Eating eggs!?

[t_mclellan]

I have been watching 1 of my female Colombian RF"s knowing she was due to lay & today she was looking for a spot.
I have been checking her on the 1/2 hour since about 2pm & at 4:30 I found her eating the last of 4 eggs!
She didn't dig a nest, Just dropped them on the ground & ate them.
Have any of you seen this before?
I've been around RF's a day or 2 & never have I seen this. I have seen them lay on top of the ground but not eat them.

 

[Neohippy]

Really needed a protein kick?

Either way, that sucks, and I'm sorry to hear it.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm not real sure, but I think it has something to do with needing calcium. Also it could be that they weren't fertile. Who know what goes through the mind of a tortoise.

Yvonne

 

[t_mclellan]

The calcium & protein are fine.
I think I have a theory.
This was the first clutch for this female & I think she laid them above ground & sat on them. I have seen several young females dig a very small nest, 1" to 2" deep & lay 3 or 4 eggs they cant cover.
On a liter note;
While trying to figure out how to tell her to burry them next time, another female dug a nest in front of us (her & I). This female is a great one! 5 eggs this time for a total of 22 from her this year. I wonder .... was she trying to show the other how to do it right?

 

[Yvonne G]

I've sat and watched a 3-toed box turtle dig a nest. When she started to lay the eggs another female came over and ate the eggs. I've also seen baby box turtles try to eat each other. It would be an interesting study.

Yvonne

 

[t_mclellan]

I think if she does it again, I'll give her to a Sulcata breeder!

 

[Yvonne G]

Now that's quite a threat! Do you think she'll take that threat to heart?

Yvonne

 

[t_mclellan]

Ether way it makes no difference!
She can learn to play nice or reduce the number of hatchling Sulcata on the market!
Sounds like a win, win situation all around to me!

 

[dmmj]

A lady at my turtle club told a story of how her colony of boxies (3 toed's I think) would lay eggs in a paticular spot, and one year she saw a male boxie walking around the area looking like he was patrolling the area. she went over there an he was eating the baby boxies as they burrowed out of the ground, so maybe it is a out of sight out of mind kinda of thing.

 

[dreadyA]

Could it be for the same reasons a cat would do when they eat their kitties?

 

[Jacqui]

A mixed thought thread here for sure. Congrats on the eggs, a hug for the eaten ones, and a "now that's an idea" for the sulcata training RF idea.

 

[Redfootedboxturtles]

THis happend to me. Rain washed away an infertile nest, I smelled the rotten eggs and went out back to see on of the redfoots chommping away.