# Question about red eared slider eggs



## EllieMay (Jul 8, 2021)

First the story-

my daughter called me today as she was leaving to go to work to let me know that there was a turtle laying eggs in the gravel road leaving our pasture.. she was warning me to be cautious not to run it over as I came in… so as I came in this evening, I looked for it and sure enough it was there. I stopped the truck well before coming upon it and my son and I got out of the truck to take a closer look. Unfortunately, as we walked up we saw that the turtle which was a red eared slider had already been run over. Her butt was down in a shallow area that she’d already begun to dig. Her plastron was split almost down the middle and on the side. It was pretty nasty. I picked her up to see if I needed to cover eggs and could tell that she had not dug enough to lay. As I was holding her up, my son informed me that he saw eggs.. IN HER! At a closer look, she did indeed have a “string” of eggs among other organs falling out of the broken area of her shell.. not knowing what else to do, I cautiously removed the eggs and brought them up to my house where I dug a hole and buried them. I placed a nest guard around the area and covered with some screen to protect from predators.. 

the question - is it possible that these eggs will hatch? I read that they are fertilized while laying and then I read somewhere else that they are fertilized during mating.. does anyone know what I should expect?


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## Toddrickfl1 (Jul 8, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> First the story-
> 
> my daughter called me today as she was leaving to go to work to let me know that there was a turtle laying eggs in the gravel road leaving our pasture.. she was warning me to be cautious not to run it over as I came in… so as I came in this evening, I looked for it and sure enough it was there. I stopped the truck well before coming upon it and my son and I got out of the truck to take a closer look. Unfortunately, as we walked up we saw that the turtle which was a red eared slider had already been run over. Her butt was down in a shallow area that she’d already begun to dig. Her plastron was split almost down the middle and on the side. It was pretty nasty. I picked her up to see if I needed to cover eggs and could tell that she had not dug enough to lay. As I was holding her up, my son informed me that he saw eggs.. IN HER! At a closer look, she did indeed have a “string” of eggs among other organs falling out of the broken area of her shell.. not knowing what else to do, I cautiously removed the eggs and brought them up to my house where I dug a hole and buried them. I placed a nest guard around the area and covered with some screen to protect from predators..
> 
> the question - is it possible that these eggs will hatch? I read that they are fertilized while laying and then I read somewhere else that they are fertilized during mating.. does anyone know what I should expect?


They definitely can hatch if you incubate them. Don't rotate them once they've been sitting a few hours though. Keep them in the same position they're sitting.


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## EllieMay (Jul 8, 2021)

Toddrickfl1 said:


> They definitely can hatch if you incubate them. Don't rotate them once they've been sitting a few hours though. Keep them in the same position they're sitting.


I‘m going all natural here With the exception of my “nest guard”.. night temps here are in the mid 70’s right now with the days creeping up close to 100…I hope they hatch!


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## wellington (Jul 8, 2021)

The female is fertilized at the time of mating and then the eggs are fertilized at time of laying.


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## EllieMay (Jul 8, 2021)

wellington said:


> The female is fertilized at the time of mating and then the eggs are fertilized at time of laying.


It was the “at the time of laying” that I’m questioning … so does that mean the general time period before the egg comes out or during the actual act of the female pushing the eggs out.. this particular female was only a few inches of digging away from laying her eggs before a tragedy took her life… do her eggs have a chance?


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## Toddrickfl1 (Jul 8, 2021)

You don't have to get fancy with it. You can put some moist spahgnum moss or vermiculite in a small tupperware container and put them in there. Poke some holes in the lid and set them somewhere in the shade. Like your porch or patio. I think @zovick once told me he put them on top of the refrigerator. 60-65 days, Good Luck!


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## EllieMay (Jul 8, 2021)

Toddrickfl1 said:


> You don't have to get fancy with it. You can put some moist spahgnum moss or vermiculite in a small tupperware container and put them in there. Poke some holes in the lid and set them somewhere in the shade. Like your porch or patio. I think @zovick once told me he put them on top of the refrigerator. 60-65 days, Good Luck!


Thanks! I almost tagged you when I created the post. I knew you kept them. How’s your pond doing?


