# Do tortoises lay eggs even when they are not breeding?



## BigBiscuit (Feb 26, 2009)

This is probably posted somewhere else. But I was curious. What are the signs of sexual maturity in a Greek, for example. Do they lay eggs like chickens even when they are not being mated?

Thanks,

Evan


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## Nay (Feb 26, 2009)

Hi Evan,
I can't speak for the Greeks at all ,or most other torts for that matter, but my 7 yr. old Leopard(who is single) just went through an egg lay. She was showing signs of lots of digging, and when I possed the question here was told to find out if she had eggs, because if she didn't lay them it could cause trouble. Well guess what? The experts here were right,she was x-rayed and had 4 eggs inside. A shot of oxytocin and within 30 minutes, give or take, the first egg was layed. She had 4 total, and I hope we don't have to go through that for a time. So in Leopards anyway, I guess they don't have to have a male close, or even in the same state!
Take care Nadine


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## Yvonne G (Feb 26, 2009)

I have absolutely NO experience with Greek tortoises, but I have experience with several other kinds of tortoise, and it has been my experience that some females will lay eggs whether or not they have been bred, and some will only lay after having been bred. I had a female sulcata that came to me with Dudley (they came as a pair). I separated them. She continued to lay three clutches a year for two years after the separation. After that, she stopped laying for several years. Then a couple years ago, Dudley broke the fence and bred her, and she went into the three clutch a year cycle again. Two years ago I adopted out my male leopard tortoise and the two girls I kept have not laid eggs since. And they used to lay a couple clutches a year.

Yvonne


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## BigBiscuit (Feb 26, 2009)

Thank you for your replies.

Evan


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## egyptiandan (Feb 27, 2009)

Some tortoises do and some don't Evan  Though none of my female Greeks have ever laid without being with a male first.

Danny


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## KQ6AR (Feb 27, 2009)

I can tell you that she will hold sperm for 2 or 3 years after a mating. The viability of the sperm reduces with time.


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