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FAQs About Red Ear Slider Turtle Reproduction, Breeding, Rearing

http://petshub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10729

Pls respond 4/1/08
how can I tell if my red ear slider is gravid I got her from a pet store she was in with 2 other males now she digs up the gravel what should I do if she is
<If she's old enough to be laying eggs (i.e, at least 10 cm/4" shell length) then yes, she may well be wanting to lay eggs. Sexing Red Ear Sliders is very easy. The males have very long front claws (longer than the foot itself) and the tails of females are shorter than those of males and the cloaca (opening) is nearer the base of the tail. She will be ready to lay eggs about two weeks after mating. You need to provide a dry sand area to one side of the water where she can lay her eggs. If she can't lay her eggs, she can become egg-bound, and that will kill her, PAINFULLY. There's a nice summary of the details here:
http://www.redearslider.com/reproduction.html
I'd certainly concur with that author that rearing the eggs isn't worth doing. Unless you specifically want to try your hand at breeding these reptiles, remove the eggs and destroy them.
Cheers, Neale.>

I think I have a pregnant turtle! 3/2/08
Hi there!
<Hiya, Darrel here>
I received two red eared sliders as a gift on Valentine's Day.
<Nothing says "I love you" like a pair of Pseudemys scripta elegans>
I am still trying to make out if one of them is a male or female. I know the smaller one is a male and was doing the mating vibration thing to the other turtle. He did this relentlessly for about two days and now seemed to have stopped.
<Relentless amorous advances ... then suddenly stopping? Typical male -- I wonder if it's Turtle Basketball Season or something>
The other turtle has been digging in the rocks a lot and sitting on the ramp under the light. I know this is common behavior for a female turtle that has eggs to lay. The smaller male turtle has yet to use the ramp and doesn't dig hardly at all.
<Are you saying he never basks? Even if she's monopolizing the ramp and even if she keeps asking him where the relationship is headed every 10 minutes ..... he still NEEDS to bask.>
I live in snowy Minnesota and it is not a good idea to take my turtle outside right now if she has to lay eggs. What exactly should I do if she has to lay eggs? Or is it possible that she is a he? They both have the same length of nails and their tails are almost the same.
<Well, I'd like to know exactly how big they are (inches). Males do not generally make advances toward other males, so just on that shred of evidence my guess would be she's female. She may be sexually immature and not ready for courting though. Thickness of tails and length of nails can often be subjective (except a sexually mature male's nails will CLEARLY look as if they need to be clipped) so let's just deal with the behaviors.>
Can you give me any advise? I attached a picture of the turtle in question.
<From the pictures .. and just guessing at the relative size to the stones in the tank (assuming they're medium to small size) then I'd guess that both of them are immature and not mating and I doubt she's gravid (with eggs). Write back with measured sizes>
Also can turtles hiccup? I think the male turtle got scared of me and got the hiccups...
<Rest easy, it's not fear. It's something they just "do" from time to time and I've never seen it related to any outside stimulus.>
<Stacy, the only thing I didn't like to hear was that the smaller (male maybe) turtle isn't basking. That is an issue that you have to address. I'll send you a link on general care, just for double checking your setup>
Thanks,
Stacy
<Yer welcome>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

RES that have mated? 11/13/07
Hi,
<Hiya!>
Please help.
<Let's see what we can do for ya today>
Last Feb/07, I got (4) 1/2 dollar size red eared sliders. They are now about 5" long.
<That's a healthy growth in 11 months! Make sure you're not over-feeding, OK?>
I have 2 male and 2 female.
<Females get bigger than males and males grow long front claws as they mature>
They have all lived together really well until yesterday. My husband caught one of the males doing "it" with one of the females.
<We're all assuming that "it" has no relation to the character from The Addams Family, right?>
Last night he was doing the claw waving at the other female but she was holding tight lol.
<Yes, a sexually mature male will wave his long fingernails in front of a female as if to say "See what I got? Wanna come over to my log?">
I thought they were too young to mate?
<Well, you know these young turtles today -- it's on all the logs and river rocks and in the trees and everywhere they turn it's sex, sex sex. Britney SpurThigh and T-lo laying eggs, Ice-Turtle rapping about it .... they just can't get away from it!>
I am getting the females their own tank this weekend.
<That may be a bit drastic though -- this behavior does calm down and it is natural, but separating them is a good idea if the original setup doesn't have enough room for her to get AWAY from him when she's not in the mood.>
My other question is: do you think she is pregnant? Or is she too young for that? And if she is, what do I need to do for her now?
<If she's the same size as he is, then she has an inch or so to grow before she's sexually mature -- at least, that's the way it's SUPPOSED to work, but when they grow from a half dollar size to five inches in 11 months, many other things may be possible>
Also, she has been staying on the basking dock for about a week now, she does get off every once in a while to eat, so he might have gotten to her sooner. Do they do "it" more than once?
<Yes, they "do it" as often as he can get her to stay still for it until he's no longer in the mood and then he calms down. This can and usually does subside around the end of winter or early spring, but there will always be some of it going on. As far as what to look for, yes -- after a while she'll go off her normal schedule and seem more sedentary. Then she'll start acting as if she's nervous, almost pacing back and forth on the dock area ... as if she's looking for something. That will be your indication that she needs a nesting box (We'll have more on that by the time you need it). Right now it's more likely that his unwanted attention has given her a little stress and most likely why she's spending time on the dock. After you separate them, give her a week or so to settle down and then write back and keep up updated>
Thanks in advance for any help.
<Yer welcome!>
Angela
<Darrel>

Re: RES that have mated? 12/15/2007
Hi,
<Howdy!>
Thanks for your reply, when I get the females in the new tank, should I go ahead and set it up with some dirt at one end, just in case?
<No, not yet -- read on>
I know they grew really fast, I feed them a little each day, with the Zoo Med pellets, carrots, apples and lettuce. I am surprised that they don't fight or bite each other, thank God. They are the cutest things.

