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my female turtle is trying to lay eggs, we think? She has dug a hole, not deep and has been lying in the hole straining and pushing for about 3 hours. At first I thought we saw some white substance being forced out but I don't want to get too close to see what is happening in cast we disturb her. I have heard sometimes turtles may need help to get eggs out? We are very concerned she has had eggs before because we did have at least one baby a year ago.
Optional Information: Pet's Gender: Female Pet's Age: 6 Name of Animal: Lupe
Hello,I'm sorry to hear that it sounds like Lupe is having some problems. Some additional information will help me to answer your question.Does she live outdoors or in an indoor habitat?We need to know what is going on. Three hours is far too long to take to lay eggs. Go ahead and look so we know if she has eggs coming out or if some other substance is being passed. Let me know what you see.Thank you.AnnaMsAM41098.0157637384
Lupe lives out of doors all year round. We live in Albuquerque, NM.
Right now she is just lying on top, in the hole with all four appendages extended and her head out of her shell.
She is pretty calm with people and when I went up to her is just looked at me but made no attempt to move.
Thank you for getting back to me. I'm worried about Lupe. this is not normal behavior. you're right that sometimes turtles need help with eggs. They can become what is called egg bound, and no matter how much they strain, the eggs will not pass. Egg binding is fatal. There is nothing you can do on your own to solve the problem. A vet would have to examine her, and then determine the best course of action. Sometimes a hormone injection will cause the eggs to be expelled. Other times, they may have to be extracted through the vent. Surgery is also sometimes needed. The position Lupe is now lying in indicates that she is fatigued. If you can move her to see what happened in the hole she dug, you'll have a better idea of what is going on. She may have laid a few eggs, but has more. She may have strained so much that her internal organs have prolapsed out of the vent. Regardless of the situation, from what you have described, I believe you have an emergency. I'm going to try to find a reptile vet in Albuquerque who takes emergency calls. I'll be back shortly.Anna
Experience: Have owned turtles, snakes, amphibians, and lizards. Study and provide habitat for wild herps.
OK now looks like she is trying to cover hole but still there. I do not think the internal organs have prolapsed because there is no visual sight of this. I will look in the hole. I am not sure what I am looking for, but will give it a shot.
Thanks for trying to find a vet for emergency.
You are looking for eggs. If she is trying to cover the hole, she may have finally been able to pass the eggs. You can remove the soil carefully to see if eggs are there. If they are, don't move them. If she has laid the eggs, bring her inside and give her a special soak. Buy some unflavored Pedialyte (yes, the kind for human infants). Prepare a shallow bath consisting of 1/2 water and 1/2 Pedialyte. Soak Lupe for about 20 to 30 minutes. Reptiles can absorb the electrolytes and fluids through their vents (where droppings pass out), so make the water deep enough to cover the vent. Be sure to supervise closely. If she seems normal after this, she can go back outside.If there are no eggs, or she seems exhausted even after a soak, you'll want to see a vet. I found three who treat reptiles and see emergencies under certain circumstances. You'd have to give them a call to make arrangements. Here they are:Southwest Veterinary Medical center469 Corrales Rd. Ste. B-1 Corrales, NM 87048Phone:(NNN) NNN-NNNNbr/>Petroglyph Animal Hospital 6633 Caminito Coors NorthwestAlbuquerque, NM, please call(NNN) NNN-NNNNbr/>Shirley Russman, David SchoonoverVCA Veterinary Care Animal Hospital9901 Montgomery Blvd., NEAlbuquerque 87111Telephone:(NNN) NNN-NNNNbr/>Petroglyph Animal Hospital 6633 Caminito Coors NorthwestAlbuquerque, NM, please call(NNN) NNN-NNNNbr/>If you have more questions or need additional help after looking for eggs, let me know by clicking on REPLY. I hope it will turn out that Lupe laid her eggs and will perk up after a soak.AnnaIf you would like any additional information or have more questions please don’t hesitate to ask! There’s no additional fee for such follow-up questions.Please remember to only rate my answer when you are 100% satisfied. If you feel the need to click either of the two faces on the left, please stop, and instead reply to me via the REPLY button with the issue you have. I will be happy to continue further and do everything I can to provide you with the service you seek. Please note that you are rating the completeness and accuracy of the answer and the quality of service you received, not how happy you are with the actual information provided.Thank you.MsAM41098.043115625
Lupe seems fine today but now I do not know what to do with the eggs in the hole. She put them right out in the open where the sun beats down. Lupe has laid eggs in the past but we never knew where or what happens and how to proceed with this process.
I'm glad Lupe is better. She had a difficult day yesterday. There are two choices. You can leave the eggs where they are, but cover them with soil. Then let nature take its course. If Lupe mated, they may be fertile and may hatch. If not, of course they won't. Females do lay infertile eggs even when no male is present.The other choice is to put the eggs in an incubator to try to hatch them. If you move them, they must always be kept in the same position. If you turn or rotate them, any embryos will drown in the fluids in the egg. Also, if you choose this option, you'll need to find homes for any babies that hatch. If Lupe is a slider turtle, and you want to try to incubate the eggs, go to this website, and scroll way to t he bottom. You'll find instructions there:http://www.redearslider.com/reproduction.htmlIf Lupe is not a slider, let me know what species she is, and I'll find instructions for you.Anna
Lupe is a box turtle. She did cover the hole with dirt after laying the eggs yesterday. We do have a male box turtle so I would imagine the eggs are fertilized. If you have a website for me to follow I would apprecitate all the information possible.
Yes, I have an excellent site for you. The instructions about not turning or rotating the eggs still apply. Proper temperature and humidity are very important, and the steps to prepare are complex. Rather than go into all of them here, I’m going to give you a link that has detailed instructions and photos:http://www.aboxturtle.com/box_turtle_incubation.htmIf you need a link to a source to buy an incubator or for instructions on how to make one, let me know, and I’ll provide those.The eggs generally take around 60 days to hatch, but in cooler temperatures, it can go as long as 90 days. Outdoors, they may not hatch until spring. Once the babies do hatch, it's normal for the hatchlings not to eat. They live off the yolk sac for quite some time after hatching. Around 10 days old, many hatchlings will start to eat, but some go longer. You want their basking area temperature to be 85*F, and the cool side of the container to be at 70*F. Use a digital thermometer to be sure. Dehydration is a common cause of death in box turtle hatchlings, so soaks are a good idea. The boxturtle.com site has detailed information on how to make a habitat that decreases the chances of dehydration, and lots of other information on hatchling care:http://www.aboxturtle.com/box_turtle_hatchling_care.htmI wish you much success with raising some of these beautiful turtles.Anna