Macleay river turtle breeding?

[Friller2009]

Hi all, i’ve had my trio of macleay river turtles for almost 6 years now and i was wondering how to tell if one has eggs.
my parents have said that they have seen breeding behaviour and one of my females is getting very larger compared to the other female. The male is 7 years old and unrelated to the females.
i was wondering if they would be old enough to actually breed.
if so what do use to let her lay her eggs if she is egg bound?
i currently have them in a 5ft fish tank without a proper land area besides a basking spot.
Would a box filled with natural river sand work?
Anyway, thanks.
Friller
The box with river sand
The bigger female
The big female and smaller female

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Hi mate, turtles become sexually mature at a certain size, has nothing to do with their age. Males are mature at 1/2 their full grown adult size and females at 2/3 their full adult size. Courtship and mating behaviours can be observed in maturing sub adults for many years before the female actually becomes gravid. Also, it's still only August... if your female was even gravid yet, it's way too early for her to be checked by palpation (recommended) nor will she be interested in laying.
[automerge]1629307071[/automerge]

Hi mate, turtles become sexually mature at a certain size, has nothing to do with their age. Males are mature at 1/2 their full grown adult size and females at 2/3 their full adult size. Courtship and mating behaviours can be observed in maturing sub adults for many years before the female actually becomes gravid. Also, it's still only August... if your female was even gravid yet, it's way too early for her to be checked by palpation (recommended) nor will she be interested in laying
When I finish work today I'll give you more in depth info about nesting boxes and media as plain river sand won't work, it'll keep collapsing as she tries to dig.

[automerge]1629442862[/automerge]
Hi again @Friller2009 sorry for the delay, been flat out here... I've dug up an old thread of mine with some info in it for you.
https://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/threads/breeding-season-2019-preparations.225481/#post-2528795

 

[Friller2009]

Hi mate, turtles become sexually mature at a certain size, has nothing to do with their age. Males are mature at 1/2 their full grown adult size and females at 2/3 their full adult size. Courtship and mating behaviours can be observed in maturing sub adults for many years before the female actually becomes gravid. Also, it's still only August... if your female was even gravid yet, it's way too early for her to be checked by palpation (recommended) nor will she be interested in laying.
[automerge]1629307071[/automerge]

[automerge]1629442862[/automerge]
Hi again @Friller2009 sorry for the delay, been flat out here... I've dug up an old thread of mine with some info in it for you.
https://www.aussiepythons.com/forum...-2019-preparations.225481/#post-2528795[/URL

Thanks! Super helpful!
What’s palpitation and how do you check them with it?

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Thanks! Super helpful!
What’s palpitation and how do you check them with it?

Where you gently press your thumbs into the rear limb pockets and feel for the presence of eggs. You need to feel in an inward/forward/upward direction if that makes sense and it needs to be gentle because if you rupture an egg inside her she will get peritonitis and die.

 

[Kachua]

@Friller2009 Over the years I have found this method to be most effective. Using the two middle fingers to palpate.....you are then able to gain a good grip on the turtle with the other fingers and your thumb.
Video attached.