The red-eared slider lays eggs at home. Reproduction of red-eared turtles. Mating of land turtles in captivity

Reproduction of turtles

Turtles lay eggs, which after a certain period of time hatch into young. Newborn turtles do not need parental care and are able to take care of themselves.

Turtles breed in captivity quite rarely. Breeding turtles is a painstaking and responsible work that only experienced specialists can do. However, the first person to achieve good results was an amateur who devoted many years to his work, so you should not despair if you do not immediately get offspring.

One of the keys to success in reptile breeding will be patience.

In order for turtles kept at home to begin to reproduce, they need to be provided with the proper conditions: proper nutrition, hibernation, suitable habitat and relative freedom of movement.

For successful reproduction, in addition to observing all conditions of detention, it is advisable to place several individuals of the same species in one pen or terrarium. When forming a group, the correct ratio of the number of females and males is important, which contributes to the manifestation of elements of mating behavior in these animals. In freshwater turtles this ratio is approximately 2:1, and in land turtles in most cases it is 3:1.

In addition, when choosing animals, you need to take into account their age - you should select sexually mature, but not old individuals, which must first be checked by a veterinarian. Sick or weakened animals will most likely not produce offspring.

The red-eared slider can mate throughout the year. In a terrarium, the mating season usually occurs at the beginning of spring; the female lays eggs from July to September.

A group of selected turtles must be carefully observed for some time to determine how ready they are for mating and reproduction. If relationships have been established between individuals of different sexes, the remaining turtles need to be moved to another place.

It is interesting to watch the mating games of turtles both in natural conditions and at home. Both aquatic and land turtles often show themselves in a completely different way during the breeding season than in ordinary life.

Males of land species often fight among themselves, seeking the favor of the female they have chosen. They push each other, trying to pry each other up with their shells in order to turn them over onto their backs. Female turtles do not always prefer those males who won the fight. They can choose either a defeated male or a male who did not participate in the battle.

Turtles, like other reptiles, after building a nest and laying eggs, do not care at all about their offspring, and small turtles emerge completely ready for independent life.

In nature, aquatic turtles lay their eggs in coastal sand, burying them near a body of water. Land turtles bury their clutches in a hole dug in the ground. Under natural conditions, mating in most species of turtles occurs in April-May, and the offspring are born the following spring.

In preparation for reproduction, it is necessary to add foods containing vitamin E to the turtles' food. In nature, in most species of turtles, the breeding period begins immediately after the end of hibernation, so it is recommended to hibernate the animals for several months.

Small turtles that have just hatched from eggs already see well and navigate mainly through vision. Under natural conditions, baby aquatic turtles reach the water on their own a few minutes after birth, most likely guided by the level of illumination of the water, which is higher than the illumination of land, even at night.

During the breeding season, turtles need to create comfortable conditions: do not disturb them, exclude all extraneous noise and vibration, try to touch the animals as little as possible. At home, if you decide to breed offspring, you need to take care in advance of the place where the eggs will be located.

For freshwater turtles to begin mating, the water temperature in the terrarium or aquarium must be 22–26 °C. On land, you should prepare a place where the female will lay eggs. You can dig a small hole in the sand or soil and place a container with sphagnum moss there so that it is flush with the land. After the female lays her eggs, the container should be removed and placed in an incubator. The incubator temperature should be maintained at 28–30 °C.

After 2-3 months, depending on the type of turtle, small turtles will emerge from the eggs. They should be immediately placed in an aquaterrarium or aquarium. They eat almost the same as adult turtles, with the exception of plant foods.

Birth of Balkan tortoise calf

Newborn baby turtles, like other reptiles, have remnants of the yolk sac, which disappear a few days after birth, as well as a special egg tooth, which they use to cut the shell. In addition, in the first days after hatching from the eggs, turtles can see a transverse fold on the plastron - a consequence of the bent position of the baby inside the egg.

Land turtle eggs should be placed in a container with sand and kept in an incubator at a temperature of 28–32 °C. If you don't have an incubator, you can use a regular glass jar or an aquarium filled with sand, which should be moistened regularly. This incubator can be heated using a regular incandescent lamp. You can place the incubator next to the central heating radiator.

Turtle eggs have a calcareous, sometimes leathery shell and an oval shape. Their sizes vary depending on the type of animal. The number of eggs in a clutch can be from 2 to 8 pieces for a Mediterranean turtle and up to 70 pieces for a Far Eastern turtle.

