so i picked up 2 ornate box turtles, one male one female. they are living with my other female ornate that has been living by herself for the past 17+ years. here is a picture of them bathing.. both females are on the rock.. i would like to breed them any tips on how to? thanks
2 new turtles!!
- Thread starter MicropterusSalmoides
- Start date
http://www.aboxturtle.com/mating.htm
http://www.aboxturtle.com/box_turtle_egg_laying.htm
http://www.aboxturtle.com/box_turtle_incubation.htm
http://aboxturtle.com/box_turtle_hatchling_care.htm
http://aboxturtle.com/basking_hatchlings.htm
I hope these really help you with the mating.... and if im not mistaken. Ornates are my states State Reptile=]]
http://www.aboxturtle.com/box_turtle_egg_laying.htm
http://www.aboxturtle.com/box_turtle_incubation.htm
http://aboxturtle.com/box_turtle_hatchling_care.htm
http://aboxturtle.com/basking_hatchlings.htm
I hope these really help you with the mating.... and if im not mistaken. Ornates are my states State Reptile=]]
does anyone know if they population is decreasing fast like the other box turtle populations? because if i breed them i would like to have them released in the wild if thats the case.
I used to breed Eastern, 3-toed and Gulf Coast Box turtles. Not hard to breed if they are kept outside during the warm parts of the year. My breeding pair of Gulf Coast Box Turtles only laid 2 clutches of eggs in the 5 years I had them. They are the closest box turtle I've had to the Ornates because they are from warmer areas of the south. I never had Ornates but I know they are from a more arid region of the U.S. Where have you kept your female? Indoors or outdoors? Give me some info on your set up please. I used to release my Eastern babies, they are becoming pretty rare in some areas where I live.
my female has been kept in a tank indoors on about 4inches deep of bark and had a hiding cave thing 2times the size of here, i beleive she was purchased as an adult in 89 or 90, has been kept with a heat rock and heat lamp. eating on fruits, vegies, beetles, night crawlers, occasionally mealworms/superworms.
The best thing you could do is build an outdoor pen for them in a location that atleast gets direct sunlight for part of the day. Put in a shallow pond, a place to hide, some vegetation and a sandy area that they can lay eggs in. I see your from Washington so I don't really know what the average summer temp is up there. You might have to put an outdoor heat lamp for them if you try this. I've only kept my Gulf Coast and 3-toes inside in the winter. They had always bred and layed eggs outside.
well it rains ALOT even in the sumer =[. and there is a lot of predators around, cats, huge raccoons, opossoms, etc