I ( my husband lol) am going to build them a pond in the backyard starting in the spring since they are so big and just bring them in for the winter. We live in Texas so we really don't have much of a winter here.
<OK now. I think that's a great idea. Just ONE THING about ponds, Angela .... one VERY IMPORTANT THING about ponds ...... after your husband gets done building it, complete with all the oops and ouch and all manner of things that go with that .... IT IS NOT OK for you to say "Now, that's great honey, but can you move it a little bit to the right so I can see how it looks over there?">
This is really a great website and this is the second time ya'll have helped me.
<It's what we do and why we get the big bucks, Angela! (actually we don't get the big bucks. Or even the little, tiny bucks (although we do sometimes get to take the recyclables home after a company party) we just do this because we enjoy helping people like you!>
At the start, one of them had the swollen eyes and was really sick and ya'll helped me pull her thru.
Thanks so much.
Angela
<You are most welcome.>
<Now the reason I don't think you should try to make a nesting box inside the aquarium is because it's about 300 ways of being messy and it rarely if ever works out. It's unlikely that she's gravid (with eggs) at this young age and even if she is it will probably be spring before she lays and by then you'll have the pond.>
<Meanwhile .. right here on my desk is a half finished article on keeping sliders and other water turtles outside in ponds and I promise you that I will get off my big, fat, lazy butt and finish it and publish it here before the end of January -- and part of that article will be how to provide nesting sites! It you don't see it by Feb 1, please write back and ask for it, OK?>
<Darrel><>

Turtle egg in tank 12/12/07
Dear Crew,
<Hiya -- Darrel here>
I have a red ear slider that I got as a gift four years ago. She is in a 100 Gallon breeder tank, with a filter, light and heater. About two weeks ago I had to change the water everyday because it had a really bad smell. She was be very mean and hissing also at me she has never done this before. Then one day ago I found a egg -that was broken. Is this regular behavior for them to be like this with the smell?
<A lot of different questions there. Yes, a broken egg in the water can cause an almost unbelievable smell. While I have no experience with any of MY Sliders being any more or less snappy around egg laying time, it has been known to happen.>
If so how often do they do this? Is it every year more or less?
<More or less being the operative, yes.>
She is 6 " -7" across and 8"-9" long.
<Nice size!>
<What you should do, at least now, is provide her an area to try to lay and bury those eggs even though they're not likely to be fertile. I wouldn't try to do this within the tank. Start with a mix of water and vermiculite in a shallow Tupperware container until you have a soft mulch - (50-50 of each by weight not volume!!!!! this is critical ... soft & moist like a piece of cake NOT soupy or watery) place that container in the corner of a cardboard box and then place her in there. If you give her some privacy she may decide to try to lay the remaining eggs (if there are any). It's OK to leave her in the box even overnight -- maybe even all day each day for a week except for 10 minutes a day in the tank to drink & eat. If that doesn't work you may have to provide a more complex and suitable next area.>

Turtle Egg Problems 12/9/07
Hi there,
<Hello - Darrel here>
A few weeks ago I got my red eared slider from a cousin, who kept her in poor conditions (no UV light, water often dirty, fed raw chicken). She now has proper environmental conditions here.
<Glad to hear that>
For the past week she has been in nesting mode and has laid several eggs but is unable to lay the rest (at least 5, as seen in x-ray at vet). She seems satisfied with nesting conditions (access to potting soil, plenty of warmth, light etc) and her appetite is still robust. She is unresponsive to Oxytocin and calcium injections.
<OK, she's having access to good veterinary care as well, congratulations. Are you giving the injections or the vet? The only reason I ask is that I ran into someone once who'd been sent home with Oxytocin that was administering the injections in the front limbs as you would an antibiotic when it has to be injected in the rear of the animal to be effective. Just a double check on that detail>
Instead, she is excreting stringy material, some bright yellow, some pinkish or red, from 1 to 3 cm in length. The yellow ones are more common. They are curly. What are these? Embryos and yolk strings? Dead parasites (they do not move)?
<It's likely that they are the crushed/destroyed remnants of some eggs as well as some dried blood from the process. This would indicate that the Oxytocin IS working but that the eggs were just too old to move smoothly. Without examination that would be my best guess.>
I'd rather try everything before we move on to surgery. Suggestions? Could an infection be to blame? Does she just need more time? Problems from poor nutrition at her prior home?
<All of the above can be playing a role. Many of the attributes from poor conditions and diet linger and a few never go away. What you could do (in this case ask the Vet to do) is to irrigate & flush the ova tract with fluid once a day for a few days. Dried eggs stick to the tract as if they were glued in place yet they will soften just a bit and it reduces the tearing of the duct walls. Whether this will be any real benefit remains to be seen. If it were me, I wouldn't delay the surgery because at this point there's nothing to be gained from letting those eggs remain in place. Eventually they'll calcify and become so attached to the duct walls that surgery would leave her unable to lay more eggs>
Your comments are much appreciated!
<Let us know how it works out>

