Author Topic: Turtle Motel is set (Read 2522 times)

Jerry · « **on:** April 11, 2008, 06:39:07 PM »

I got lucky. The ramp fits perfectly. The turtles are eating food off the ramp so they know where it is. Now for some egg laying.

I am not holding my breath, but, maybe, just maybe.
The handsome Sweet Flag was a gift from Mickey. It grew well.

tinkster · « **Reply #1 on:** April 11, 2008, 08:23:41 PM »

now for the turtles to do their job! lookin good

tinkster

bunny56lbc · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2008, 08:55:46 PM »

Look's good , Jerry

bonnie

tracey_shafer · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2008, 09:12:37 PM »

Looks good from here Jerry, I would say as long as the sand is deep enough to bury eggs (around 2 or 3 inches) that you stand a good chance.
Keep us posted please.

Ky Kim · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2008, 09:18:00 PM »

I like it, hope it works. The turtles can't climb out the back side can they???

Kim

Jerry · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2008, 11:11:58 PM »

I am adding more sand, and I'd say they cannot climb out.

Kat · « **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2008, 03:57:29 AM »

perplexed ponder · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2008, 04:54:30 AM »

How cool is that? Did you come up with that yourself? i never would have thought of it.

Jerry · « **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2008, 06:55:23 AM »

I thought of it in desperation. I was going to let them crawl under the hollow fiberglas rocks. They were attempting it., but a member told me they need warm sun on the sand to hatch eggs.

If they do hatch eggs...what do I do with the babies?

Double S · « **Reply #9 on:** April 12, 2008, 06:59:18 AM »

Very cool!

We had a turtle last year in our pond. DS looks everyday to try and find it again this year. So far haven't seen it...but it's a big pond.

marla · « **Reply #10 on:** April 12, 2008, 11:57:58 AM »

looks good, maybe more sand......but looks nice and warm for eggs. Hope it is a fruitful venture.

Julles · « **Reply #11 on:** April 14, 2008, 01:13:17 PM »

Jerry,

As a member of the Gulf Coast Turtle & Tortoise Society (www.gctts.org), I know a thing or two about turtles, so I have to ask....

Why do you think they will use the box, instead of just finding a place in your yard where there is a more natural setting? Do they not have access to the ground, and regular dirt?

Also, when turtles dig a nest, they spend a lot of time hollowing out a hole in the ground, which can be pretty deep, like 4"-5" or more, depending on species. Is your sandbox deep enough for them to do that?

Let us know what happens. I know my turtles have been mating already, but I'm not sure when they start digging and laying eggs. It's later in the spring and summer, I know. When I find the nests, I dig them up and move them to a safer spot, where predators won't dig them up.

Jerry · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2008, 02:38:48 PM »

Julles thanks. good info!
They have no access to the yard or garden. If they did they would surely die. :'( This place is a desert.
I have no idea if they will use the box, but it is a try!

karen J · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2008, 06:36:43 PM »

Quote from: Jerry on April 12, 2008, 06:55:23 AM

If they do hatch eggs...what do I do with the babies?

Good question. I don't have a clue, but I think your Turtle Motel is adorable.
Don't worry, if and when they do lay eggs you'll have time to research that question. Or, maybe the turtles will figure that out for themselves!

Jerry · « **Reply #14 on:** April 15, 2008, 07:06:59 AM »

Hey, it's a free motel, if they won't use it I may check in myself!

happyoutsidegirl · « **Reply #15 on:** April 15, 2008, 07:24:57 AM »

Jerry Theyed be crazy to not want to check into that motell. And I love that sweet flag. Is it cold hardy? I'm still looking for plants.

Jerry · « **Reply #16 on:** April 15, 2008, 02:06:13 PM »

I am not sure if it is happy. Someone will answer you.

