I Spotted a Turtle laying eggs

[Gulf Coast]

My question is?? She is laying them about 20 feet from a BUSY BUSY road.. Its right before, my driveway (that leads up into the woods) but this streatch down by the road is very busy and at times has people walking right down that path where she layed the eggs.. Even if I tried to cover them with some type of screen, I am sure someone would just remove it oh and the city mows that path of grass all summer long..

So my question is what to do??? Leave well enough along? Let nature takes its course? I would never think of removing the eggs if they were down by my house. Where they would be safe.. And even if I did remove the eggs? what then? the only think I have ever hatched before was chicken, duck and quail eggs..

I was so worried about someone trying to remove her, since she is so big to kill (sorry) She was about 12 inches long.. We stayed and waited until she was done to make sure she went into the woods away from the road..

Why do you think she would choose such a place? Maybe she has layed there in past years? Do turtles lay in or around the same spot every year? Also wanted to add that Im not saying I want the eggs or anything.. lol.. lets make that clear right now.. but I feel so bad, because Im pretty sure they wont make it, ,but what do I know? Maybe she has a plan? lol.. I wish there was a turtle superman I could call and they would come to the rescue..

 

[egyptiandan]

RE: Spotted Turtle laying eggs

Not quite a spotted turtle, Clemmys guttata. What you saw nest was an Alabama red-bellied cooter, Pseudemys alabamensis. They happen to be on the federal endangered species list as threatened.
I would say to cover the nest with a rock, so nothing digs it up. Than call the state fish and wildlife office. Tell them you've seen an Alabama red-belly nest and lay eggs. Explain where it is and that you think it's in a bad place to get a successful hatch from the nest. Hopefully they will come retrieve the eggs and artifically incubate them.
Tell them also that you have pictures so they can verify this.
Great pictures.

Danny

 

[dmmj]

RE: Spotted Turtle laying eggs

I knew right away it was not a spotted based on the shell, maybe the post was meant to say I spotted a turtle laying eggs? I dont know, I thought it was a red ear but since I could not see the head, I could not say for sure. If it is a endangered species and protected removing the eggs your self is a crime. ( i know sad) the state may have a plan to incubate eggs to increase the numbers or they may have a wait and see approach. I would call them first and see what they have to say and then go from there.

 

[Gulf Coast]

RE: Spotted Turtle laying eggs

lol.. yea its suppose to be I spotted a turtle.. lol.. sorry.. I was trying to do to many things at once.. wow.. This is great news.. then maybe they will have a chance. Its already late afternoon, I will try to see if I can find a number.. OMG that would be so great,.. Oh and just the other day we found a male? Or atleast I think it was a male.. It was crossing our yard, we stopped him for a photo shoot and then he went on his way down to the water.. I thought his underside looked redish..

LOL didnt know there was such a thing as a spotted turtle.. lol.. amazing what a difference leaving the I off a sub line can make.. okay to go upload the other pictures.. OH my goodness.. I wonder the age..

---

Well, I finally got in touch with a very nice lady who gave me 3 numbers to call tomorrow.. They all closed at 5 today. . I am going to wait til about dark and go down to place a rock over the area. As I don't wanna draw attention to where the eggs are..

Oh and just as I was trying to get video of her laying the eggs, my batteries died.. of course I wasn't up close close to her, I did't want to stress or scare her off.

Here is the picture of the other large turtle that was crossing across our yard the other day.. Im not sure if its the same type as the above female. He had so much damage to him, he even wobbled when he walked because he wasn't even underneath. The last picture you can see all the scratches.. And I guess the picture with his length didn't take. But he measured at 13 inches long.

Thanks soooo much for the info.. I was so worried there wasn't hope for those eggs.. Now I have my fingers crossed.. YAY...

 

[Gulf Coast]

RE: Spotted Turtle laying eggs

He? She? lol.. Im not sure.. lol.. also plz look over typos.. Trying to rush and get supper done, so many things going on at once. Tried to edit post but couldn't..

 

[egyptiandan]

RE: Spotted Turtle laying eggs

The second turtle is a female also. She either was looking to nest or had just nested when you found her.

