RES laying eggs

[Tabitha]

My 8 yr old RES has just laid 2 eggs. She has laid eggs in the past but always in the water, and they have always been broken by the time I get to them. These 2 were also laid in the water but they are in perfect condition. They would have been in the water no more than 2 hours but I would estimate that they would have only just been laid by the time I found them due to the fact that they were intact. My question is, will they be any good? I have in the past thought that the eggs 'breathed' through their shell after they were laid, so if they were laid in the water then they were no good. But I have recently read that as long as they are not broken, then they should be ok. Anyone know the truth? Also I seperated the male from the female about 3 weeks ago, so is it possible that the are not fertilised? Thanks.

[elfomatic]

It is a general rule that they are good for about 24 hours after they are laid .. even underwater.

It is very important that you don't turn them over ... this causes the membrane to detach and could kill the embryo.

You can go to your local home improvement store to get some vermiculite. This is used commonly to incubate eggs. Put the eggs in vermiculite in an incubator if you have one.

If you don't, you can use a 10 gal. with a low-wattage bulb over it ... try to get the temps between 80-85. keep the humidity high - don't let the eggs dry out. A pan of water in the aquarium works good. Putting the eggs in margarine containers inside the aquarium keeps them humidified as well.

I would recommend that you find some way to make a nesting area for your turtle. Just because she laid only a few eggs doesn't mean that is all she has. Egg binding is a very real risk.

[Tabitha]

Thanks for the info. I did have a big bag of vermiculite but could not find it on the night - always the way! I moved last year so it obviously got misplaced. I went and got some the next day though, and they are in that at the moment - in an icecream container in the hotwater cupboard. Any idea of what 80 - 85 is in Celcius? Dont worry, I just looked at my thermometre. Its about 30. I dont think they are any good though - over night (before I got the vermiculite) they were on a damp tissue in a container, and have caved in where they were lying on the flat surface. The egg hasnt broken but it still doesnt look too good. I have been told that they can handle some caving in, but I think these might be too much.
My turtle is in an outside enclosure and she does have an area of sand in which I hoped she would lay her eggs this season. But she obviously doesnt like it so I may have to look into doing something else for her. The problem is that we are going into winter now and I have to move her to a different place so that I can keep her warm. There is no room to provide a nesting place in her winter home. Can I put her in a sand filled container over night to encourage her to lay the rest? I think I have done that once before and she was not happy being out of the water for so long. And it didnt work. Hmmm. Better get the thinking cap on!

[elfomatic]

Are you sure she didn't lay any eggs outside? Turtles are experts at hiding nests and you will more than likely not be able to tell.

[Tabitha]

To be honest, I havent looked. Her enclosure looked untouched. I will check tomorrow, just in case. She has laid at least another 2 eggs as well - both had been destroyed by the time I got to them.

[elfomatic]

Well, good luck! I hope you have success with the ones you get.