Red eared sliders: We had 5 babies - 11/26/07
Hi Bob, Boy do we have questions.
<Darrel here in for Bob today ... and wow do I have answers!><<Always a hoot Darrel. RMF>>
We have a male and female set that are 7 yrs old. Several months ago our male slider started being mean to our female.
<Staying out late, spending his paycheck and then telling her that her shell looks fat?>
He chews on her and makes her bleed.
<Icky.>
We tried separating them and reuniting and she is still afraid of him.
<I'd be afraid of him too if he bit me and made me bleed! Yikes!>
Now, we just found 5 quarter size babies.
<Congrats!>
We have removed the father from the habitat.
<Kelly & Jeanie's Protective services!>
Now we think the mother is trying to eat her babies!! Would she do that??
<I've had the urge to eat MY kids from time to time .... or at least banish them to a foreign land!>
What is our fathers problem??
<Esteem issues?>
What do we do?
<OK, now for the more serious stuff ......>
<Sliders are normally fairly social and colonial creatures and can get along well in groups (although they don't NEED groups in any way) but a key to this is a LARGE enough enclosure that they can get away from each other when conflicts and aggression issues crop up. It's not possible to know what goes on in the micro-little brains with any certainty but there are two separate issues. When literally CRAMMED into small spaces, lets say 100 animals in room enough for 10, their internal mode shifts to bare survival instinct -- they don't waste energy fighting. On the other end of the spectrum, when you have 10 animals in enough room for 20, you rarely if ever see this form of aggression because they seem to have enough or [what we call] personal space and when any issues arise, they have room to get away from each other completely. It's in-between those two extremes that territorial issues arise when two animals "go at it" and the weaker one simply can't get away. The other issue is simply that yes, there are some animals that are just plain MEAN. You have three options here: 1) Rearrange their enclosure so that all past notions of "territory" are tosses aside and everything is new again. This slight of hand is an old aquarist's trick when introducing a new fish into and established tank -- all the existing guys are so busy trying to find what end is "up" to even notice the "new guy" until after the new guy isn't new anymore. 2) Make a larger enclosure. Two Sliders of breeding age/size should have at least a 100 gallon pond and much more space if we're talking about an aquarium. 3) Is simply keep them separately or build a partition.>
<Babies!!!!>

<Yes, the adults will eat the babies. Nothing personal, you understand. Maybe 80% of the time they can get along fine but eventually a hungry adult will see the baby as a quick meal and you'll lose them all. In the wild the babies avoid the open water of the adults and hug the banks and the weed clutter where they can hide. In captivity, yes, you need to keep the babies separately or (again) in a partition in the bigger enclosure.>
Thanks,
Kelly & Jeanine
<Yer Welcome!>

Red Eared Pond Sliders Male Attacking Female 7/25/07
Dear Crew,
<Hiya! Darrel here>
We have had the male for 5 years and the Female for 3 years. The male had been abused by his previous owner who allowed his dog to use him as a play toy, he was completely white when we got him and he is healthy now. The problem is that when we put him in with the female outside he attacks her. He has almost completely removed her tail, today I had to physically separate them. If we put them in the bath tub together he doesn't do this, it is only when they are in the pond outside. Can you please help us they are wonderful pets and we would hate to have to part with one of them but I am very scared that he is going to do a lot more damage or maybe even kill her.
<That's a real possibility, Tammi. It sounds like you have a naturally aggressive animal there.>
<When you take them out of their natural element and place them somewhere new, their natural instincts for survival (combined with stress) override their natural aggressive and territorial instincts. In the wild she'd have virtually unlimited space to simply get away from him, so if your pond isn't big enough for her to get away and stay away, you can either fence them off from each other or find another home for him.>
Thanks Putzakitty
<I've been called MANY things, Tammi, but never Putzakitty. I'll have to think about if I like it.>
Tammi

Cucumbers for Hatchling RES's 4/19/07
My RES Hatchlings LOVE Cucumbers they float on them and then when they get hungry they munch on them and eat the center out of them. After reading some sites about which veggies are good and not good for them - none mention cucumbers... I was wondering if these are good for them or not. They sure seem to love them. Jen
< Usually young turtles prefer a meatier diet when they are younger. The cucumbers are fine as long as they are getting plenty of protein in their diet from commercial hatchling food, insects and worms.-Chuck>

Turtle Questions, RES sys., repro. - 04/04/2007
I have a few questions that I have been looking for answers for online and am hoping that you can help.
I have 2 red-eared sliders that I have had for a year. I have a heat lamp, UV light and an underwater heater.
I have noticed the past few days that the neck area on both turtles in scaly and shedding - is this normal?
< As turtles grow some shedding of the skin is normal. FYI, If your UVB lamp is over a year old you need to look into replacing it. Even though it still lights up, the UV in the light has diminished and needs to be replaced every 12-18 months depending on the brand.>
Also, what should the water temp be? I have found ranges from 75-85 degrees, and every time I go into the pet store, someone tells me something different.
< In the wild the warmest it probably would be is in the upper 60's to the lower 70's depending on what part of the country they are found in. This is the range that I recommend. I rather have the water a little cooler than warmer. I think when a turtle heats himself up on a basking site and then dives back into the water that the temperature shock helps control parasites.>
Lastly, do I need an area with dirt for the turtles? I have read about rocks, floating logs, etc. I do have 3 places where they can be dry, just not dirt. I read that females need dirt to lay eggs, and will not lay eggs if they become pregnant and cannot find a place to bury it. Should I have dirt 'in case', I have no idea the sex of these turtles. Thank you so much!! Karen
< Female turtle are larger than the males. Male turtles usually have longer tails and longer front claws. A gravid female turtle needs a sandy area to dig a pit and lay her eggs. If no area is available then she will just expel them in the water where they will be eaten.-Chuck>

