# Do you have to have a MALE && a FEMALE Sulcata to Breed?!?!



## BigD9 (Sep 7, 2012)

My mom && I were wondering if you have to have a male && a female in order to have babies.. Because what if the female laid eggs && you put the eggs in the incubator? Doesnt that make it weather male or female? I hope this isnt a real stupid question LOLLL


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## dmmj (Sep 7, 2012)

The eggs need to be fertile to hatch. She would have to come into contact with a male previously. You put infertile eggs in an incubator, and you are just wasting time and money.


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## Laurie (Sep 7, 2012)

*RE: Do you have to have a MALE && a FEMALE Sulcata to Breed?!?!*



BigD9 said:


> My mom && I were wondering if you have to have a male && a female in order to have babies.. Because what if the female laid eggs && you put the eggs in the incubator? Doesnt that make it weather male or female? I hope this isnt a real stupid question LOLLL



No such thing as a stupid question! You do need male and female to make babies 
A female can lay eggs without a male, but those eggs will not be fertilized (no baby).
For fertilized eggs, the female will need sperm from the male.


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## StudentoftheReptile (Sep 7, 2012)

BigD9 said:


> My mom && I were wondering if you have to have a male && a female in order to have babies.. Because what if the female laid eggs && you put the eggs in the incubator?



To have babies? Yes, you need a male and female.

Occasionally, female reptiles (and birds, too) will form and lay unfertilized eggs, but as far as I know, this is not common in turtles and tortoises.



> Doesnt that make it weather male or female?



I'm not sure what you are referring to in that question. Umm...in reptiles, the temperatures at which the eggs incubate can determine the gender. Is that what you mean?


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## BigD9 (Sep 7, 2012)

haha alright guys thanks so much !! 
 That what i thought but we werent for sure 




StudentoftheReptile said:


> BigD9 said:
> 
> 
> > My mom && I were wondering if you have to have a male && a female in order to have babies.. Because what if the female laid eggs && you put the eggs in the incubator?
> ...



yes lol Ive heard if the temperature is higher then there most likely females. 

How can u guys tell if its a female or male?
Because i really wanna breed them when they get older. 
&& not now but soon i wanna get another tortoise but the opposite sex.
So how can you tell?


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## Tom (Sep 7, 2012)

There are some reptiles that can reproduce through parthenogenesis. Tortoises are not one of them.


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## pdrobber (Sep 7, 2012)

what about retaining the sperm? didn't something like that happen with Yvonne's leopard who was separated from a male for awhile?


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## CourtneyAndCarl (Sep 7, 2012)

Fish can retain sperm... kinda weird if you ask me.. but a guppy can have her eggs continuously fertilized by the same male's sperm from one breeding for up to a year ... nasty.


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## DeanS (Sep 7, 2012)

Tom said:


> There are some reptiles that can reproduce through parthenogenesis. Tortoises are not one of them.



Thanks a lot Tom! I was gonna mess with him a little...but you shot that down!


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## Tom (Sep 7, 2012)

Anecdotally speaking, leopards seem to be able to retain sperm and generate fertile eggs for up to five years after a breeding. Sulcatas don't seem to be able to hold it more than a few months...


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## BigD9 (Sep 7, 2012)

Tom said:


> Anecdotally speaking, leopards seem to be able to retain sperm and generate fertile eggs for up to five years after a breeding. Sulcatas don't seem to be able to hold it more than a few months...



So from my understanding, the male && female sulcata can mate one time and she can still have eggs (with babies) for acouple months?


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Sep 7, 2012)

Your understanding is correct.


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## BigD9 (Sep 7, 2012)

Eweezyfosheezy said:


> Your understanding is correct.



Haha YAY! Im learning soo much about tortoises && its just soo awesome! I really wanna breed them! Just i hope i get the opposite sex whenever i get another tortoise.


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Sep 7, 2012)

Do you have a BIG backyard, and are you going to be living in a warm climate? If I didnt live in a warm climate I wouldnt even own sulcatas, its very easy for me to keep and breed adult sulcatas because they half an acre of bermuda grass to eat at all times. I cant imagine the amount of money I would have to spend on food and heating if I lived up north with my sulcatas. I'm not telling you not to breed them I'm just telling you its not easy if your not in the right situation.


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## BigD9 (Sep 7, 2012)

Eweezyfosheezy said:


> Do you have a BIG backyard, and are you going to be living in a warm climate? If I didnt live in a warm climate I wouldnt even own sulcatas, its very easy for me to keep and breed adult sulcatas because they half an acre of bermuda grass to eat at all times. I cant imagine the amount of money I would have to spend on food and heating if I lived up north with my sulcatas. I'm not telling you not to breed them I'm just telling you its not easy if your not in the right situation.



Yes I agree on that, i am moving to FL in a few months, so thats when i wanna start But of course they wont be old enough yet so i still have a couple more years to plan everything out


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Sep 7, 2012)

Will you be living in Florida from then on, or will you be moving back?


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## Laura (Sep 7, 2012)

Immaculate conception does not occur
Even if there is delayed implantation or sperm retention.. somewhere along the lines,, there WAS a male involved...


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## BigD9 (Sep 7, 2012)

Eweezyfosheezy said:


> Will you be living in Florida from then on, or will you be moving back?



from then on im from FL, im just in montana visiting my mama


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## Eweezyfosheezy (Sep 7, 2012)

Then you are in one of the best places for them.


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## BigD9 (Sep 8, 2012)

Eweezyfosheezy said:


> Then you are in one of the best places for them.


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