turtleman.jordan
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2015
- Messages
- 17
Her back sides have started to puff out and I can feel little ball type things inside when I feel. @Angel Carrion
When was the first time you mated her? How long have you had her?To start off, she was a rescue and was attacked by a raccoon or dog. She has a nesting box like the one in the link and is housed outside in a 15x15ft enclosure. The last time I introduced the male back into the enclosure was probably 2 weeks ago and they mated. But the plaster on was injured in the attack. Her back sides have started to puff out and I can feel little ball type things inside when I feel. @Angel Carrion
May I still ask that you share pictures of her plastron and carapace please? I can't tell properly in the photos but it does look like there may be possible shell rot. I would like to help more either way.
Did the previous owner ever mate her? If not, you can expect eggs for the next 4-5 years without mating her again, if she decides to make the eggs. The thing about box turtles (and I think other turtles and torts) is that you don't have to mate them every month or every year to get eggs. You can mate them once every other to every 3-4 years and get eggs every year. Most get numerous clutches a year.
With it being this late in the year, I doubt you'd get more than the clutch brewing inside her right now. I don't know where you are or if you have a winter, but if you do, chances are she won't do another clutch this year. She could, but I doubt it. She'll need to hibernate.
I live in Houston TX and it's 109° right now and in the winter the lowest we get is around 30 but never any snow. The previous owner had her in horrible conditions and even let her live in water with no uvb or some heat source. I doubt she was ever mated.
We recommend that a turtle not hibernate the first year so that we can observe it, and only when it is in good shape, well fed, and perfectly healthy. Any injuries or illness preclude hibernation that year. Hibernation is not necessary for breeding, although many think it helps. Long term captives that have not hibernated can stay up for the winter with no problems in the right set up.
He's had her for two years.We recommend that a turtle not hibernate the first year so that we can observe it, and only when it is in good shape, well fed, and perfectly healthy. Any injuries or illness preclude hibernation that year. Hibernation is not necessary for breeding, although many think it helps. Long term captives that have not hibernated can stay up for the winter with no problems in the right set up.
If she regains her health and you do decide to hibernate her in the future, it will need to be indoors (fridge?) under controlled conditions. She can't close up all the way due to her shell injuries. That makes her at risk from mice, rats, foxes and raccoons gnawing her.
Okay so she's missing part of her plastron.
It does look like she has some kind of fungal or moldy growth on parts of her plastron, maybe shell rot. I can't tell 100% because it could be scarring and I just can't see it proper.
Do you have a reputable reptile vet you use?
@Yvonne G @Tidgy's Dad may be able to tell better.
So it is shell rot. That's what I thought.My vet said she has minor she'll rot and can be treated easily so she gave me some stuff to rub on it and I have seen improvement. I don't really pay much attention to it though.
It's getting late in the laying season so I'm worried about her and the "eggs" in her. Hopefully she will lay soon.