Eggs laid by turtles are not always fertilized. In order not to keep empty eggs in the incubator for several months, they need to be checked. To do this, you can build a primitive ovoscope: place a small electric light bulb, for example from a flashlight, in a small cardboard box, and cover the box with a lid in which a hole is cut in the shape of an egg, but slightly smaller. To check the egg, you need to place it, without turning it over, on the hole and turn on the light bulb. In the middle of a fertilized egg there will be a noticeable darkening, and an empty one will transmit light evenly. When checking, you should remember that the longer the eggs mature, the more accurate the result will be.

The eggs of land and aquatic turtles, unlike bird eggs, should never be turned over, so they should be transferred to the incubator very carefully.

After the female lays her eggs, she should be kept separate from other animals for some time. The female's nutrition for several weeks should be enhanced, since during this period the turtles' immunity is weakened and they are more susceptible to various diseases.

If turtles appear, you need to try to save them all. Under no circumstances should they be placed in the same pen or terrarium with adult turtles, as these reptiles do not have maternal instinct and can harm the young.

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Reproduction of Turtles Turtles lay eggs, which after a certain period of time hatch into young. Newborn turtles do not need parental care and are able to take care of themselves. Turtles reproduce in captivity quite rarely.

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Reproduction of chickens The breeding season lasts for chickens almost the entire year, except during molting. Cockerels become sexually mature at the age of 3 months, hens - at 4 months. During the reproductive period, the sexual secretion glands become several tens of times larger than in the state.

Turtles mature late, for example, female Central Asian turtles are over ten years old, males - at five to six years. Other species become sexually mature at approximately the same or later age. The information available in the literature on this issue is very scarce. Males of all species have a more or less noticeable “dent” on the plastron, which helps them perform their mating duties, and in many species they also have femoral spurs. Males of many species have a longer tail than females, and the anus is located almost at the very end of it.

During the breeding season (in nature it usually occurs in the spring), turtles become more active. Males make yapping sounds (in a number of species, females also have the “right” to vote) and engage in fights with rivals, sometimes ending in injury and death of weak animals. The mating period usually lasts from one to three weeks. Two to three months after it, females lay from one or two (Egyptian tortoise) to 30 (panther and spurred tortoise) eggs. Before this, the turtle digs a hole in the ground, having previously generously irrigated the egg-laying site with liquid accumulated in the bladder and two anal bladders. After some time, the female can lay eggs again. Then the female buries the hole and compacts the soil, rising on outstretched legs and lowering herself with force.

Turtle owners often wonder: is it possible to breed land turtles at home? Female turtles often lay eggs in captivity. But often (as in birds) the eggs are unfertilized (fatty). And if your pet, living alone with you, laid eggs, then there is no point in incubating them. You will have nothing but disappointment

If you have several turtles, and you are sure that there are both males and females in the “herd”, and even more so, mating is noted, then it makes sense to start incubating the laid eggs. In captivity, turtles can mate and lay eggs year-round. To stimulate mating, many species require the presence of several males: without fighting, they do not show interest in females. During the “pregnancy” period, females need to increase the amount of vitamins D and E given, as well as feed and supplements with a high calcium content. We must not forget about irradiating animals with ultraviolet radiation. Stimulates sexual activity and enhances lighting.

Turtles can lay eggs even on the floor, but it is advisable to make a special nest box for this purpose. It must be of sufficient size so that the animal can choose a place in it to dig a hole. For large species (red-footed and other turtles) it should have dimensions of 1.2 1.2-0.6 m. In order for the animal to get into it, a gentle gangway with slats stuffed on it is attached to one of the sides of the box or it is installed in a special hole in the floor of the terrarium. For smaller or larger animals, the dimensions of the nest box must be changed. The necessary substrate is placed in the nest box almost to the top: for desert species - sand, for forest species - a mixture of sphagnum, peat and sand. The substrate must be kept moist.

Layed eggs should be transferred to the incubator as quickly as possible. Unlike bird eggs, turtle eggs, like all reptiles, cannot be turned over. To avoid confusing the orientation of the eggs, carefully draw a dash, cross, or write a number on the top side of the egg using a soft pencil or felt-tip pen.

In the simplest case, you can use an aquarium as an incubator or adapt a foam box. The incubator is equipped with a lid with ventilation holes (in the foam version - a transparent plexiglass door). Ventilation is a must - stale, humid air can lead to mold. But it is important not to overdry the eggs; to do this, place containers with periodically topped up water in the incubator. You cannot spray eggs with a spray bottle! Condensation formed on the incubator lid should also not fall on the incubated eggs.