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## Toddrickfl1 (Jul 8, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> Thanks! I almost tagged you when I created the post. I knew you kept them. How’s your pond doing?


So far so good. I'm pretty sure they've got nests dug in the sand now. I didn't bother digging them up. They'll show up in the pond eventually.


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## wellington (Jul 8, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> It was the “at the time of laying” that I’m questioning … so does that mean the general time period before the egg comes out or during the actual act of the female pushing the eggs out.. this particular female was only a few inches of digging away from laying her eggs before a tragedy took her life… do her eggs have a chance?


Hmm, not real sure. I believe she fertilizes them and that's what triggers her to start digging but not 100% sure.
If no one knows for sure, we will know if they hatch, its before she's laying them. If they don't hatch, then its during laying them.
This will be interesting. Keep us posted. You might want to put them in a box on the frig, so this question can be solved. Plus you'd be able to check the progress of the eggs.


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## EllieMay (Jul 8, 2021)

wellington said:


> Hmm, not real sure. I believe she fertilizes them and that's what triggers her to start digging but not 100% sure.
> If no one knows for sure, we will know if they hatch, its before she's laying them. If they don't hatch, then its during laying them.
> This will be interesting. Keep us posted. You might want to put them in a box on the frig, so this question can be solved. Plus you'd be able to check the progress of the eggs.


Crap!! I’ll be scared to move them now…should I??
I have googled and googled on the exact fertilizing process and I can’t find a detailed answer.. inquiring minds want to know!!! I have never hatched reptiles and was totally unprepared for this.. I guess a just felt a calling to try and save what I could??? I tried to be extremely gentle in handling the eggs though..


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## Toddrickfl1 (Jul 8, 2021)

I can tell you for sure roadkill turtle eggs will hatch. I know several people that have done it.


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## wellington (Jul 8, 2021)

Toddrickfl1 said:


> I can tell you for sure roadkill turtle eggs will hatch. I know several people that have done it.


Yes but when do they get fertilized? Thats the million dollar question. 
Before they are laid, or while laying?
She took them out of the turtle not out of the nest. 
So if they don't get fertilized before they are laid, then these eggs may not be fertilized. 
If they got fertilized then yes, they have just as good a chance of hatching as any other eggs.


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## wellington (Jul 8, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> Crap!! I’ll be scared to move them now…should I??
> I have googled and googled on the exact fertilizing process and I can’t find a detailed answer.. inquiring minds want to know!!! I have never hatched reptiles and was totally unprepared for this.. I guess a just felt a calling to try and save what I could??? I tried to be extremely gentle in handling the eggs though..


You could move them, just not turn them. You would lay them in moist moss in the same position you take them out of the ground. To be sure they are not turned, you could put an X with crayon on the top as you look at it. Then move to box without turning them and make sure the X always faces up.
If you don't think any varmit or fire ants can get them, you could leave them in the ground. It is laying season still and if she had lived, she would have put them into the ground.
Depends on if you want to check on the eggs to see any progress. 
What I don't know, if they hatch in the ground and there is no close water source, they may not make it.
@Toddrickfl1 what you think about them making it and if she hatches them inside can she release them back where the mother was found?
Or, should she take them back to where the mother was found and bury them in the ground there?


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## Toddrickfl1 (Jul 8, 2021)

wellington said:


> You could move them, just not turn them. You would lay them in moist moss in the same position you take them out of the ground. To be sure they are not turned, you could put an X with crayon on the top as you look at it. Then move to box without turning them and make sure the X always faces up.
> If you don't think any varmit or fire ants can get them, you could leave them in the ground. It is laying season still and if she had lived, she would have put them into the ground.
> Depends on if you want to check on the eggs to see any progress.
> What I don't know, if they hatch in the ground and there is no close water source, they may not make it.
> ...


For sure, they could just be head started for a couple months then released.


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## EllieMay (Jul 8, 2021)

wellington said:


> You could move them, just not turn them. You would lay them in moist moss in the same position you take them out of the ground. To be sure they are not turned, you could put an X with crayon on the top as you look at it. Then move to box without turning them and make sure the X always faces up.
> If you don't think any varmit or fire ants can get them, you could leave them in the ground. It is laying season still and if she had lived, she would have put them into the ground.
> Depends on if you want to check on the eggs to see any progress.
> What I don't know, if they hatch in the ground and there is no close water source, they may not make it.
> ...


