Can RES lay eggs in sand?

Rynan

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Feb 12, 2022
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I made my females a nesting box in a 25 gallon bin filled with organic top soil but boy the mess it makes. I clean my filter twice a day and the water just goes from clear to muddy in seconds. My question is can I actually provide a nesting box with just aquarium sand? Seems cleaner
 

DoubleD1996!

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Feb 27, 2021
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Memphis
I made my females a nesting box in a 25 gallon bin filled with organic top soil but boy the mess it makes. I clean my filter twice a day and the water just goes from clear to muddy in seconds. My question is can I actually provide a nesting box with just aquarium sand? Seems cleaner
They should, but oddly enough, mine never used sand pits, but preferred the slightly tougher soil.
 

TammyJ

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Jun 21, 2016
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Jamaica
Can you post some pictures of the setup? I don't know about the sand by itself as nesting material...for fresh water turtles.
 

JTH

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East Lansing, MI
Keep in mind that although many turtles will nest in a sand substrate, this is not a dry sand— it has to have sufficient moisture to hold together when the female digs her nest cavity, and retain sufficient moisture throughout incubation to prevent the eggs from dessicating.
 
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