Regardless of the design of the incubator, it must have a heater (in extreme cases, an ordinary incandescent light bulb) and a thermostat. The heater power should be in the range of 15-40 W. It depends on the temperature in the room where the incubator is installed and on its size. The incubation temperature for most species should be between 28-30˚C. At higher temperatures, newborn turtles may experience various deformities. In a number of species, the sex of the born animal depends on the incubation temperature. So, at high temperatures, only females hatch, and at lower temperatures, males hatch. The air humidity in the incubator should be 80-100%. The incubator must be ventilated at least once a week.

Rice. The structure of a simple incubator: 1 - a container with water to humidify the air; 2 - ventilation holes; 3 - incubator body; 4 - thermometer; 5 - incandescent lamp; 6 - thermostat; 7 - eggs; 8 - cuvette with substrate

The development time of the embryo depends on temperature and lasts from two to fourteen months (in the Central Asian tortoise - about two months). If the incubator contains eggs from different clutches or from different species of animals, it is better to place them in separate plastic containers with a lid. To prevent air from stagnating in them, a large number of holes must be made in the walls of the containers, and when ventilating the incubator, remove the lids from the containers for a short time.

Before hatching, the turtle makes a hole in the shell. It stays in the egg for about a day (sometimes longer), feeding on the contents of the yolk sac. Under no circumstances should you take the baby out of there! Let him leave his cradle himself. To prevent babies from accidentally damaging the remains of the yolk sac after leaving the shell, some American breeders recommend carefully washing the sac with a solution of betadine (a pharmaceutical drug) and carefully bandaging it with a soft cloth to the turtle’s shell. Remove the napkin after the bag has completely dissolved. Newborn turtles are kept at the same temperature as adult animals. A damp mixture of peat and sand should be poured onto the bottom of a small aquarium or terrarium. You can also use slightly damp paper towels. Babies of forest species do not tolerate dry air well!

In nature, newborn turtles of some species usually remain in the nest until the following spring, but in captivity they are usually not overwintered. Feed babies a variety of plant foods. It is important that it is soft and nutritious enough.

The red-eared (aka yellow-bellied) turtle is one of the most popular pets. Many owners of these wonderful reptiles are thinking about breeding them. The reasons for this are very different: someone wants to increase the number of pets without buying them, but by raising them themselves from birth to adulthood.

Some are thinking about starting to sell grown turtles, others plan to give them to friends and acquaintances. The motives can be very different, but people often make the same mistakes. To avoid them, you need to know a few key things (this is the bare minimum):

What conditions should be created for the breeding of turtles?
How to determine their gender
How do turtles mate in captivity?
What to do with eggs. Egg incubator.
How to care for newborn turtles and what to feed them.

If man decided to breed turtles, we can assume that he already knows the basic things: how to arrange an aquaterrarium, what to feed the pets, how often to change the water, etc. If anyone still has doubts about how properly organized the “living space” is for their favorite reptiles, and If you don’t want to re-read a huge amount of material, it’s easy to find short but informative videos on the Internet about how everything should be arranged.

It is important to understand that the conditions necessary for turtles to survive and grow may not be sufficient for them to reproduce. What do you need to consider to make everything work?

Necessary nuances

Males reach puberty earlier approximately in the fifth year of life, while in females in the sixth year. Many people either don’t know this difference or forget about it. Naturally, in this case nothing happens.

If there are several turtles, it is better when for several females there is one male. This will help avoid conflicts between “boys” and possible injuries. You can understand what sex a reptile is no earlier than it is one year old. Males are smaller in size, but have larger claws and tails. The lower part of the shell also helps to understand the gender - in boys it has a very noticeable “dent”.

For mating It is recommended to place the female and male in a separate aquarium. It must be filled with clean, settled water. Temperature is extremely important - it should be warmer than the water in the “main” aquaterrarium. The fact is that a change in water and an increase in its temperature are an important additional incentive for red-eared turtles to mate.

In order for turtles to mate, they need water., but at the same time the male can get carried away and not allow the female to surface. Therefore, the depth in this “special” aquarium should be small, about 10–12 centimeters.

Before mating interesting “marriage games” take place: The male swims close to the female, periodically tickling her face with his claws and hitting her shell with the front edge of his shell. On YOUTUBE you can find a video of exactly how the “flirting” of red-eared turtles occurs.

The duration of sexual intercourse is on average 7–15 minutes. If, after “relocating” to a separate aquarium, the reptiles do not pay attention to each other, then they need to be resettled for a couple of days.

