# Gravid 3 toed box?



## turtleman.jordan (Aug 11, 2015)

Not sure if pregnant or not, she's been with my male a couple times and mated. She gets puffy around her hind legs and her tail looks a lot shorter and fatter especially at the front of the tail.


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## Angel Carrion (Aug 11, 2015)

You can't tell by looking at the tail. How long ago was she mated? What kind of enclosure do you have her and your male in? Substrate? Humidity level? What are the basking temps, warm side temps, cool side temps, nighttime temps?
Also, it looks like there may be something wrong with her plastron. Could you share a picture of just her plastron head on, please?


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## johnsonnboswell (Aug 12, 2015)

They can retain sperm for a long time, even years. Make sure she has a good nesting spot or she won't lay. Being egg bound is serious. Still, there's no telling when or if she'll nest and lay


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## Angel Carrion (Aug 12, 2015)

View attachment ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1439386441.852588.jpg

You can do a nesting box like the directions in the picture do. If you do, don't put her in it until she starts acting like she's looking for a place to lay; pacing, starts digging but moves on to another spot, etc.
Or you can let her lay in the enclosure you have her in. Just make sure there are places that have deep substrate that is easily friable.
Have you gotten those pictures of her plastron yet? I think there may be a health concern here


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## turtleman.jordan (Aug 12, 2015)

To start off, she was a rescue and was attacked by a raccoon or dog. She has a nesting box like the one in the link and is housed outside in a 15x15ft enclosure. The last time I introduced the male back into the enclosure was probably 2 weeks ago and they mated. But the plaster on was injured in the attack. Her back sides have started to puff out and I can feel little ball type things inside when I feel. @Angel Carrion


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## SarahChelonoidis (Aug 12, 2015)

turtleman.jordan said:


> Her back sides have started to puff out and I can feel little ball type things inside when I feel. @Angel Carrion



Hmm... I bet *Yvonne G *will have some helpful insight here.


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## Angel Carrion (Aug 12, 2015)

turtleman.jordan said:


> To start off, she was a rescue and was attacked by a raccoon or dog. She has a nesting box like the one in the link and is housed outside in a 15x15ft enclosure. The last time I introduced the male back into the enclosure was probably 2 weeks ago and they mated. But the plaster on was injured in the attack. Her back sides have started to puff out and I can feel little ball type things inside when I feel. @Angel Carrion


When was the first time you mated her? How long have you had her?
Also, if she is still damaged from that attack, you should stop mating her and let her heal. Add a bunch of cuttlebone to her enclosure as well.
If you feel little ball like things when you feel around her hind legs, those may be eggs.


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## turtleman.jordan (Aug 12, 2015)

Her attack was when she was young the previous owner said. I've had her for 2 years and decided to add a male this year. The first time she mated was late march-early april. I will put some cuttlebone in there. Thanks for the help. Really appreciate it.


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## Angel Carrion (Aug 12, 2015)

May I still ask that you share pictures of her plastron and carapace please? I can't tell properly in the photos but it does look like there may be possible shell rot. I would like to help more either way.

Did the previous owner ever mate her? If not, you can expect eggs for the next 4-5 years without mating her again, if she decides to make the eggs. The thing about box turtles (and I think other turtles and torts) is that you don't have to mate them every month or every year to get eggs. You can mate them once every other to every 3-4 years and get eggs every year. Most get numerous clutches a year.
With it being this late in the year, I doubt you'd get more than the clutch brewing inside her right now. I don't know where you are or if you have a winter, but if you do, chances are she won't do another clutch this year. She could, but I doubt it. She'll need to hibernate.


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## turtleman.jordan (Aug 12, 2015)

Angel Carrion said:


> May I still ask that you share pictures of her plastron and carapace please? I can't tell properly in the photos but it does look like there may be possible shell rot. I would like to help more either way.
> 
> Did the previous owner ever mate her? If not, you can expect eggs for the next 4-5 years without mating her again, if she decides to make the eggs. The thing about box turtles (and I think other turtles and torts) is that you don't have to mate them every month or every year to get eggs. You can mate them once every other to every 3-4 years and get eggs every year. Most get numerous clutches a year.
> With it being this late in the year, I doubt you'd get more than the clutch brewing inside her right now. I don't know where you are or if you have a winter, but if you do, chances are she won't do another clutch this year. She could, but I doubt it. She'll need to hibernate.




I live in Houston TX and it's 109° right now and in the winter the lowest we get is around 30 but never any snow. The previous owner had her in horrible conditions and even let her live in water with no uvb or some heat source. I doubt she was ever mated.


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## turtleman.jordan (Aug 12, 2015)

turtleman.jordan said:


> I live in Houston TX and it's 109° right now and in the winter the lowest we get is around 30 but never any snow. The previous owner had her in horrible conditions and even let her live in water with no uvb or some heat source. I doubt she was ever mated.


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## johnsonnboswell (Aug 12, 2015)

We recommend that a turtle not hibernate the first year so that we can observe it, and only when it is in good shape, well fed, and perfectly healthy. Any injuries or illness preclude hibernation that year. Hibernation is not necessary for breeding, although many think it helps. Long term captives that have not hibernated can stay up for the winter with no problems in the right set up.