I live on a private lake so there’s plenty water.. I would also be more worried about Ants in a pot than where I put them in the ground so I think I’ll just leave them be.. I did mark my calendar for when to start watching for babies so I guess I’ll just let nature take it’s course.. I appreciate all the responses!


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## EllieMay (Jul 8, 2021)

September 6th will be the start date to watch for updates.. ;-)


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## wellington (Jul 8, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> I live on a private lake so there’s plenty water.. I would also be more worried about Ants in a pot than where I put them in the ground so I think I’ll just leave them be.. I did mark my calendar for when to start watching for babies so I guess I’ll just let nature take it’s course.. I appreciate all the responses!


Oh that's great that you have water right there. 
Please be sure to remember to get pic if possible if you see that any hatch out and share.


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## zovick (Jul 9, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> First the story-
> 
> my daughter called me today as she was leaving to go to work to let me know that there was a turtle laying eggs in the gravel road leaving our pasture.. she was warning me to be cautious not to run it over as I came in… so as I came in this evening, I looked for it and sure enough it was there. I stopped the truck well before coming upon it and my son and I got out of the truck to take a closer look. Unfortunately, as we walked up we saw that the turtle which was a red eared slider had already been run over. Her butt was down in a shallow area that she’d already begun to dig. Her plastron was split almost down the middle and on the side. It was pretty nasty. I picked her up to see if I needed to cover eggs and could tell that she had not dug enough to lay. As I was holding her up, my son informed me that he saw eggs.. IN HER! At a closer look, she did indeed have a “string” of eggs among other organs falling out of the broken area of her shell.. not knowing what else to do, I cautiously removed the eggs and brought them up to my house where I dug a hole and buried them. I placed a nest guard around the area and covered with some screen to protect from predators..
> 
> the question - is it possible that these eggs will hatch? I read that they are fertilized while laying and then I read somewhere else that they are fertilized during mating.. does anyone know what I should expect?


The female turtles retain sperm for a period of time after they breed with a male. Then when the female ovulates, the eggs are fertilized if sperm is present. After this, the shells begin to form around the egg. This is some time prior to the actual egg laying process. Once the shells are thick enough, the eggs can be laid by the female.

There may be some confusion caused by the term "egg". The female turtles have ovaries just as female mammals do. The ovaries release microscopic single celled "eggs" when the animal ovulates just as in humans or other mammals. It is these single celled "eggs" which are fertilized by sperm if it is present in the female turtle's reproductive tract when the single celled "eggs" are released from the ovaries. As these "eggs" (fertilized or not) move through the reproductive tract, calcium is deposited on them to give them their shells. Once the shells are sufficiently calcified, the eggs are laid and look like what we know as "turtle eggs".

Sperm does not go through the shell of these turtle eggs to fertilize them when they are being laid. It is already incorporated into the egg prior to the egg shells being formed which is generally a week to ten days or more before the shelled eggs are laid.

Hope that explains this process clearly enough. If not, ask more questions and I will try to help.


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## wellington (Jul 9, 2021)

zovick said:


> The female turtles retain sperm for a period of time after they breed with a male. Then when the female ovulates, the eggs are fertilized if sperm is present. After this, the shells begin to form around the egg. This is some time prior to the actual egg laying process. Once the shells are thick enough, the eggs can be laid by the female.
> 
> There may be some confusion caused by the term "egg". The female turtles have ovaries just as female mammals do. The ovaries release microscopic single celled "eggs" when the animal ovulates just as in humans or other mammals. It is these single celled "eggs" which are fertilized by sperm if it is present in the female turtle's reproductive tract when the single shelled "eggs" are released from the ovaries. As these "eggs" (fertilized or not) move through the reproductive tract, calcium is deposited on them to give them their shells. Once the shells are sufficiently calcified, the eggs are laid and look like what we know as "turtle eggs".
> 
> ...


Perfectly explained, thank you. 
I didn't think the sperm went thru the egg, so not sure why we thought they were fertilized while being laid. Duh lol.
But I like your well detailed explanation, so glad the question was asked.