It is better to separate a pregnant female from the male, as he may involuntarily injure her.

Care of masonry and newborns

Red-eared turtles lay eggs in sand or soil. It is better not to leave the clutch unattended: leaving everything as is, it is more difficult to control development and increases the risk of losing all the eggs. They may be accidentally damaged by the turtles themselves, or mold may develop on the eggs.

It is best to transfer the eggs to an incubator.. This must be done extremely carefully, trying not only not to damage, but not even to turn them. Some experts advise marking the top surface of the eggs with a marker, which makes it easier to control their position.

The temperature in the incubator is set between 21–30 degrees. Changes are unacceptable, so I did not want to place the incubator in a place that would not allow:

exposure to direct sunlight
drafts

Development of the embryo lasts from two months to six months. After the babies hatch, they must be “separated” from the adult turtles. If it is not possible to place them in a separate aquaterrarium, you need to at least fence off a separate area for them inside the main one. In order for the “young animals” to grow and develop normally, it is necessary to periodically allow them to “warm up” under the rays of UV lamps.

The ideal food for newborn red-eared turtles is raw, lean fish. To ensure that the food is balanced, it is worth periodically feeding the babies with special food for newborn turtles.

Resume

Without following these rules it will be impossible to get offspring from these wonderful reptiles. It is important to understand that, like any other animal, red-eared turtles reproduce less well in captivity than in the wild. To succeed, you will have to put in a lot of effort and create the most comfortable conditions for the turtles.

Length and growth rate of turtles

The change in the length of the turtles can be seen by the light seams between the carapace scutes. If the turtle grows quickly, the new horny layers along the periphery of the scutes become very light, then processes of pigment cells (dermal melanophores) grow there and pigment is transferred along them, usually in the form of thin rays or dark spots. When these growth rings age, the pigmented zones will not differ from the previous ones. This is the cost of accelerated growth in captivity.(c) D.B. Vasiliev.

The growth stripes of land turtles should not be too wide, otherwise this will indicate overfeeding.

As young turtles grow, their body shape and shell color change. The shell elongates and darkens. When the turtle grows and becomes sexually mature, if it is a male, then it may have a depression on the plastron, a thicker and longer tail, and long claws. Eye color and nose color may also change.

In all turtles, sex is established when the egg is formed. In some species of turtles it is. But most often, sex is determined in turtles when they become sexually mature based on secondary sexual characteristics. This usually occurs in nature at the age of 6 - 8 years, at home at the age of 2-5 years and the shell length is 9-11 cm. The larger the turtle, the longer it takes to grow and reach puberty. It is most convenient to determine sex in comparison with other turtles. Turtles living in captivity become sexually mature faster than those living in the wild.

There are several other methods, but they are used quite rarely. This is the determination of hormones in a blood test, radiography, ultrasound. On x-rays you can see the bones of the hemipenis (in some monitor lizards and geckos). Ultrasound is often uninformative due to the small size of the testes and ovaries. The female can be recognized by ultrasound during the formation of follicles. Analysis of hormones is informative in sexually mature individuals, but there are fluctuations in the level of the hormone depending on the mating season (during the rutting period, testosterone levels increase sharply).

Red-eared turtles

A sexually mature male, seeing a female (or something similar to her), swims straight to her muzzle and positions himself nose-to-nose. The female swims forward, and the male swims backward, tickling the female’s chin with his long claws. By the long claws and this behavior, it is easy to determine who is male in the aquarium and who is female. Males are usually not aggressive towards females, but “ladies” can bite a “gentleman” that is boring them.
A female who shows that she is pleased with the male’s advances, he “mounts” and begins to mate.

Group formation:

In order for turtles to begin to reproduce, there must be several healthy adult males and females in one fenced area (large terrarium or outdoor enclosure) at suitable temperature and humidity. Turtles mate all year round, but only when they are full and warm. Males prefer larger females. It is better to have several females and one male in a group. With fringed turtles (Testudo marginata), it is customary to allow one male to approach the female during mating; to caiman 1:2 (male:female), to other freshwater 2:1, to most land 3:1.

Behavior of pregnant females

It is better to immediately separate a pregnant female from the male, since during the mating period males can be aggressive and can harm even an already pregnant female. Before laying, females become restless, eat poorly, and fence off their territory. Pregnant female aquatic turtles spend a lot of time on land, basking under a lamp. During this time, she may refuse to eat. Try to offer her a variety of foods with good calcium supplements. Pregnancy lasts about 2 months, but if the female does not find a suitable place to lay eggs, she can continue to carry them for some time.