Baby Turtle Being Overfed 4/2/07
My hatchling RES, about an inch long, must have possibly eaten a whole pellet (about a centimeter and a half long) usually I break them up into smaller more manageable pieces, but I came home yesterday to find a huge poop in the tank, usually they are about 2-3 millimeters long and small, this one was larger than the pellets, in both length (about 2 cm) and diameter. I noticed Fred's cloaca (I think that's the right term) was huge and looked stretched out. Should I be worried? (I know gross question, but I'm really worried it was like an organ or something)
< A prolapsed colon is caused from an extreme bowl movement that has traumatized the area.>
They have everything they need and are happy and healthy otherwise. 20 gallon tank (for now, while they are babies, I will upgrade as they grow), ZooMed turtle dock, basking light w/ UVA/UVB at 90 degrees, water temp at 75, filter, etc. I feed them guppies (which they are not very good at catching. any suggestions on slower feeder fish?),
< Feeder fish are not great food for little turtles.>
tiny Ramshorn snails,
< They may have a problem passing the shells and contributing to the condition you are so concerned about.>
occasional red meat, Gammarus pellets, and offer leafy greens although they don't even recognize them as food. They've got fake plants to hide in and a cuttlebone for calcium. Am I missing anything?? Thanks in advance, your site has helped with so much already.
< I would recommend ZooMed Hatchling Aquatic Turtle Food as a base diet and add the other things as treats. The vegetables will be more important in their diet when they get older. The key to feeding turtles is to watch them while you are feeding them. At first they act like they have never eaten before. Soon they slow down as their belly begins to fill up. You should stop feeding them when they start to slow down. Never leave food in the tank for them to eat later. When they start to move around and hunt for food then they should be fed again.-Chuck>

Aggressive Female RES – 2/25/07
For the past several years I've owned two red-eared sliders. I believe from what I've read one is female and one is male. In the past, the female tended to be a bully, but on the whole they coexisted nicely in the same 50 gallon tank for years until now. I just noticed what I thought to be a sore on the foot of the male. I attempted to brush it, thinking it was fungus or such, however it started to bleed and I realized that it was a healing wound. When I returned them to their tank I watched for a while and noticed the female attacking the male, particularly the healing wound area and the other foot.
She was actually attacking the foot of the male. Why all of a sudden?
< Could be pregnant.>
Is she suffering from PMS?
< It is getting to be spring in some parts of the country. A pregnant female turtle doesn't want anyone around when she lays her eggs.>
Do I have to keep them separated all of a sudden? Which will be a problem due to space limitations. Thank you. Trish
<Get a tank divider but supply a basking site for the male too. Try putting them back together in a couple of months. Sometimes the female like her space and will continue to harass the other turtle.-Chuck>

Sexing Red Eared Sliders - 1/18/07
Hi, I have 2 red ear slider turtles.
 and I want to determine the sex of them.
 They look about the same size.
 but one is darker than the other one.
 A lot darker. Can you help me?
< At about 4 inches, males will start to very long front claws and longer tails. Females will have a much larger body.-Chuck>

Turtle Wanting To Lay Eggs 12/18/06
I have two sliders, male and female and had to separate them last year because he was ready to mate and she was not. They fought hard. When they rejoined the tank together this year for about a half hour (!!!), he mated with her in 10 minutes.
< How romantic.>
That was four weeks ago. Now she is digging in the gravel like none other and is frantic, up and down the dock and swimming a lot then digging gravel. I am worried. Is she
getting ready to lay eggs and cannot do it in gravel? Is this a normal ritual? Is she okay, when do you worry? This is all new to me and I am scared I will miss a critical moment and she will egg bind and suffer. Do I add sand? Should she have medical care? She will not eat and seems okay but very busy. This is the third day. Oh , Lord. Anyway, anything you say will help. The internet stuff is all over the map.
Thanks, Penny
< Female turtles need to leave the water and lay their eggs in about 5 to 7 inches of damp sand. Without an area to lay her eggs she will probably abort them in the water where they will be eaten by either turtle.-Chuck>

Turtle Wants Out 12/3/06
Ok Hi, well I have a turtle. and its tail is getting very large, I have never had a turtle before and I'm just wondering if maybe that is a sign of pregnancy??? Also it has been digging a lot and its made many attempts to escape its tank. It has every thing a turtle needs rocks to crawl on and a lamp. But am worried that if it isn't a pregnancy then it may be a disease??.
<Turtles lay their eggs in damp sand. Provide an area where she can get out and dig a shallow depression to lay her eggs. Red eared sliders lay their eggs at almost any time of year.-Chuck>

Turtles Laying Eggs 10/06/06
I have two RES a male & a female. I've had them for around 3 years. We don't have any sand in our tank just rocks at the bottom & a floating rock shelf. Does that mean that they won't be able to lay eggs?
<If she has no place to lay her eggs then she will probably just abort them into the water where they will be eaten by the adults.>
Also I got a baby turtle in a separate cage but it won't eat. All it does is sit on the filter. Is something wrong with it?- Tory
<Check the temp. of the basking site. It needs to be about 85 F.-Chuck>

Hatching Turtle Eggs 9/16/06
Hi I'm now positive that my red eared slider turtle is going too lay eggs and I need to know a few things.
1. Do I need to incubate the eggs?<Yes>
2. How do I do this?
Thanks alot
<Lots of good tips on this web site that will explain the basics. You will then understand what is involved and then you can decide if you really want to go through all the hassle. Baby turtles are very very cute and being able to hatch them out is a lot of work. Keep in mind that after awhile you will be looking for homes for these little guys and not everyone what's this responsibility. Here is the website, http://www.tortoise.org/general/eggcare.html)-Chuck>

