painted turtles

[knightnsd]

About two weeks ago one of my painted turtles came out of the pond and laid eggs just about on Easter. I marked the spot and was closing it off with some netting and bricks to catch the hatchlings to raise inside for a year. I am worried the crows or others animals will get the hatchlings or that they may be eaten in the pond. Anyway, I was luck enough to catch her again this afternoon laying them nearly on top of her last clutch, pic below. Kind of cool as you don't see these available often anymore.

I am working on some other turtle breeding as well for any other reefers doing the same?

http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae260/Knightnsd/turtle%20eggs_zpsiywf98tt.png (http://s977.photobucket.com/user/Knightnsd/media/turtle%20eggs_zpsiywf98tt.png.html)

[jkennedy1007]

not sure but my yellow belly got out and dug a hole underneath shed , gonna look for eggs tomorrow now.
very cool what you have going on brother, keep us updated.

[knightnsd]

careful on looking, the eggs settle as I understand meaning the yolks attach to lowest point in the shell and if the shell is moved it can destroy the embryo. I thought about incubating mine but fungus seems an issue along with the worry about the movement of the attached embryo and I have had better luck with other turtle eggs by waiting them and looking for them in the yard or pond. Box turtles have been doing the wild thing as well but haven't found any eggs.

[knightnsd]

... still waiting for these eggs to hatch pictured above and was just down in Cabo . Sea turtles are beginning their egg laying on the beaches but September and October are the best times to see the hatchlings off and get some great fishing and cocktails in. http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae260/Knightnsd/sea%20turtles_zpsqrtugywn.png (http://s977.photobucket.com/user/Knightnsd/media/sea%20turtles_zpsqrtugywn.png.html)

[Livinlocal]

That's awesome!

[paulyboy18]

Awesome thread! Wish I had a yard for some turtles :/


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[knightnsd]

I need a bigger sea front yard for sea turtles!!

[knightnsd]

http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae260/Knightnsd/painted%20baby_zpsciw9clyc.png (http://s977.photobucket.com/user/Knightnsd/media/painted%20baby_zpsciw9clyc.png.html)

not a crazy beach hatching like above but I got the first baby western painted hatchling in a bowl, still dirt on him from the nest but super cool. Pic above for other pond guys, sorry none for sale and there are about 5 eggs left Im hoping for a few more still. I dug the nest up 2 weeks ago since it seemed like the dirt had become too hard for them to dig out of and have them in a styro-foam coral cooler for hatching. One of my best posts on the forums despite some cool corals I have found locally or from other reefers.

[rob.d]

Wow that is so cool Edward, I think my dogs would eat them if I tried

[knightnsd]

they might, I have done pretty well with my dogs though, and one of my dogs protected the turtles, even growls at the other dogs if they went near them. Several times she helped me find them in the yard. Smartest dog I ever had, I would ask the dog for the turtle and she would put her paw on it after she found it, miss that dam dog

[knightnsd]

a few more recently hatched and joined the first hatchling today, I think next time I see the female laying eggs I will immediately dig them up and place them in a styro-foam cooler with dirt inside to watch hatch and shelter from the poor dirt that I did not see any left outside hatch from. Many of the eggs outside collapsed in the poor dirt outside only one placed in the cooler with dirt failed to hatch. pic as of today http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae260/Knightnsd/baby%20painted%20turtles_zpsrbif4jdj.png (http://s977.photobucket.com/user/Knightnsd/media/baby%20painted%20turtles_zpsrbif4jdj.png.html)

[socal619]

Wow this is awesome!

[knightnsd]

update... female is walking pond edge and looking for another nest site, I think the eggs can "winter" but with the warm weather there may be more if the eggs hatch. I only found her walking back to the pond so don't know where in the yard she nested or is she is still testing the "waters" before laying them. Sometimes she starts a nest and then changes her mind, I am guessing she does like the dirt or the temp and moves on to a new site.

[knightnsd]

turtle update.. they seem to like flies, which are a pain to feed but keeps them eating and growing. As they grow I will be selling males off but determining sex takes a while but the long tails on them despite their early age most likely mean these are males but time will tell. http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae260/Knightnsd/turtles%20oct%2015_zpsjtp3h7gs.png (http://s977.photobucket.com/user/Knightnsd/media/turtles%20oct%2015_zpsjtp3h7gs.png.html)

[dc2sd]

wow very cool indeed!! any pics of the pond?

[knightnsd]

http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae260/Knightnsd/creek_zpse7s937y1.jpg (http://s977.photobucket.com/user/Knightnsd/media/creek_zpse7s937y1.jpg.html)

http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae260/Knightnsd/koi_zpseourzsyo.jpg (http://s977.photobucket.com/user/Knightnsd/media/koi_zpseourzsyo.jpg.html)