The sex of turtles is formed during the development of the embryo in the egg. There are two mechanisms for determining sex - TSD (temperature sex determination) and GSD (genotypic sex determination - genetic sex determination). In the first case, the formation of the turtle’s sex is influenced by the incubation temperature, and this happens in most species of turtles. If the average incubation temperature is 26-28 C, then males will hatch. If the temperature is 30-32, then females will be born. At intermediate temperatures, the percentage of males and females in the clutch will be equal.

Turtle eggs can be of different shapes (from round to oval) and different sizes, but have a typical structure for all turtles. The eggs of most land turtles and some freshwater turtles (for example, the European marsh turtle) have a hard and fragile shell, like chicken eggs. In most aquatic and some land (genus manouria) the shell is not fragile and leathery.

Egg fertilization

Turtles, like birds, can lay fatty or unfertilized eggs even in the absence of males. If you only have one female and she laid eggs, then they are unfertilized (fatty). Nothing will ever hatch from such eggs. Female turtles found in the wild during the summer are most likely pregnant, so their eggs must be incubated.

There are two types of incubators: homemade and industrial.

Homemade incubator

A homemade incubator is usually a closed glass or plastic container containing a cuvette with substrate and eggs, a container with liquid for humidification, and a heater to maintain the temperature, which is measured by some kind of thermometer. Read more about homemade incubators in the "Master classes" section.

Before hatching, turtles cut the egg shell from the inside using an egg tooth, which is located between the outer nostril and the upper jaw. It disappears within a few hours or the first days of life of the little turtles.

After hatching from the eggs, young turtles do not leave the holes where the eggs were laid for a long period. The movement of turtles creates small chambers in the ground in which they sit. There is no need to try to help the animals leave the egg. Baby turtles typically spend 1 to 3 days inside broken or cracked shells. If the turtle does not hatch within this period, it needs help. The turtle needs help when it cannot make a full cut or makes one in the wall of the egg facing the ground or the attachment point of another egg.

Hermaphrodite is a word that came to us from the Greek language. A long time ago, according to ancient Greek mythology, Hermes and Aphrodite had a son, who received the name Hermaphrodite, by adding the names of his parents. And at the request of the highest gods, Hermaphroditus was united with the nymph Salmacis so that their bodies formed one creature. The creature was bisexual - it had characteristics of male and female. In the scientific literature, hermaphrodites are designated as follows - ♂♀.♂ - this is a designation of the male gender, a symbol of the spear and shield of the god of war, Mars. A ♀ is a designation of the female gender, a symbol of the mirror of the goddess of beauty, Venus.

Turtles are one of the oldest animals on Earth. Such animals are quite popular among exotic lovers, but for reptiles it is necessary to create special conditions within the house, as well as to properly maintain and feed them. To breed such exotic species, you will need to know how turtles reproduce.

Housing

There are breeders who believe that turtles can live comfortably in a cardboard box. But this is far from true; they cannot be kept in a box. For optimal and comfortable conditions, reptiles will need to make or buy a terrarium with high walls. Soil or coarse sand is poured onto the bottom of the dwelling. The corner part of the house can be equipped with a small canopy. These conditions become as close to natural as possible, and therefore reptiles will be able to reproduce normally.

A reptile terrarium should be equipped with heating systems, as many breeds of reptiles need to receive UV light. Red-eared turtles especially need ultraviolet light. The lamps should be located at such a distance that the pet does not get burns. You will need to make several holes in the walls of the terrarium for ventilation. For red-eared turtles and other aquatic inhabitants, you will need to make a small pond.

Reproduction

Breeding turtles at home is not a simple and painstaking task. The main thing is to provide reptiles with all the comfortable conditions for reproduction and existence, we are talking about nutrition, hibernation, and a properly equipped terrarium. In order for the young to be strong and healthy, the parents must also be absolutely healthy.

If the turtles do not want to reproduce, they can be stimulated. To do this, you can use heat and light. In addition, it should be noted that with only one pair in the terrarium, the chances that the reptiles will mate are very small. The best option for breeding is to keep one female and a pair of young males.

To stimulate, you can change the temperature and humidity in the terrarium, and also increase the period of daylight. To begin with, you can reduce the temperature a little and at the same time increase the air humidity, as well as increase the time of day. At the next stage of stimulation, all actions are repeated, but in the reverse order.