Danny

 

[dmmj]

anyone know if that is average size for those guys? they look huge to me. I was not trying to mean about your post, with trying to correct your heading just put my 2 cents in.

 

[Gulf Coast]

Oh no no no dmmj, I know you were not being mean.. And I thank you for pointing it out.. Like I said I didn't even know there was such thing as a spotted turtle or that I left the I off.. lol. Its all Good!!

Ahhh Danny...so he is not a he but a she.. That makes sense.. she must have been on her way back from laying her eggs because she has to pass by our house to get back to the water.. I have video of her but for the life of me, I can't figure out how to upload to utube.. In the video you can get a pretty good idea of how big she is and the sound of THUMP THUMP as she walks past my backyard swing.. Oh and thanks for adding the I to the subject line for me.

 

[dmmj]

you can google spotted turtles and see pics of them they are really beatiful turtles, and very exspensive when you can find then in pet stores.

 

[egyptiandan]

Yes thats the average size for female Alabama red-bellies.

Danny

 

[Gulf Coast]

I have contacted the Save The Alabama Red-bellied Turtle Alliance by phone and email. BIG thanks to Danny for pointing me in the right direction and giving the name and first info on the turtle, I have read so much info now.. (gotta love google. lol) They are even building a fence along a 6 mile stretch of road in Mobile.. Once again I had no clue all this was going on in my backyard. lol.. :shy: Oh and I placed a rock over the area.. BOY was that ever hard to find in the dark.. She did a great job of covering it back up.. I didn't think of marking the spot during the daytime. When I made sure she went back into the woods..

Dr. David Nelson at the University of South Alabama in Mobile reported that from 2001-2006, 444 Alabama red-bellied turtles have been killed on the highway. Of these, 101 were females with eggs. The annual losses of 15-20 reproductive females (that require 12-15 years to reach maturity) in such a small population will result in a long-term population decline.

http://www.savetheredbelly.org/ <<<WARNING the link does have pictures of turtles that have been killed on the road.. Sorry about that but the info on the site is great and the pictures are part of the proof that the turtle needs help..

 

[Crazy1]

Wow Gulf Coast great site, sad pictures. But nice to know something is being done to help. Thanks for the informative lesson.

 

[Stazz]

Wow thats amazing !!!!! You saved quite a few lives I'm sure ! Good karma will come your way. Bless your heart for noticing that What a happy story, just hope they do follow through and protect them !

 

[Gulf Coast]

Oh thanks Robyn and Stace,

I am sitting on pins and needles.. Have been playing phone tag with a gentleman and he was out of the office today, but will be back in tomorrow.. When the Zoologist calls tomorrow (Friday) I will have more info on what to do.. The lady I spoke with today, she said they like to retrieve the eggs within the first 24 hours before the blood vessels adhere to the inside of the egg because they could kill them just by moving them from the ground... So I am not sure what the fate of that nest is.. I still have my fingers crossed I am going to get help for them.. They mentioned something about keeping an eye on them for the hatch date, around the time they are suppose to hatch. and collect the babies until they can arrive because they WANT THE BABIES!!!! Of course all this pending on Danny being correct.. lol.. Tomorrow I get an email address and I will send them the pictures.. BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT there is more news.... But I just gotta start another thread for that one..

 

[Gulf Coast]

Guessssssssssssssssss what hatched today

13 (total from nest 14) little tiny ARBC... OMG so cute... and they hatched right into the cage, when I peeked in to see if any had hatched I saw little tiny heads peeking back at me.. I am so glad these have finally hatched and and I can stop stressing over them.. So worried someone would break into the nest..

 

[egyptiandan]

Thats great news Janice I hope you got pictures of the hatchlings

Danny

 

[dmmj]

that is good news indeed, but some pics would be nice.

 

[Stazz]

Yaaaaaay janice I am so excited !!! Thats wonderful news !!! Thanks to you those babies will live a good long life

 

[Nay]

Wow I love picking up a thread and hearing great news!! Way to go Janice! So they left the babies till they hatched? and now they will take them?? Did you go every day, Nice work.
Na

 

[Isa]

Very nice Janice, I am very happy!! What you did was amazing