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## EllieMay (Jul 9, 2021)

zovick said:


> The female turtles retain sperm for a period of time after they breed with a male. Then when the female ovulates, the eggs are fertilized if sperm is present. After this, the shells begin to form around the egg. This is some time prior to the actual egg laying process. Once the shells are thick enough, the eggs can be laid by the female.
> 
> There may be some confusion caused by the term "egg". The female turtles have ovaries just as female mammals do. The ovaries release microscopic single celled "eggs" when the animal ovulates just as in humans or other mammals. It is these single celled "eggs" which are fertilized by sperm if it is present in the female turtle's reproductive tract when the single shelled "eggs" are released from the ovaries. As these "eggs" (fertilized or not) move through the reproductive tract, calcium is deposited on them to give them their shells. Once the shells are sufficiently calcified, the eggs are laid and look like what we know as "turtle eggs".
> 
> ...


You are awesome and that makes perfect sense!!! Thank you ;-)


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## Moozillion (Jul 9, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> First the story-
> 
> my daughter called me today as she was leaving to go to work to let me know that there was a turtle laying eggs in the gravel road leaving our pasture.. she was warning me to be cautious not to run it over as I came in… so as I came in this evening, I looked for it and sure enough it was there. I stopped the truck well before coming upon it and my son and I got out of the truck to take a closer look. Unfortunately, as we walked up we saw that the turtle which was a red eared slider had already been run over. Her butt was down in a shallow area that she’d already begun to dig. Her plastron was split almost down the middle and on the side. It was pretty nasty. I picked her up to see if I needed to cover eggs and could tell that she had not dug enough to lay. As I was holding her up, my son informed me that he saw eggs.. IN HER! At a closer look, she did indeed have a “string” of eggs among other organs falling out of the broken area of her shell.. not knowing what else to do, I cautiously removed the eggs and brought them up to my house where I dug a hole and buried them. I placed a nest guard around the area and covered with some screen to protect from predators..
> 
> the question - is it possible that these eggs will hatch? I read that they are fertilized while laying and then I read somewhere else that they are fertilized during mating.. does anyone know what I should expect?


You are SO WONDERFUL to try and save those babies!!! I sure hope it works out!!!?


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## EllieMay (Jul 9, 2021)

Moozillion said:


> You are SO WONDERFUL to try and save those babies!!! I sure hope it works out!!!?


Awww.. thanks Bea. I guess I don’t think like that.. its just a bone deep reaction for me and has been since I was a very little girl. My family has always called me Ellie May because of it.. I see it as Gods gift to me. Nature is where I find peace, beauty, miracles.. you name it! In today’s world, you have to respect the simple things I guess.
Can’t wait to see your tank upgrade BTW ?


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## wellington (Jul 9, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> Awww.. thanks Bea. I guess I don’t think like that.. its just a bone deep reaction for me and has been since I was a very little girl. My family has always called me Ellie May because of it.. I see it as Gods gift to me. Nature is where I find peace, beauty, miracles.. you name it! In today’s world, you have to respect the simple things I guess.
> Can’t wait to see your tank upgrade BTW ?


I always wanted to be Ellie Mae lol. Used to dress like her with the rope belt and all. I too will help any animal. About the first words to my hub when dating, was i will help and have any animal i want and don't make me choose, cuz he would lose lol. Love any animal except the human kind. Not as big on humans as I am animals. All my jobs had to do with animals of every kind, land, water except 3 of them. 
I think that's a common case with a lot of people with multiple animals.


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## Jan A (Jul 10, 2021)

wellington said:


> I always wanted to be Ellie Mae lol. Used to dress like her with the rope belt and all. I too will help any animal. About the first words to my hub when dating, was i will help and have any animal i want and don't make me choose, cuz he would lose lol. Love any animal except the human kind. Not as big on humans as I am animals. All my jobs had to do with animals of every kind, land, water except 3 of them.
> I think that's a common case with a lot of people with multiple animals.


The rest of us just got there because of "life" happens. You don't know how stupid you were until you get there & go WTF!!


