# A bit early to be hatching?



## NoOne (Sep 29, 2003)

Found this little eastern long neck when i was fishing the other day, he was only a day or so old cause he still had a bit of umbilical cord attached.

My question is for all the turtle keepers out there, when do eastern long necks start laying/hatchling?
To me it seems a bit early but i've never bred turtles so i wouldn't know.

Before anyone asks it's sitting on a fishing reel


----------



## zoe (Sep 29, 2003)

a friend of mine has 2 turtles that got a little too friendly a little too often just recently and now i am godmother to 8 god-eggs! what i'm wondering is they seem to be coming out one by one and the pet store tells her she'll have 20-30...anyone want a baby turtle?


----------



## Guest (Sep 29, 2003)

SOmeturtles it takes nearly a year to hatch it says in john weigls book care to australian reptiles in captivity in the care sheet section


----------



## snakehunter (Sep 29, 2003)

I saw a wild female laying her eggs on the edge of our dam on 1/12/02 and they hatched out on 21/2/03. They should only be mating about now, no babies yet. Chances are it is one of last season's babies as they are very small when hatched and grow very slowly, therefore it could just be one from last season. How sure are you that it is an umbilical cord?


----------



## africancichlidau (Sep 29, 2003)

Well, my Longis are only just coming out occasionally from Brumation. It is illegal, (here in vic anyway),to sell or otherwise dispose of them before the shell is 100mm in length.


----------



## NoOne (Sep 29, 2003)

If it wasn't an umbilical cord i don't have a clue what it was, still had blood inside and looked very similar to snakes or lizards umbilical cord , i tried to get a pic of it but it wouldn't show up very well.
The turtle seemed to be in great shape and swam off under a rock when i let him go.
His shell was also quite soft.

I assume turtles multi clutch? It has been a very mild winter this year and i started seeing turtles on the road in mid Aug.

But like i said seems a bit early to be hatching.


----------



## Pinkie (Sep 30, 2003)

Sounds like the umbilical cord to me.
When I worked with Green Sea Turtle hatchlings they had very obvious ones, and they don't go away until a few of days after hatching. They usually are a little bloody/yolky and extend from the middle of the plastron (underneath shell), as well they have very soft shells when they first hatch.
Sounds like an early hatcher!


----------

