# Tortoise fertility



## Anyfoot (May 19, 2015)

Hi everyone. 

Something that has been niggling away at my brain for a while now.

If I have a female and a male tort together for 1yr and she lays fertile eggs to this male, then for a further 2yrs I keep the female on her own away from any males, then in the 4th year put her in with a different male, then she lays some more fertile eggs. Are the 2nd batch of eggs to the 1st male, 2nd male, or a mix of both?

I'm trying to work out that if I wanted pure bred cherryheads, how long would I have had to have kept the female cherries away from my male northerns before I could guarantee that the offspring are 100% from the male cherryhead. 

Jeeze, hope yo understood that.lol 

Thank you

Craig


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## tortdad (May 19, 2015)

I've always read that they can hold sperm for 5 years.


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## Anyfoot (May 19, 2015)

tortdad said:


> I've always read that they can hold sperm for 5 years.


So can we assume it will take 5 yrs for the eggs to be 100% pure cherryhead. (this is assuming all adults are pure breeds)


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## crimson_lotus (May 19, 2015)

I think I've read on here that it can be a mix of both...let me try to find that thread if I can.


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## Tom (May 19, 2015)

I don't know how long RFs can store it. Leopards can hold it for 5 years, but sulcatas seem to only be able to hold for a few months.

I also don't know if new stuff will flush out the old stuff any faster than it would dissipate on its own. Seems like it would, but I don't have any scientific studies proving it.


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