How to tell if my red-eared slider is gravid or carrying eggs?

A gravid (pregnant) RES is very particular about the site she chooses to lay her clutch of eggs. Substrate, temperature, lighting and humidity all play roles in selection. Follow the link for information regarding mating, egg laying and incubation. http://www.redearslider.com/reproduction.html Gestation is about 8 weeks after mating. If it has been longer, TeTe should be examined by your herp veterinarian. An injection can be given to stimulate laying. If you are not set up for incubation or don't have buyers lined up, you can discard the eggs. RES are not endangered and are actually over populated. You can easily find yourself overwhelmed with hatchlings as a female RES can lay several clutches each season if conditions are right.

An adult sideneck female will lay clutches numbering 6 to over 40 eggs at a time. Clutch size will depend on age, size and overall health. They will retain eggs until a suitable nesting site is located. This can lead to becoming egg bound which can be life threatening. She does not need to mate in order to lay eggs. Ideally, she should be examined, and x-rayed, by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet to confirm whether or not she is retaining eggs.

Yes, this is normal. When a female is gravid, or carrying eggs, you will need to provide an appropriate nesting area so she can lay them properly. A female RES can lay eggs without the presence of a male so the eggs will not be fertilized. She should instinctively want to create a nest and lay a clutch of eggs. A clutch may contain over twenty eggs for a healthy, full-grown female. If environmental conditions are right, she may lay around 3 or 4 clutches in a season. This website should give you all the information you need. Hope this helps. If you have more questions feel free to post again! Best wishes! http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/TurtleReproArtDarrel.htm

Provide a lay box or other area for her to lay. Keep her warm and as stress free as possible. If she hasn't mated, the eggs are likely infertile. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite or straining to defecate or straining to lay. You may need to have her seen by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles depending on how long it has been.

You should try to place the turtle in a small tub of warm water, about 10° F (18° C) warmer than the water in her usual tank, and leave her alone in there, in a room that's also warm, for a half hour or so. Sometimes that will cause her to expel her eggs. If that doesn't work, you should take her into the veterinarian for an oxytocin injection to induce her to lay her eggs. They also use this drug to induce labor in pregnant women. If your turtle is unable to lay her eggs, she can die. That is why you may need to take her into see a veterinarian if you cannot get her to lay her eggs soon. I hope this has helped. Best of luck. Thank you for using pet coach.

Thanks for reaching out about Bob Luigi and including a photo. Males typically have two differences than females, but sometimes difficult to determine. Males tend to have very long front nails. Males also have longer, more narrow tails, where the females have shorter tails and the cloaca is at the edge of the shell. Good luck.

Lethargy and decreased or loss of appetite can be indicators of stress. Juveniles can be stressed by poor water quality, poor diet, low temperatures (water and basking), insufficient food, rough/excessive handling and loud noises or vibrations near the tank.