General Care Discussion :: Eating her own Eggs...?

[Jeremiah]

My female RES just laid an egg in the water (which surprised me, as she has not shown any significant behavioral changes associated with being gravid over the past month). However, she ate it before I could get to it. My main concern is if she had been retaining it, in which case she could have potentially eaten dead tissue. The eggs were nice and white, though, so I doubt this is the case (unless there is no initial difference in appearance between fertile and dead eggs).

Does anybody have a turtle that has done this, or something similar? I would appreciate any advice you guys have. Thanks!

P.S.: This whole event caught me off guard, so I haven't gotten around to making a clean nest box for this year. I am going to Lowe's in a few minutes to pick up some organic potting soil and play sand.

[steve]

It happens pretty often, especially if they get to it before you do. The fact that she at least expelled them is a good sign. Have you tried feeling for more eggs?

[Jeremiah]

Thank you for your reply. I have not tried "egg-feeling" recently, as I do not want to disturb her or make her feel unsafe in any way, especially if she has more. I made a nesting box (the traditional composted-material-with-sand type), and she has not laid any eggs in it. (I left her in it overnight, and throughout the afternoon the following day). So, thus far, she has only laid 2 or 3 eggs (I have for sure seen 2--I took one and I saw her eating another, when I got back with the nest box material; the huge amount of cloudiness that arose during my shopping trip heavily implies that a third was laid and eaten). I know that there is a large possibility she has more, but I don't know how to coax her into laying them. She didn't seem to have trouble getting the first ones out, so I'm a little hesitant about going through the whole X-ray-and-oxytocin routine.

I have been breaking up cuttle bone pieces for her; she swallows most of it, but spits quite a bit out. This especially concerns me, as one of the eggs I was able to retrieve seems a little "pasty" and thin-shelled in several spots. It is also more of a translucent orange, rather than white. I'm not sure if this is due to a calcium deficiency, so I have been feeding her a mix of Reptomin pellets and Fluker's Aquatic Turtle Diet (which has 2.5% more calcium than the Reptomin).

[steve]

How about dusting some pellets? A lot of us like the Omega One bard right now. The egg feeling can be quick, I don't think there would be problems if you're gentle.

[Jeremiah]

I've tried dusting the pellets, but she just chews the pellet in a way that "flushes" the powder back out into the water. I will try again, though. I will look into the Omega One, but right now, I still have a bag of Repashy Supercal Hyd--that helps with the calcium problem as well as providing some D3, since she has been avoiding the UVB bulb again lately.

I'm pretty sure I feel another one (possibly Egg Number Four) right in front of her hind right leg. I will try the nesting box again, but she just sits on the dirt and won't lay. Any ideas?

[steve]

The UVB should be next to the basking lamp (unless it's a combo). Most nesting boxes fail, but I would try to anticipate when she wants to nest and take her out of the tank at that time.

[Jeremiah]

The UVB is next to the basking lamp, she just doesn't seem very eager to bask.

As an egg update, I let her walk around outside for a while (it is warm and sunny), but she still wouldn't lay any eggs. I finally brought her back to her tank, and then she just plopped it out under water--again! I'm reaching my wit's end--it's like she's waiting to lay them in the water. If she continues this behavior, are there any health drawbacks?

[Jeremiah]

I'm sorry for the obnoxious double-post, but I just wanted to report that after she laid Egg 4 in the water, I took her straight to the nesting box (around 6:00 or so). It's been almost five hours now, but she finally laid one in there. Is it okay to leave her in, overnight? I don't want to ruin a good thing.

[steve]

This is different from what I normally read, but the fact that she is laying/expelling them is a good sign. I don't think it would be a problem to leave her overnight, so long it's warm and dark enough. She (and you) must be pooped

[Jeremiah]

Well, no eggs today. You were right about her being pooped--she seemed pretty exhausted (today, she opted to spread out her legs and float around waiting for food, rather than swim).

Thank you again, for all of your help--I'm sure these kinds of questions pop up frequently, but it's her first clutch in my care and I want to make sure it goes as smoothly as possible.

[Lady_Lone_Wolf]

my 4 red eared sliders eat all there eggs . . . i just happened to put them out side today and one of them idk what one layed a single egg i cought it laying in the water not idk what to do with it also when i picked it up one side caved in it's 119 outside today so im not sure but guessing that's to hot

[steve]

How long was it in the water? Do they normally lay them in the tank?