# Easter eggs?



## Yourlocalpoet (Apr 19, 2019)

So this happened yesterday.






She’s never mated, never even met another tortoise, although I’m aware this doesn’t negate egg laying, still I was bemused nonetheless to find her digging what I assume to be a nest. 

Anyway, I left her to it. When I returned a while later she’d left the hole (it was pretty deep) and no eggs had been laid.




Today, she’s ignored the hole, hasn’t dug anything else and is eating, basking and being generally predictable. No pacing, aggression or other notable symptoms of being gravid.

Is this a test site? What do I do, wait it out? Get her x rayed? I have zero experience with eggs, but have heard enough horror stories of egg bound tortoises to be a little anxious. 

Appreciative of any advice.


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## Lyn W (Apr 22, 2019)

Hi Michelle, long time no see. 
You may not remember me but you were a great help when I first ended up with a leopard almost 5 years ago.
The TFO has become my bible and I have learnt so much in the last 5 years.
I don't know anything about egg laying as Lola turned out to be a he but Esmeralda is looking great.
I hope she is Ok and maybe @Yvonne G can help.


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## ZEROPILOT (Apr 22, 2019)

Interesting


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## wellington (Apr 23, 2019)

Tortoises do not have too mate to lay eggs. They like most reptiles will still lay. They will never be fertile without mating though. Test nest sites are quite normal. She may even do more then one. I would give it a couple weeks before worrying about egg bound. If after that time she hasn't laid any eggs but is acting and eating normal I would give it more time. If at any point she starts acting very different then I would have her checked out. Be sure it's a reputable reptile vet.


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## Tim Carlisle (Apr 23, 2019)

That is one beautiful tort!!!


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## Yourlocalpoet (Apr 24, 2019)

Lyn W said:


> Hi Michelle, long time no see.
> You may not remember me but you were a great help when I first ended up with a leopard almost 5 years ago.
> The TFO has become my bible and I have learnt so much in the last 5 years.
> I don't know anything about egg laying as Lola turned out to be a he but Esmeralda is looking great.
> I hope she is Ok and maybe @Yvonne G can help.



Hi Lyn. Of course I remember you (and Mr T I think Lola was named then...) Has he undergone gender reassignment? Glad you decided to keep him in the end, how's he doing? Did you ever manage to get something built indoors? I haven't been on the forum actively for a few years now, although I do check in now and again to read what's new; I just never seem to find the time.


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## Yourlocalpoet (Apr 24, 2019)

wellington said:


> Tortoises do not have too mate to lay eggs. They like most reptiles will still lay. They will never be fertile without mating though. Test nest sites are quite normal. She may even do more then one. I would give it a couple weeks before worrying about egg bound. If after that time she hasn't laid any eggs but is acting and eating normal I would give it more time. If at any point she starts acting very different then I would have her checked out. Be sure it's a reputable reptile vet.



Thanks for this. Sensible advice which I assumed may be the answer. I think unless she does actually lay some eggs, even if she's behaving normally, the x ray is going to be inevitable, as I don't know if there any instances whereby a tortoise may dig a nest and not be carrying eggs. Do you?


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## wellington (Apr 24, 2019)

Yourlocalpoet said:


> Thanks for this. Sensible advice which I assumed may be the answer. I think unless she does actually lay some eggs, even if she's behaving normally, the x ray is going to be inevitable, as I don't know if there any instances whereby a tortoise may dig a nest and not be carrying eggs. Do you?


Not likely to dig without eggs but test holes are normal. I had one of mine dig 3 teddy holes and never laid eggs until 2 weeks later. I have also had both of mine lay eggs in nest and then the next time no nest, no digging, just laid them on top of the ground. Also my one, when she laid for the first couple times, they were soft and dented, not likely too cause impaction. When so many vets no little too nothing about tortoises it's usually a better bet to not rush off to see one.


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## Relic (Apr 24, 2019)

For what it is worth (not likely much) my box turtles dig numerous false nests each year. They usually seem to stop due to: extremely hard ground, roots, rocks, or for no apparent reason. By late summer parts of their enclosure looks like a miniature World War II battleground that's taken numerous mortar rounds. But eventually all eggs seem to get properly laid.


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## Yourlocalpoet (Jul 11, 2019)

Okay, so more digging (on and off inside) but no laying, and she’s been a bit lethargic for the past couple of weeks. Went to the vet this morning and x ray says there’s no eggs. 

The vet has kept her to give an ultra sound as he says it’s possible she has follicular statis, which may be causing the digging. I wasn’t familiar with this, so I’ve had to do some googling.

Apparently if she has this, it means surgery to remove the follicles, which is gutting. 

He seemed to think it was strange that at 15 years she hadn’t laid any eggs before and should already be doing so. 

Anyone experienced this before?


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