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## Angel Carrion (Aug 12, 2015)

Okay so she's missing part of her plastron.
It does look like she has some kind of fungal or moldy growth on parts of her plastron, maybe shell rot. I can't tell 100% because it could be scarring and I just can't see it proper. 
Do you have a reputable reptile vet you use?
@Yvonne G @Tidgy's Dad may be able to tell better.


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## turtleman.jordan (Aug 12, 2015)

johnsonnboswell said:


> We recommend that a turtle not hibernate the first year so that we can observe it, and only when it is in good shape, well fed, and perfectly healthy. Any injuries or illness preclude hibernation that year. Hibernation is not necessary for breeding, although many think it helps. Long term captives that have not hibernated can stay up for the winter with no problems in the right set up.



I don't hibernate mine for the first 2 years


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## Angel Carrion (Aug 12, 2015)

johnsonnboswell said:


> We recommend that a turtle not hibernate the first year so that we can observe it, and only when it is in good shape, well fed, and perfectly healthy. Any injuries or illness preclude hibernation that year. Hibernation is not necessary for breeding, although many think it helps. Long term captives that have not hibernated can stay up for the winter with no problems in the right set up.


He's had her for two years.


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## johnsonnboswell (Aug 12, 2015)

If she regains her health and you do decide to hibernate her in the future, it will need to be indoors (fridge?) under controlled conditions. She can't close up all the way due to her shell injuries. That makes her at risk from mice, rats, foxes and raccoons gnawing her.


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## turtleman.jordan (Aug 12, 2015)

johnsonnboswell said:


> If she regains her health and you do decide to hibernate her in the future, it will need to be indoors (fridge?) under controlled conditions. She can't close up all the way due to her shell injuries. That makes her at risk from mice, rats, foxes and raccoons gnawing her.



She can close up completely but just barely shows her hind feet nails. I've lost turtles to raccoons before so I haven't had her outside at night but give her around 5 hours of sunlight and a nice roomy wading pool setup with uvb upstairs to aid her she'll growth.


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## turtleman.jordan (Aug 12, 2015)

Angel Carrion said:


> Okay so she's missing part of her plastron.
> It does look like she has some kind of fungal or moldy growth on parts of her plastron, maybe shell rot. I can't tell 100% because it could be scarring and I just can't see it proper.
> Do you have a reputable reptile vet you use?
> @Yvonne G @Tidgy's Dad may be able to tell better.



My vet said she has minor she'll rot and can be treated easily so she gave me some stuff to rub on it and I have seen improvement. I don't really pay much attention to it though.

It's getting late in the laying season so I'm worried about her and the "eggs" in her. Hopefully she will lay soon.


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## Angel Carrion (Aug 12, 2015)

turtleman.jordan said:


> My vet said she has minor she'll rot and can be treated easily so she gave me some stuff to rub on it and I have seen improvement. I don't really pay much attention to it though.
> 
> It's getting late in the laying season so I'm worried about her and the "eggs" in her. Hopefully she will lay soon.


So it is shell rot. That's what I thought.
I don't think it was a good idea to mate her while she isn't healthy. I would suggest holding off on having the male (or anyone) housed with her for any period of time until she is healthy.
There's not much you can do about her being gravid at this point. I suggest not hibernating her this winter again and just keeping her inside to lay the eggs with small stints outside for natural sun. Keep her stress down and her heat and humidity up in a hospital tank. Are you cleaning the areas by removing loose shell/necrotic tissue gently, then cleaning the areas with an antibacterial solution and a soft toothbrush before putting the medication on? If you don't have an antibacterial solution, take povidone iodine and mix it with water. One part povidone iodine to ten part warm water. If no povidone iodine, use chlorhexidine gluconate.


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## tortdad (Aug 12, 2015)

I live in Houston too. I've got (4) three toes


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## turtleman.jordan (Aug 12, 2015)

Angel Carrion said:


> So it is shell rot. That's what I thought.
> I don't think it was a good idea to mate her while she isn't healthy. I would suggest holding off on having the male (or anyone) housed with her for any period of time until she is healthy.
> There's not much you can do about her being gravid at this point. I suggest not hibernating her this winter again and just keeping her inside to lay the eggs with small stints outside for natural sun. Keep her stress down and her heat and humidity up in a hospital tank. Are you cleaning the areas by removing loose shell/necrotic tissue gently, then cleaning the areas with an antibacterial solution and a soft toothbrush before putting the medication on? If you don't have an antibacterial solution, take povidone iodine and mix it with water. One part povidone iodine to ten part warm water. If no povidone iodine, use chlorhexidine gluconate.



I started that treatment about 3 months ago and have already seen improvement. Thanks for all your help!


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## turtleman.jordan (Aug 12, 2015)

tortdad said:


> I live in Houston too. I've got (4) three toes


Awesome! If you breed them I would love to buy some babies! 

The heat has been crazy this year!


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