Female Turtle Very Active - 09/13/06
Hi there, I have two red eared slider turtles, a male and a female. Lately the female (the larger of the two) has been acting strange and, every time I walk into the room that the tank is in, she starts splashing around with her legs really aggressively and make water go everywhere. I thought the problem might be because she's hungry and excited that I'm there too feed her, but even when I've fed her heaps she'll do it continually, so I'm out of ideas and I was wondering if you could help me out, thanks!
< A number of things could be going on here and we will address them one at a time. Older turtles need more vegetable matter in their diet. Try adding some greens like spinach and kale. The additional fiber will make her fuller, longer and she will not seem as hungry. As fall approaches the days are shorter and winter will not be too far behind. Many turtles use this time to fatten up before hibernation so they can survive a long winter on stored fat. Lastly, she could be pregnant and wants out or a dry sandy spot so she can lay her eggs.-Chuck>

Was: Female Turtle Very Active, Now: Pregnant RES Turtle - 09/14/06
Hi there. Thanks for replying so quickly! My turtle is only 3 years old so she probably is pregnant due to the circumstances (she also has vitamins and things in her food) and I was wondering if you knew of any other characteristics and signs turtles show when they are pregnant and if she is pregnant how do I set up the tank?? thanks again!!
< We got a couple of questions similar to yours this week. I consulted with a real turtle expert and he seems to think that the females may be gravid with eggs and are indeed looking for a place to lay them. Turtles lay their eggs in soft sand. The female excavates a shallow 4-6 inch hole and lays her eggs. They are then covered up and the female has nothing more to so with them. You will find a few websites with very detailed information on setting up and hatching turtle eggs.-Chuck>

Turtle May Be Wanting to Lay Eggs 9/9/06
I have two Red Ear Sliders. One male and one female. They are in a 40 gallon tank with 20 gallons of water. There is a platform for basking with a heat lamp. The last few days the female has been trying to climb out of the tank. I feel that there is plenty of room for both turtles. Do you think she is trying to find a sandy area to lay eggs??
< The male could be harassing her wanting to breed or she could be looking for a place to lay eggs. Usually they lay their eggs in the late spring, but they are known to lay eggs during almost any month it is warm. After a while she will lay her eggs in the water and the turtles will eat them. If you really want to breed them then you will need to provide a sandy are for her to lay her eggs. Then incubate them for a few months .-Chuck>

Breeding RES's 7/15/06
Hello from New Zealand. I have a 6ft long tank which is about 20inches high & 20inches wide. Mt turtles are between 4 & 6 inches. All 3 turtles are female red eared sliders. I don't want a male in with them as the tank isn't set up for breeding. My question is what would be the best way to set it up for breeding? There are platforms at each end both 10 inches wide & 13 inches away from the bottom of the tank. I was thinking about maybe subdividing the area under one of the platforms to set it up for breeding. Was gonna put a piece of glass under the ramp to separate the water from the sand but keeping the ramp there so the turtles can get onto the sand easily. Would this work? how do I keep the sand moist? Once set up I will look at getting a male turtle. I'm sure he will be very happy lol
< You need to set an area up so there is about with about 6 inches thick of sand at one end. This area should remain fairly dry but do not let it totally dry out. usually in the springtime a female will dig a pit in the sand and lay her eggs. Within a day the eggs should remain in the exact same position and moved to an incubator. There they will hatch in about 60 days at around 80 F. There are many techniques online for breeding these turtles. I would recommend that you check them all out and find one that works best for you.-Chuck>

Egg-Laying Turtle? 5/31/06
Hi,
<Hi Linda, Pufferpunk here.>
I am hoping you can help me.

I need some help with my red eared slider. I was told it is a male but now I am wondering about that. He/she was given to me a few months ago. I put it in my pond and there it stayed until recently, it kept escaping. This worries me because it is an above ground pond so he can't get back in by him/her self.
<Ummm... obviously, it can.>
When it got out about a week ago I found him/her swimming in my pool two days later. He/ she got out again the next night and I found he/she on the side of the pond digging a hole (this was when I first suspected it may be a female.) When I picked him/her up to put back in the pond it started hissing at me (I never new turtles made noise before). I put it back the pond and again it got out the next night. When I found him/her in the morning where it had been digging the night before but the hole was covered up and the turtle was walking away. I put it back in the pond and so far for the last two days it has stayed there. If it is a female is it possible
that she has fertile eggs in her since I got her and is just now laying them?
<The average gestation period is two months but if she doesn't find a suitable place for laying her eggs, she might retain them inside. During the last two weeks you will notice that she will spend more time on land, sniffing and digging around in order to find a proper place for laying her eggs. So there just might be eggs in the hole.>
I don't want to disturb the area until I know for sure that I
won't be disturbing fertile eggs.
<Keepers who have a good basking area prefer to leave the eggs where they were laid, a good point of doing so is that they do not need to handle the eggs, digging them out could damage the eggs or some of them. A bad point is that monitoring buried eggs could be a bit difficult. The worst that could happen is that one egg goes bad, get fungi and then spreads to the rest of them.>
I tried to research how to tell the difference between males and
females and now I am even more confused. Everything I read said that
males are concave undershells, long toe nails, and short tails. Mine has a flat under shell, short nails and kind of long tail.
<Sounds like a female.>
This is kind of hard to tell because every time I pick him/her up it quickly tucks it's tail tightly in but it looks more the longer one in the pictures I have.
I am also concerned with him/ her falling out of the pond and getting hurt or landing upside down and not being able to turn over. Should I build a ramp so he/she can go in and out of the pond at will?
<Definitely!>
Can any one help me with my dilemma?
<Just leave her alone, she'll know how to act like a turtle. They spend a lot of time out of the water basking. Make sure she has sunny & shady spots to hang out in. I use Hosta plants to edge my outdoor turtle habitat & around 1/2 of the pond. Here's a great site for water turtle info: http://www.geocities.com/fleaworld/ ~PP>
Linda

