Missed a nest

[tortadise]

mo is a sneaky nester. I had to go down and investigate a roof leak at a job I built. So opened everyone up and checked on everyone. She was grazing on grass. Was gone 2.5 hours and come back to her mud filled flank marginal scutes. Looked for hours of any disturbed dirt. Nothing. But I finally found the nest and retrieved the smallest clutch yet of 15 eggs. She's so good at covering up. Sneak butt sandwich.
Unfortunately I didn't take a photo of the area I dug up. I would have never known had she didn't have mud on her.
The evidence of a nest that was placed.

 

[wellington]

LOL, love the "sneak butt sandwich" your too funny. I can't imagine 15 bing a small clutch. I sure hope when my Lucy is ready, she takes it slow and easy on me. Congrats.

 

[tortadise]

LOL, love the "sneak butt sandwich" your too funny. I can't imagine 15 bing a small clutch. I sure hope when my Lucy is ready, she takes it slow and easy on me. Congrats.

Well yah know! Yep before this one her smallest clutch 19 eggs. She usually drops 21-25 eggs a clutch. But oh well. Torts will be torts I guess. She is a sneak butt sandwich. I've missed numerous clutches from her. Very very quick digger/layer. She's a pro in her young age.

 

[Carol S]

Yes, some tortoises are so sneaky and good at covering up their nests. I have a couple of females who if I do not see them digging their nests I would never find them as the ground looks undisturbed. I also have females who do a very lazy job at covering up their nests. I missed two nests last Summer and found little hatchlings walking around inside the adult enclosure. It was very exciting to find a total of 8 babies over the course of around 4-5 days. I have pavers in the enclosure and this time of year I am very careful to only step on the pavers so I do not acidentally step on a hatchling that may be hiding in the tall Fescue grass.

 

[dmmj]

Did you ever consider they don't want to to find them?

 

[tortadise]

Yes, some tortoises are so sneaky and good at covering up their nests. I have a couple of females who if I do not see them digging their nests I would never find them as the ground looks undisturbed. I also have females who do a very lazy job at covering up their nests. I missed two nests last Summer and found little hatchlings walking around inside the adult enclosure. It was very exciting to find a total of 8 babies over the course of around 4-5 days. I have pavers in the enclosure and this time of year I am very careful to only step on the pavers so I do not acidentally step on a hatchling that may be hiding in the tall Fescue grass.

Fantastic. Unfortunately if I miss these early nests they will freeze. She's actually dug up old nests while laying new ones. I've missed quite a few from her. It's good seeing her muddy flanks. If not not even going to look. She's a random nester too. Has two spikes in the year. Early summer then again in the fall.

 

[tortadise]

Did you ever consider they don't want to to find them?

Well yeah. Of course.