Jerry · « **Reply #17 on:** April 15, 2008, 06:19:45 PM »

Some good info from our Turtle expert Teresa

Wish I could see the turtle house without signing in - tho I suspect it won't work simply because turtles are programmed to lay eggs well above the 100 year flood plain. That means that anything that is close to the water level will simply not suffice - they are biologically programmed to climb uphill before they can lay those eggs. Also, they must be able to excavate a hole that will hold it's shape, so anything less than hard packed dirt will not suffice and clay is the best because it's firmer (they use their own pee to soften the part that they actually remove and it can be very dehydrating to lay eggs).

I did send her a photo

Jerry · « **Reply #18 on:** April 29, 2008, 06:21:33 PM »

My "great" idea seems to be a bust. I removed the "motel". today, not very pretty.
When I did there came a big RES out from under the big fiberglass boulder! So Maybe they found a spot after all? No sun to warm eggs, but plenty of heat for sure. maybe one day i will see lots of babies swimming about?

happyoutsidegirl · « **Reply #19 on:** April 30, 2008, 04:28:03 AM »

I'll keep my fingers crossed that they had a romantic incounter!

joeyb5980 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 30, 2008, 05:14:15 AM »

hate it that it didn't work.... Hopefully they laid some eggs under the fiberglass! Good luck!

Jerry · « **Reply #21 on:** April 30, 2008, 07:37:44 AM »

It is odd that they pass the "motel" to get infer that big hollow rock. It looks unsightly too.
I may lift the rock and take a peek, maybe even add sand.
Funny that the hollow rock is accessible, it was not meant to be.

Julles · « **Reply #22 on:** April 30, 2008, 08:04:34 AM »

Jerry, I say put the motel back! Just because they dug down under the boulder to HIDE doesn't mean they won't use the motel for laying eggs.

Turtles like hidey-holes they can dig into, especially when it's cool. Whenever the temperature dips a bit, one of my African sidenecks (a water turtle used to warmer weather) will dig into the dirt in a particular spot, and if I didn't know where to look, I'd never know he was there.

But hiding is different from incubating eggs. They'll still need a place to dig a round hole with their back legs, that is exposed to sun, and only about 5"-6" deep. Your turtle motel should be perfect.

The turtles know that under the boulder is NOT a place for the eggs to incubate, 'cause of lack of sun, plus, they're digging in front-end first. To lay eggs, they dig a hole with their back legs and put their business end down into the hole, leaving their head out to watch for predators. Laying can take a few hours. You've shortened the time by providing soft sand, instead of hard dirt. But the actual laying still takes some time.

My sideneck just laid 18 eggs. Sliders are larger and they can lay more! I think they lay later in the year... I'm going to Google and see if I can find when... I think it's mid to late summer.

Julles · « **Reply #23 on:** April 30, 2008, 08:33:42 AM »

Here are some links on turtle gestation and incubation. Looks like they mate about now (spring) and lay eggs in summer - 2 months later. Hatching time comes about 3 months later. Oh, and you could get as many as 20 eggs.

Since they will be hatching in the fall, sometimes they stay down in the nest all winter, and emerge when it warms up. They will head straight for your pond, and hide amongst plants, rocks, fallen logs, etc. If your turtles are well fed, the babies should do alright in the large pond. I remove mine, however, because the turtles will eat anything moving that they can catch. Baby turtle shells aren't tough enough to withstand a chomping chelonian (turtle) beak. :'(

Also, you should have hiding places IN the pond, for the adults. My sliders and cooters only come out to sun. If they want to hide, they go into sunken flower pots and "caves" I have on the pond bottom.

Also, the links below talk about incubating the eggs indoors - if you do that, IF you do that, which would be removing them from their natural environment - I'd suggest moving only SOME of them, so there will still be some outdoors, as Nature intended. You could bury eggs in several places around the yard, plus indoors, to increase the chances that at least some of them will make it. Just be sure to NOT jostle the eggs, and mark the top, as it is important not to tip or tilt the eggs - it can dislodge the embryo from the side of the shell.

http://reslider.free.fr/backup/breeding.html

http://www.tortoise.org/archives/elegans.html

Jerry · « **Reply #24 on:** April 30, 2008, 03:37:22 PM »

Great info Julles! True no sun under the hollow rock, but heat for sure.
They are indeed mating now. Decisionns, decisions!