Expecting Red Eared Slider 5/14/06
I have a feeling that my RES might be pregnant. Her tail is swollen and she is acting weird. She has lost appetite and is twitching (which is something she normally wouldn't do.) Is this a sign of pregnancy?
< It might be. It is the right time of year. Give her an area in which she can get out of the water, dig a pit in the sand and lay her eggs. If that does not work then check the basking spot with a thermometer and make sure it is at least 85 F. The increased temperature will help fight off any disease. If no eggs are laid in a couple of weeks then think about getting her examined by a vet.-Chuck>

Mystery Turtle Laying Eggs - 5/11/06
I have 5 sliders. One of them has laid 2 eggs that I know of I don't know which one though. Can you give me some advice as to figure out who is laying and what I can do if I can get to the egg before one of the turtles breaks it?
thanks Chris
< The females are the bigger turtles. Place the females in an enclosure where they can get out of the water and dig a pit in some soft sand. The females will lay their eggs in the pit and cover them up. If the eggs are kept warm and moist they will hatch in a couple of months.-Chuck>

Shipping Baby Turtles - 04/08/06
We are hoping to purchase a few baby RES turtles. We live in northeast Pennsylvania and are awaiting the warm temperatures. At what minimum temperature do you think it would be warm enough for us to consider having the turtles shipped? Thank you for you assistance.
< Baby turtles are usually born in the spring when daytime temps are in the 70's. Most reptiles are shipped in insulated boxes so they don't change temperatures during transit. I would not ship anything unless the lowest temp was at least 40 F and well above freezing.-Chuck>

Red Eared Slider Egg Incubation 3/21/06
I have a female slider living in my pond and she laid two nests of eggs a few weeks back. We are wondering how long it takes for the eggs to hatch? Thanks, Sarah
< At 80 F about 60 days. Longer or shorted depending on the temperature.-Chuck>

Sexing Red Eared Sliders - 03/05/06
I have too red ear sliders they are pretty much the same size there in a 20 gallon tank with a turtle dock a whisper 20-40 in tank filter and a bubble maker which they really enjoy. I feed them pellets and different kinds of washed worms. I think they may be mating but am not sure there only about 4 inches long and (kinda chubby). I'm really not sure what sex they are but one has a fatter and longer tail than the other. Is it a boy or a girl? Please tell me any info that you recommend, I need to know about how to take care of my turtle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
< Males are smaller than the females, have longer front claws and longer tails.-Chuck>

RES Looking For LOVE. - 03/05/06
I read that when RES males perform their "mating dance" with females they extend their front claws and they vibrate while facing the turtle. Even though you said that males might simply "dance" with other male turtles, my RES does this dance with a black and blue striped African Cichlid fish. He even follows the fish around the tank vibrating like that. Is my turtle just being weird or is this normal? Thanks for the help!!
< Normally they perform for a female RES. When a female is not present they have been known to perform for rocks filters and other fish. It will go away after awhile.-Chuck>

Breeding Turtles 2/7/06
Hello. My name is Kelly and I have 3 Red Eared Sliders. In the spring/summer we usually keep them in our pond outside but in the fall/winter we keep them
inside. I noticed that the oldest male was fluttering his fingernails in front of our females face. Ever since I saw that the female hasn't acted the same. Is
this due to that she has eggs and is about to lay them? If so, our indoor aquarium doesn't have soil for her to lay her eggs. What should I do?
<She is probably pregnant with developing eggs and will probably lay them when you place the turtles back outside.-Chuck>

Breeding Red Eared Sliders 2/3/06
Hi, Recently I inherited a beautiful 6 year old red eared slider and I introduced her to my 10 year old male slider. They got on very well immediately and before I could stop them, they mated!!! I have now decided to keep her in a separate tank. My questions are:
Is she definitely pregnant (i.e.. is she fertile all the time)?
< It sounds like both animals were in good shape and I would assume that she is pregnant.>
In her tank, there isn't any place for her to bury her eggs. Does that mean she will not lay them even if she is pregnant?
< When the time comes if there is no place to lay the eggs then she may become egg bound or probably abort them in the water.>
When will she start laying eggs?
< RES's usually lay their eggs in the spring when the weather warms up.-Chuck>
Best regards, Davie

Slider Sexing
Hello,
We are Child Development Center in Weston and we do have a red ear slider turtle who's name is Chocolate she is about 10 years old. We were actually wondering if there is a way to tell if a turtle is male or female. If you can provide us with this information we would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you,
Beginnings' kids
<Hi, the easiest way to tell is to look at the claws on their front feet, the males will have much longer claws than the females, the underside of the males will also be slightly concave. The females will usually grow larger than the males. Good luck, keep those little hands washed. Best Regards, Gage>

