellah) for a year now and they have grown humongous. We didn\'t expect them to start mating but they tend to keeping doing it....all the time. I was just wondering if anyone knew anything about mating rituals..that sort of stuff. I\'d like to know everything as possible to figure out what is going on. Our male turtle tends to be quite timid and shy while our female is boss of the aquarium. Just wondering if this is going to affect anything?
As for the female, we had picked her up and she seemed to let her ?insides? come out of her. Has anyone ever heard of this before? It was black and rounded at the end where it would open up. She hasn\'t seemed to do it again.
Thanks for any help!!!
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Zeus & Zellah are my turtles!!

Ibanezkid · Level 3 Joined: 25 Aug 2002 Posts: 141

I don\'t know anything about the insides coming out or much about turtles mating but my male easter sliders has been doing this crazy dance for a while now. He swims over the top of the female and puts his front claws infornt of his head and shakes them extremly fast along with his head and with his tail pointed towards the female. It\'s crazy/funny. My turtles aren\'t even a year old yet but it seems like he is ready. What are yours doing.
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Oh yeah I have 12 turtles

MishFish · Level 3 Joined: 07 Sep 2002 Posts: 159

Yeah, mine seems to be doing that as well. It doesn\'t seem like he is getting the whole mating thing down right yet. My female seems to be quivering her paws in front of his face at the same time he does it. They usually go into their whole matingness afterwards. I read somewhere that if you buy turtles, they are already a few years old. Mine are a year old since I bought them and they already seem to be at least half grown.
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Zeus & Zellah are my turtles!!

GlennThiltgen · Level 3 Joined: 15 Aug 2002 Posts: 190

I have read some information on turtles intestines coming out, I forget what site it was on. If I find it I will let you know, I personally would talk to a vet or someone that could help you. May not be nothing major
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MishFish · Level 3 Joined: 07 Sep 2002 Posts: 159

Hey,
thanks for the help. If you find that site, it\'d be great. Not sure who to phone around here about turtles though. Doesn\'t seem to be anybody who knows much about turtles...not even the pet stores around here.
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Zeus & Zellah are my turtles!!

lulumac1 · Level 3 Joined: 26 Aug 2002 Posts: 228

A prolapse occurs when a particular organ \"turns inside out\" and protrudes through its usual external opening. In contrast to this situation with land turtles, prolapses of the uterus or intestine are rare in water turtles. If you suspect a prolapse, keep the involved organ moist and protected, and seek veterinary attention immediately.\"
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Proud owner of 2 RES--George and Ringo

MishFish · Level 3 Joined: 07 Sep 2002 Posts: 159

Hey,
thanks that was alot of information. I also read that it happens sometimes when they are feeling very stressed out. It hasn\'t happened again, thankfully, but we\'ve been keeping a really close eye on her. The intestines went back in really easily when it happened. We just placed her back in the water and she relaxed. She doesn\'t like being picked up very much, very unsocialable turtle when it comes to touching her.
Thanks for the help though, if it does happen again, we might take her to the vet, ....
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Zeus & Zellah are my turtles!!

KAITYMARIE · Guest Joined: 06 Nov 2002 Posts: 3

KAITYMARIE · Guest Joined: 06 Nov 2002 Posts: 3

KAITYMARIE · Guest Joined: 06 Nov 2002 Posts: 3

angelahanson · Guest Joined: 07 Nov 2002 Posts: 1

I just saw the same kind of \"thing\" happen and came here to find and answer as to what the heck it was. I THINK I have a female, short claws but kind of large tail so Im not sure. It looked like she was having trouble w/ a big \"poop\", her tail was curled under and she had a big red/brown(dark) thing under her. After she moved around a bit it went back inside. Then she kind of \"opened\" up and then closed again. Maybe it was a mating thing because she was very active, swimming around and moving alot. THEN, I realized that I had just moved her into a bigger tank and there was a mirrior image reflection on the side of the tank that she was seeing, she was nose to nose with it w/ her forefeet above her head and was staying face to face with \"herself\". I think that he/she was \"excited\" and that was a sex organ thing rather than an intestinal thing..but it wasnt shaped like any sex organ Ive ever seen on any species so Im not sure....kinda mushroom shaped and about the size of her head x2. Id love feedback, Im very curious, and my six year old daughter is kinda freaked out.

MishFish · Level 3 Joined: 07 Sep 2002 Posts: 159

Yes, that is the exact same thing that was happening to mine. Don\'t worry about it as long as it goes back inside. It sounds like you have a female though. That shape was the same as my females. It is supposed to be part of their intestines as well as their reproductive system.
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Zeus & Zellah are my turtles!!

clone · Guest Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 1

I just saw the same \"mushroom\" type shape.. looked black with a redish tint to it. and it was huge (although maybe the size is being exaggerated by my excitement and scaredness) I could NOT believe what I was seeing.. it was like nothing I could have imagined.

Really glad that you guys had some info for me, thanks a lot!

Also.. I never really was told if I had a male/female RES.. But the front claws are kinda long, so I thought I had a male I guess. I had a friend that had a RES also, and the front claws were tiny, and mine (Shark! is the name) has like half inch long claws. (is that enough to say it\'s a male?)

Thanks again!
-Scott

JPEG · Guest Joined: 22 May 2003 Posts: 4

Yea, Usually: longer clawls, slinder fingers, pointier nose, and a Thicker tail are sings of a male slider. My male slider recently unvailed his sex organ and i must say he\'s packin\' for a little turtle. But generally I\'m noticed Male sliders tend to be a little smaller than females.

Guest

boy, am i glad to find this disccusion. I just witness that scary \"prune\" like thing coming out of my terrapin. and i am just wondering what could it be.

now that i know it is most probably it sex organ, i will like to figure out the sex of my tortise. since it always have longer nails then its neighbour, and it is doing the mating dance more frequently than its friend, i was quite sure that it is a male....until now.

will a female terrapin actually be more proactive in finding her partner???