Wintering

An equally common method that will allow turtles to reproduce is to cool them. To do this, you need to place each individual individual in turn in rag bags and put it in sphagnum moss. The container with reptiles itself will need to be placed in a cool place, in which the temperature will be from 0 to 12 degrees.

To prevent dehydration in reptiles, you need to spray the filler with water daily. Often, the artificial wintering method must be carried out for one month. Next, the container with the reptiles needs to be brought back into the apartment and after a couple of pets can be transferred to their terrarium. They will need to turn on a heat lamp and increase daylight hours to 15-16 hours. During this period, the diet should be rich in vitamin E. This method will allow the turtles to begin to reproduce.

Mating games

Reproduction of turtles does not take place without mating games. Thus, the reproduction of red-eared turtles is carried out like this: when the male sees a female in the water, he will begin to swim to her head. After this, the reptiles touch each other with their noses, while both reptiles behave friendly.

Red-eared turtles also mate in water. Before mating begins, the male seems to begin tickling the female’s head with his claws. During this period, the reptile's paws vibrate slightly. During mating, the male can hit his partner’s shell very hard; as a rule, this behavior is seen only in old turtles. The time of sexual intercourse in animals ranges from 5 to 15 minutes. After this, the female waits for night and goes to lay eggs.

Breeding turtles, which are land animals, reproduce using slightly different methods. Animals become active at the end of the spring period. At this time, males may begin to fight each other for first place in the breeding queue. At this time, the female begins to show one of the males her desire to begin sexual intercourse. This manifests itself in stopping movements and calm behavior.

At such a time, the male cautiously approaches the female from behind and begins to sniff the tail area, after which he climbs onto the shell. Such actions take quite a long time. When the male is comfortably positioned on the female, mating will begin. At this moment, the male will cling tightly to his partner’s neck with his mouth.

Swamp turtles behave differently during the mating season, unlike the described reptile species. Before mating, the male displays active, persistent and sometimes very aggressive behavior. If the chosen one is on land, the male will begin to pursue her. In this case, the partner begins to swim in the pond, the male climbs on her and powerfully clings to the shell with the help of his claws. In this position, he begins to bang his head against his partner’s head or can grab her neck with his teeth, thereby blocking unnecessary movements. Such are the flirtations of swamp reptiles before mating.

Pregnancy

After the turtles finish mating, the breeders will need to immediately place the reptiles in different aquariums. This is due to the fact that males may begin to show aggression towards the female. The eggs are carried by the female for about 2-3 months; during gestation, her behavior is restless; experienced breeders who breed reptiles advise giving the animals fresh foods that are rich in vitamins.

The temperature should fluctuate around 22-26 degrees. Owners will need to prepare dry land in the terrarium for laying eggs. Preparation consists of making a hole in the soil and placing a small container of sphagnum there so that it is at the same level with the soil or sand. When the eggs are laid, the mother forgets about her babies. Therefore, owners will need to pick up the container from the aquarium and place the eggs in the incubator.

The young mother should be isolated from other animals for several days. In addition, her diet should be increased and saturated for 2-3 weeks. This is necessary to restore the female’s strength.

You need to set the temperature in the incubator to around 29 degrees and try to stick to it throughout the incubation period. The sand in the incubator must be no less than 20 cm high. A container of water must be installed in the incubator itself; it will be installed under the air heating lamp.

Breeders can make their own incubator directly from a glass jar or aquarium. It is prohibited to turn eggs during the incubation period and, if necessary, they should be transported with extreme caution. After 90 days, young animals begin to emerge from the egg. Once hatched, reptiles will need to be immediately placed in terrariums or aquariums, but it should be remembered that not all eggs can be fertilized.

Caring for young animals

Breeding turtles does not end only with the production of young animals from eggs. Breeders need to know how to care for a newborn. Reptiles break through eggshells using their teeth, which are located at the end of their nose. After a couple of days of life, such a fang disappears on its own. Any young animal has transverse folds on the plastron, which are directly related to the location of the animal in the egg. Young animals are prohibited from being placed in a common terrarium with other adults.

This is due to the fact that adult reptiles do not have maternal instincts, which means they can injure young animals or even kill them. Young animals can be kept in the same temperature conditions as adults. It is necessary to include the maximum amount of plant foods in the diet, as well as add calcium. The bottom of their home is covered with special soil, which is used for specific types of turtles. You can buy it at any pet store.

By studying the question of how to breed turtles at home and how the mating process goes, you can get quite a large offspring. If necessary, you can put reptile breeding on stream and build a business on it, especially since exotic animals are gaining popularity today.