Red Eared Slider Eggs Under Water
Hi there- I've read a lot about turtles laying eggs, and now it's happened to me. well, not me, but my turtles. She laid two eggs. what I'm concerned about is the fact that they're underwater. is that safe? also, I found them trying to clean out the tank, and I'm afraid I jostled one a little bit.
1. can they still hatch underwater (safely)
2. can they be moved around at all? how delicate are they? thank you thank you thank you thank you. -nick
<Hey Nick, sorry it took me so long to get back to you, I do not have much experience breeding sliders, but am fairly certain the eggs should be moved to an area where they can be properly incubated. Check out the link below for some more information.
http://petshub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10729
Best Regards, Gage >

Red Eared Slider Turtles
<Hi, MikeD here>
First of all, thanks for the speedy reply!<You're welcome> If it is a female and male and they are courting one another, than what do I do if I do not have a space for them so that she can lay her eggs?<That's a tough question that only you can answer. If she HAS to she may lay them on the rocks or even in the water, but there's an equal chance that she'll retain them and become egg-bound, which can be fatal. My solution, of course, is to get a larger container where you can build a dry land section to the terrarium> They are all in a 20 long tank with about eight inches of water with about 10 inches of rocks piled up so that they can get out of the water and "bask" in the heat lamp.<Nowhere near large enough. They will grow to about 10"-12" long each> Also, one of the sliders got out of the tank and fell to the floor!<Might I suggest a screen top as well?> It's shell is cracked a little bit but its been eating and swimming fine. Someone had recommended to put baby oil on the shell to promote growth.<I'd use a good antibiotic ointment for a day or so, then superglue along the crack, depending on the size of course> The other two have been digging in the rocks quite a bit.<They'll likely injure themselves soon if you don't fix this situation as well> I don't know if they are looking for a place to build their nest, but I don't know what I will do if I have turtle eggs!<I'd be more concerned with your turtles surviving than about any eggs, which certainly won't. They can be hatched and the babies raised quite easily, but not without a well designed enclosure, which you do not have. My honest suggestion is to do some reading and consider building a terrarium for your charges where they can be healthy and you will then truly enjoy them>
Thanks!
Slider Fanatic

Slider Stuck
First of all, thanks for the speedy reply! If it is a female and male and they are courting one another, than what do I do if I do not have a space for them so that she can lay her eggs? They are all in a 20 long tank with about eight inches of water with about 10 inches of rocks piled up so that they can get out of the water and "bask" in the heat lamp. Also, one of the sliders got out of the tank and fell to the floor! It's shell is cracked a little bit but its been eating and swimming fine. Someone had recommended to put baby oil on the shell to promote growth. The other two have been digging in the rocks quite a bit. I don't know if they are looking for a place to build their nest, but I don't know what I will do if I have turtle eggs!
<I hate to say it, but if you cannot make room for them, it is in the best interest of the turtles for you to find an appropriate home for them. It is all too common for a pet store to sell young sliders with a 20long setup. Great for them, they made the sale, but what about the turtle? They need a lot more room than this. Climbing out of the tank just emphasizes the point. A cracked shell should be looked at by a vet, it is hard for us to see the extent of the damage. I recently had to find a new home for my Mexican musk "honey". Heartbreaking yes, but it was in her best interest, which is what we have to consider. We may be attached to them emotionally, but they are going to die.
If they are courting and breeding is not the plan they should be separated, there is a chance that she could become egg bound and die. There is no chance for a successful clutch without the proper conditions. Best of luck, and please consult with a quality reptile Vet for the best way to handle your current situation- Gage>
Thanks!
Slider Fanatic

Female Turtle Bit Off Male's Claws? 1/9/04
Hello,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
We recently came back from vacation and while cleaning the 150 gallon tank that holds our two red eared sliders (6 inch male and 10 inch heavy female)
<What a nice sized tank for 2 turtles! So many folks don't give them enough room to live.>
We realized that the male's long beautiful claws had been replaced with some awful wounds. There may be one or two claws left but they look like stumps now.
<What leads you to believe the female caused this? I've never heard of turtles attacking each other's claws like that. Maybe his foot got caught in between some rocks?>
They seem to be healing fine (not much red left on them). Is there anything I should do to shorten the healing process (like antibiotics, extra vitamins, or separating them)?
<You could try adding Melafix (sold in the fish dept.) to the water.>
He harasses her constantly and always seems to be fluttering her face. I have not seen him do this since we've gotten home but he is still continuously trying to get it on. I even saw "it" out
today. It is the middle of winter and I am wondering why he is still trying to mate.
<Sorry to say, that is the male of most species' behaviour!>
The temps in the water are about 69-71 degrees. Should I change
the water temps. I have yet to turn the heater on because I thought they still have yet to calm down for the winter but can do so if recommended. (They have had eggs in past and once we incubated them and about 40% hatched but are not hoping to do this again at least until the house is warmer -spring/summer if not until next year 2006).
<My opinion is that if you are not planning on seriously hibernating them for at a least a 6 week period, I'd keep them warmer.>
They eat well - lots of goldfish, pellet food, and snacks like worms, crickets, etc. with extra reptile powder vitamin on some of their food. They seem to get along fine except when he's incredibly horny. What can we do to give him the equivalent of a cold shower when he's getting out of hand? OR is it possible the wounds
are something else?
<Sorry, I don't know any way to "cool" him off. There is a possibility that his nails just got too long & shed naturally, or got caught on something. I try to trim mine when they get overgrown.>
His eyes look clear and he seems to be fine with
exception to his swimming skills decline do to the actual wounds. Can you recommend a good book that would cover these topics - I may need to learn more even though we've had her for 9 years and him for 7.
<It sounds like you are taking great care of your turtles--even breeding them! I like this site to search for info: http://www.turtletimes.com/>
On a side note, we've always wanted to get a pastel and are wondering if another male or female would be safest to introduce?
We will be sure to wait until it is large enough to go in their tank and disease free but what would get along best (a female we guess would be better)?
<Actually, getting another female would probably take the "heat" off the other one.>
How often are you supposed to feed them - we are sometimes erratic with a feeding schedule and while we are writing in were curious if this is bad for them.
<Binge & purge feeding is most natural. Feed well every 3-4 days. You could save some $$$ by buying the cheapest fish you can find at the produce market. I cut up into bite sized strips & freeze, then thaw in warm vitamin water, as needed.>
Thanks, Sara Yule
Producer Wiggle Puppy Productions
<What are Wiggle Puppy Productions? I really love my new JRT, Kalvin the Krazydog! ~PP>