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## EllieMay (Jul 10, 2021)

I checked the in-ground temp right by where I buried the eggs at the same depth and it’s at 83f.. at 1pm… I guess I will periodically check it just for informational purposes over the next two months… I want to get it first thing in the morning as well…


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## Toddrickfl1 (Jul 10, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> I checked the in-ground temp right by where I buried the eggs at the same depth and it’s at 83f.. at 1pm… I guess I will periodically check it just for informational purposes over the next two months… I want to get it first thing in the morning as well…


You might want to cover the nest with something like chicken wire or a hardware cloth to keep out coons and crows.


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## EllieMay (Jul 10, 2021)

Toddrickfl1 said:


> You might want to cover the nest with something like chicken wire or a hardware cloth to keep out coons and crows.





Check!!!


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## Blackdog1714 (Jul 10, 2021)

Cover it and get a Bluetooth temperature monitor so you can really track the temps


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## GardenDmpls (Jul 11, 2021)

zovick said:


> The female turtles retain sperm for a period of time after they breed with a male. Then when the female ovulates, the eggs are fertilized if sperm is present. After this, the shells begin to form around the egg. This is some time prior to the actual egg laying process. Once the shells are thick enough, the eggs can be laid by the female.
> 
> There may be some confusion caused by the term "egg". The female turtles have ovaries just as female mammals do. The ovaries release microscopic single celled "eggs" when the animal ovulates just as in humans or other mammals. It is these single celled "eggs" which are fertilized by sperm if it is present in the female turtle's reproductive tract when the single celled "eggs" are released from the ovaries. As these "eggs" (fertilized or not) move through the reproductive tract, calcium is deposited on them to give them their shells. Once the shells are sufficiently calcified, the eggs are laid and look like what we know as "turtle eggs".
> 
> ...


This is why, as a veterinary science teacher, I would use the word ovum (ova is plural) for the reproductive cell and egg for the "packaged" ovum.


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## EllieMay (Oct 16, 2021)

Guess what!!!
There are babies!!! 2 so far. Next question… it’s getting down in the 40’s now. They are Late! So do I put them in the lake as nature intended? Or is it too late in the year for new borns to survive the cold??


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## Toddrickfl1 (Oct 16, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> Guess what!!!
> There are babies!!! 2 so far. Next question… it’s getting down in the 40’s now. They are Late! So do I put them in the lake as nature intended? Or is it too late in the year for new borns to survive the cold??
> View attachment 334701


So cool, how awesome for you @EllieMay As long as their yolk sac is absorbed I'd put them in the lake. They know what to do.


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## EllieMay (Oct 16, 2021)

Toddrickfl1 said:


> So cool, how awesome for you @EllieMay As long as their yolk sac is absorbed I'd put them in the lake. They know what to do.


Ok.. 1 is almost absorbed.. the other is still working on it.. I had pretty much given up on these guys so I was shocked when I happened to glance in and see babies!!!


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## ZenHerper (Oct 16, 2021)

Congrats!


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## Chubbs the tegu (Oct 16, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> Guess what!!!
> There are babies!!! 2 so far. Next question… it’s getting down in the 40’s now. They are Late! So do I put them in the lake as nature intended? Or is it too late in the year for new borns to survive the cold??
> View attachment 334701


Congrats!


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## wellington (Oct 16, 2021)

Yay, congrats.


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## Cathie G (Oct 16, 2021)

Cool ?


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## Moozillion (Oct 16, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> Awww.. thanks Bea. I guess I don’t think like that.. its just a bone deep reaction for me and has been since I was a very little girl. My family has always called me Ellie May because of it.. I see it as Gods gift to me. Nature is where I find peace, beauty, miracles.. you name it! In today’s world, you have to respect the simple things I guess.
> Can’t wait to see your tank upgrade BTW ?


The upgrade is coming soon! I hope within a week!


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## EllieMay (Oct 27, 2021)

Another hatch this afternoon!!


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## Chubbs the tegu (Oct 27, 2021)

EllieMay said:


> Another hatch this afternoon!!
> View attachment 335255


Congratsss! Thats awesome


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## EllieMay (Oct 27, 2021)

Chubbs the tegu said:


> Congratsss! Thats awesome


We had tornadoes today so I guess that must have brought him to the surface!!
im still a little in shock over the first two!
if I remember correctly, I think they’re were 7 eggs in all


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## Maro2Bear (Oct 27, 2021)

Wow! So very cool! Congrats!


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