# Russian Tortoise, Infertile Egg's



## TortoiseBoy1999

Can a female Russian Tortoise develop eggs without ever breeding with a male? I know they would be infertile, but is that even possible? My Female has been very reckless and pacing around her Terrarium. And her tail look's kinda big. So I thought to ask JUST to make sure :-/ If so, what do I do? Could she become egg bound? Should I introduce her to my Male? I am really lost


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## kimber_lee_314

Yes, they can lay eggs even when there's no male around.


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## Tom

Make sure she has several areas in the enclosure with differing moisture levels and substrates where she can dig and lay eggs.

Also make sure you aren't keeping her too hot...


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## TortoiseBoy1999

Tom said:


> Make sure she has several areas in the enclosure with differing moisture levels and substrates where she can dig and lay eggs.
> 
> Also make sure you aren't keeping her too hot...



Soooooo she could have eggs without ever mating?!


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## kanalomele

kimber_lee_314 said:


> Yes, they can lay eggs even when there's no male around.


What she said


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## TortoiseBoy1999

Oh great  ok..... Can I feel the eggs?


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## kanalomele

Aww, not trying to make you feel bad bud. You just already had a perfectly succinct answer to your question, so other than drawing your attention to it there was nothing more to say. 
Has she laid any yet? Some people say that you can feel them by pressing inwardly at the area where her back legs leave her shell. Not on the tail side, but on the other side. I have never been able to personally, but others have. Maybe I'm doing it wrong.. but give it a try. Maybe you will be one of the lucky ones. If it goes on too long the vet can take an x-ray and see if there are eggs, then he will give a pitocin shot to try to help her lay. Make sure she has areas to dig a nest, my girls are veery picky about nest sites.


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## TortoiseBoy1999

kanalomele said:


> Aww, not trying to make you feel bad bud. You just already had a perfectly succinct answer to your question, so other than drawing your attention to it there was nothing more to say.
> Has she laid any yet? Some people say that you can feel them by pressing inwardly at the area where her back legs leave her shell. Not on the tail side, but on the other side. I have never been able to personally, but others have. Maybe I'm doing it wrong.. but give it a try. Maybe you will be one of the lucky ones. If it goes on too long the vet can take an x-ray and see if there are eggs, then he will give a pitocin shot to try to help her lay. Make sure she has areas to dig a nest, my girls are veery picky about nest sites.



Ok, so do you think the eggs will be fertile? She IS wild caught so she could have come across a male in that time..... Should I get a incubator??? Should I fill a storage bin with 3 bricks of coco coir for her to lay? How do I encourage her to lay? She is very restless  I am so scared, I love my girl so much


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## Laura

if you are going to get into breeding.. I think you need to start reading more about it and get educated and ready.. 
right now she needs a place she feels safe and where she can dig and lay IF that is her problem.. you might be able to feel eggs by her back leg up under the shell.be gentle and try not to bother her much. check your temps and lights and just let her be.


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## TortoiseBoy1999

Laura said:


> if you are going to get into breeding.. I think you need to start reading more about it and get educated and ready..
> right now she needs a place she feels safe and where she can dig and lay IF that is her problem.. you might be able to feel eggs by her back leg up under the shell.be gentle and try not to bother her much. check your temps and lights and just let her be.



Ok, I already have done lots of research on breeding Russian tortoise's before now. Her nesting box is being set up.


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## TortoiseBoy1999

Ok, I setup the nesting box. E-Mail me ([email protected]) for pictures and please give me your opinion :] Also, should I put her hide in there? She can always make a nice burrow in that deep dirt if she wants....


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## TortoiseBoy1999

Ok, so IF she lays eggs.... Should I try and incubate them?


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## Yvonne G

Where did you get her and how long was she there before you bought her? If she's a fairly new import, chances are she may have fertile eggs, however, all the tortoise warehouses I visited in the past kept the males and females in different pens.

Keep her a bit warmer than usual. This helps with the egg laying.

Are you sure this isn't just wishful thinking on your part?


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## TortoiseBoy1999

emysemys said:


> Where did you get her and how long was she there before you bought her? If she's a fairly new import, chances are she may have fertile eggs, however, all the tortoise warehouses I visited in the past kept the males and females in different pens.
> 
> Keep her a bit warmer than usual. This helps with the egg laying.
> 
> Are you sure this isn't just wishful thinking on your part?



I got her off CL this April and they got her from Petco. I am keeping her warmer. I actually don't want her to have/lay eggs because I don't think I'm ready  I thought she had some because she was digging EVERYWHERE and was VERY restless. But we'll see. I'll keep her in the nesting box for a few days.... She just got put in there this morning and hasn't layed.


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## Zabbi0

This is so interesting. I hadn't really thought of this myself. I just found out I have a female too. Didn't think they could lay eggs if not having been around a male. Dumb assumption. How often do they lay unfertilized eggs?


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## TortoiseBoy1999

Zabbi0 said:


> This is so interesting. I hadn't really thought of this myself. I just found out I have a female too. Didn't think they could lay eggs if not having been around a male. Dumb assumption. How often do they lay unfertilized eggs?



Until a Male comes around


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## Yvonne G

Zabbi0 said:


> This is so interesting. I hadn't really thought of this myself. I just found out I have a female too. Didn't think they could lay eggs if not having been around a male. Dumb assumption. How often do they lay unfertilized eggs?



Some tortoises, like chickens, will lay eggs without having been with a male tortoise. Some female tortoises won't lay eggs unless they've been with a male tortoise.


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## Zabbi0

Is it like every 6months or yearly? How often?


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## Yvonne G

Each species is different. My Russian tortoises only lay eggs once a year. My sulcata (when I had a female one) laid 3 or 4 clutches throughout the year. My leopards will lay more than one clutch a year. The Manouria only nest during the monsoon season, so only once a year.


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## Zabbi0

emysemys said:


> Each species is different. My Russian tortoises only lay eggs once a year. My sulcata (when I had a female one) laid 3 or 4 clutches throughout the year. My leopards will lay more than one clutch a year. The Manouria only nest during the monsoon season, so only once a year.



Oh lovely. I chose the sweet little girl who likes to lay eggs multiple times a year. Alrighty then. Something to prepare for. Lol. Thanks.


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## TortoiseBoy1999

Well she was in her nesting box a week and did not lay. Oh well! Guess she is just crazy


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