Wow! In my backyard

[Buckalew]

there is a box turtle (Shelley Chamique (Holdsclaw)) digging a hole to lay her eggs!

We found her last week just down the road and Hunter, being the future Herpotogist that she is, brought her home in the backyard. She has a very tall shell (hence her middle name) and start digging a hole in the yard around dusk.

Wow! You should see those back legs dig that hole for her babies! She is working so hard. I hope all goes well and that the eggs are fertile. Turtles don't incubate their eggs so we will try our best to keep them protected and out of danger.

Has anyone had experience with a turtle laying eggs before?

 

[Mickey's sunshine]

No experience but wanted to say how very cool that is! Keep us updated on them! Oh and pictures when they hatch??!!!

 

[ripleysmom]

That is very cool!!

 

[#1 Disney Fan]

I certainly have no experience with turtles, but Hunter really is quite the exotic animal lover! Ever since I saw Finding Nemo on Friday I am very much reminded of all of the turtles in the movie, like Crush!

Let us know if they hatch!

 

[Betsyt82]

That is so cool. I just love turtles, they are my fav. That is just so cool.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Yes, and it is great fun to watch! We missed most of the babies emerging though.

 

[Buckalew]

As of this a.m. she hasn't laid them. I'm worried about her. I read on the net that sometimes they can't have them themselves. I guess I may have to call my BIL the vet. Won't he love this.

 

[dianeschlicht]

She didn't lay them as she was digging the hole? Ours laid them right away!

 

[oldkicker]

I hope everything is okay, Bren.....let us know, would you??

 

[JESW]

Cool!

We usually have the snappers come up from the water to lay thier eggs in our yard but we have't seen any yet this year. (One year I took lots of pics and even did a page for DS's scrapbook)

I was amazed at how fast those turtles could move when they wanted to! Our ladies were HUGE! And I was also surprised at the number of eggs they lay. Just leave them alone - they may hatch or they may not. We went back to one nesting hole and found broken shells nearby so we figured some of them hatched!

Jill

 

[helenabear]

I am curious to know too if she laid them. I hope she did okay!!!

 

[Wishing on a star]

We had this happen with a little turtle in our back yard too! And, we too missed seing the tiny little critters hatch... There is indeed a certain number of days of time and then they will hatch, (You can easily look this up....) so mark your calander! Then maybe you all will not miss watching the little things emerge!

 

[audflash]

very cool!

We have a desert tortoise and I swear that little guy has more personality...

I could watch him for hours. I don't, but I could .

I hope your turtle is ok!

Audrey

 

[CathyCanada]

This is so cool!! Keep us updated!
CC

 

[Buckalew]

Nothing yet.
She dug another hole though--not as deep as the first one but then she walked away from it too. False labor maybe. ( )

BIL told me to leave her alone and give her some space to do her own thing. She is so cute. They do have personality. I thinks she likes me.
I'm going out to check on her now.

The other turtle (yes there are 2 out there) is Tilly. She burrowed herself in the ground today. I almost never found her!

 

[Buckalew]

OMGoodness!! She's digging a new hole now!! I am so "eggscited" . I hope this is the time for her. Bless her little shell.

 

[Saffron]

How cool is that, Brenda! I swear, Hunter is a girl after my own heart! I just love that little girl! Oh, and I love box turtles too! My mom was going to bring a baby home for me. She was in North Carolina for her grandaughter's (my niece's) wedding, and they found the baby in her backyard. Thank God she thought the turtle wouldn't make the trip in the car!

 

[Buckalew]

Maggie, what are you doing here? I thought you were all tied up.

Well, she dug a good hole and didn't lay any eggs.

I don't know what is up with her. She has dug about 3 or 4 holes so far. Last time I checked on her last night, she had found a yummy slug for a late night snack. It was "ewww"! I'm going to check on her agin but everything I read says they dig the hole around dusk for the eggs so I don't expect to find anything this a.m.