General Care Discussion :: Won't nest

[thevac]

After laying eggs in the tank, I tried making a nest for Jack by putting soil in an aquarium. She wants no part of it. I tried putting her outside & she comes right back in. I put her back in the tank & she dropped an egg within a few hours. Nine in the past three weeks. I fed her yesterday & let her wander around. When I put her back in the tank, she started throwing up everything she ate. Pellets & greens. I'm really worried. Up until the egg laying, I thought she was a male. That's how inexperienced I am. It's been a week since the last egg. Is she done or is this the reason why she is throwing up, because the eggs are stuck?

[litefoot]

Best thing to do is type "nesting" in search box above and read a lot. Way too many variable's ! Inadequate nest site , diet , age , her condition , obstruction , egg size and so on... To me , most indoor nesting does not work. I had copied nesting area from the Louisiana Nature Center I volunteered at , next to a large in ground pond over 100 sq ft (same mixture used) and Minnie always went next to the fountain grass not even close to the nesting area. Some will look for a suitable spot and lay right away. Some no matter what holds them , this can be life threatening. Eggs put pressure on there insides and if eat to much to fast will throw up . But watch PLEASE , it could be a sign of RI. Most turtle are very picky all the research may not help. A clutch size could be (2-30 ) ! This would be a good time to find a Vet that is familiar with turtles before things get worse. Sorry there is NO one answer. Good luck with Jack!

PS: Throwing up ...more than once? get a sample and find a veterinarian. Could happen normally BUT not normal in other instances!

[steve]

This was my previous reply, maybe you missed it?

What's the weather like outside? Put her outside when she exhibiting the symptoms at that moment. Indoor nest, in-tank nest, etc, don't normally work and usually makes just a mess. Feel for eggs in front of the rear leg, not back (the area between the tail and leg).

I agree with litefoot... indoor nesting does not work and you might need veterinary help. Have you been increasing the amount of food she gets? Eating too fast can also lead to vomiting.

[thevac]

When I leave for work each night, I give my cat a treat which are on a shelf above Jack's tank & she loses her mind when I do this, so I have been giving her treats also. Only started this a week ago. A prob I caused myself. Hopefully that's it. No more treats. She was an unhealthy turtle from craig's list when she was given to me. I like turtles, but had no clue how to care for them. It's been a journey, but a good one. She is a trip. I now know she's female & 5 yrs old. Had her for 4 yrs, they drop eggs 3-5 yrs. I did the math. At this post she seems better. Perky, going crazy when I come near the tank. But the bumps on her back end means eggs, right? I will keep putting her out back. I've broken up the soil for her comfort, but she doesn't seem interested. Perserverance?

[steve]

After a certain size, females can lay eggs at any age. It doesn't mean those eggs will be healthy or viable. Occasional treats are fine, but keep it simple when there are eating issues. It's easier to troubleshoot what's going on that way. The space between the rear legs and tail is not where eggs will be, it would be felt in the gap in front of the rear leg.