Red eared slider baby hatchlings
I had 4 new red eared turtles and 2 of them died I
keep the water clean I have a 20 gal long
aquarium, basking ramp, light. filter .... I have well
water do turtles water need to be tested like the
water of fish and if so what are the levels I need to keep
< Water chemistry is not as critical for turtles as it is for fish. If the turtle shells are soft and mushy then the lighting is wrong. They need a bright warm full spectrum light to bask. These little turtles are usually pretty hardy under the right conditions. Hopefully you are giving them a varied diet.-Chuck>

Red- ear slider
My Uncle works for the water dept and last year brought a turtle to me and asked to put it in my 500 gal pond. It appears to be a male, long tail short claws. He just found another one in the street and brought it over, I think it is a younger female, long claws, shorter tail, will they get along? I have several koi and about 6 smaller goldfish, my original turtle never bothered them and I'm hoping they will all get along. Any problems with this situation?
<Shouldn't be - though you may want to feed them from time to time with prepared foods, or they may snack on your goldfish if they can catch them (which isn't too likely). M. Maddox>

Red- ear slider - part deux
Thanks for the quick response, but I went this morning and checked on everyone and my larger turtle has the little one cornered and is biting at its head, feet, tail whatever he can get a hold of...I got worried for the little ones safety and took her out. Is this a mating thing or is he that aggressive??
<Hmm, no luck with them together I guess...if he doesn't like her, I would wait until spring to re-introduce her and see how it goes. Good luck! M. Maddox>

Sexing Turtles
Hi. I have two red-eared sliders. One of them I just got, and it's bigger than the other one. I don't know what sex either of them are, but I think the smaller one is a girl, and the larger one is a male. The big one that we just got, I noticed, has recently started blowing bubbles a lot. What does that mean? Write back as soon as possible!! ~BY
<Red eared sliders are usually very easy to sex. Males are usually smaller than the females, have longer front claws and a much longer tail. The bubbles thing is normal. If they are blowing bubbles at the surface like they have a mucus then it might be signs of a respiratory infection. Simply blowing bubbles under water is not a problem.-Chuck>

Sexing Red Eared Sliders
Hi. I have two red eared slider turtles and I was wondering what age I
can tell what sex they are?- Sean age 9 me , not the turtles
< Red eared sliders sex can usually be determined when they are around four inches long. At that time the males should be developing longer front claws and have a longer tail. Females of the same age should be larger than the males. -Chuck>

Red Eared Slider Questions 11/10/05
I just got my Red Ear Slider on the 30th of Oct. I don't know how to tell their age or sex and I would really like to know.
< Females get larger than the males. Males have longer front claws and a longer tail. They grow pretty fast until they get around 6 to 8 inches and then slow down a bit.>
I named him Tom, but I don't know if that is right. He is currently living in a five gallon tank w/ a UV ray light and a basking light. He has a turtle dock to get out of the water and bask, he has a bubble maker and other decorations. I feed him Zoo Meds Hatchling aquatic turtle food. I also put in Reptisafe in the water to get rid of the bad stuff. The water is about 3/4 of an inch above his shell.
I have a picture of a turtle sitting up facing his tank. He loves to sit on the rock and look at the turtle.. too cute! I am thinking about getting another RES, how many and what sex should I get?

Is there anything else that I can feed him to make him feel better?
< He will appreciate live foods such as washed earthworms, mealworms and kingworms.>
I think he may be constipated. What color is normal for turtle feces and urine?
< The color is a reflection of the items he has been eating.>
I have not seen any in the tank so I'm thinking he may be constipated. How do you know and if he is what do I do?
< A small turtle fecal material may be small and caught up in a filter.>
He is shedding and I want to know if it's ok to be shedding this young, he is still a hatchling. Thank you, M. L.
< A young turtle should be shedding. It is a sign that he is growing.-Chuck>

Gay Turtles? 11/29/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have 2 male red ear slider turtles in a 75 gallon aquarium. One is about 5 inches long the other slightly smaller. Every once in a while they stroke each other with their front claws. But lately the smaller one has been trying to bite bigger one. They sit together on basking platform eat well like to float on weeds together but the little one seems more aggressive. The bigger one does not seemed to concerned about the little one. However I thought he might be getting stressed out with this little turtle bugging him all the time so I separated them. Well the big one started swimming back and forth along wall would not bask. Then after a week I put them together again. The big one stopped pacing wall and basked again. They got along fine then 2 weeks later I noticed little one being obnoxious to big one again. What should I do? They miss each
other when gone but bite each other when together. They are both males they have the long front claws. Thanks
<As far as I know, the claws are not how turtles are sexed. It is by their tail. The males have short, stubby tails & the females have long, fat tails. It doesn't seem that they are hurting each other. It seems more stressful to keep them separated, as the larger one stopped basking, when the smaller one was gone. There has also many instances of homosexuality in the animal world. ~PP>

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