Ninja Turtle

[iluvsmyreptiles]

My female Kreffts river turtle has been bashing up the male
She is being such a bitch to him! I just had to seperate them...has anyone else had this with their turts?

 

[wattso]

Yup. more info please, age/size of both, general behaviour?

 

[iluvsmyreptiles]

Both are about 4 years old. They are about the same size - 15cm across shell.
Whenever he goes anywhere near her she bites him ferociously and chases him all over the tank. She doesn't stop until he is out of the water and away from her.
She bites him on the shell, the head, tail, neck, basically anywhere she can get him.
They've been together for years in the same set-up and this behaviour is only very recent (2 wks)

 

[wattso]

likely the male is making advances, is he head bobbing, paddling her with his feet? is this anytime or near/after feeding? are they fed together? any recent changes to their enviroment?
how big is the setup? pond or tank. could be a space issue too. p.s. dont think hes sexually mature its usually at about 18cm carapace lenth but could be early. she would normally be nesting now [could be why she wont let him near] they nest from oct thru jan.

 

[iluvsmyreptiles]

It is a 9ft tank with a quarter of that land to bask on.

He tried to mate with her before all this started...but he hasn't been trying recently. It happens ALL the time now, regardless of feeding. No recent changes to environment.

 

[wattso]

lucky turts 9ft sounds great. maybe you could get her palpitated to check for eggs. he may have been successful. they can become eggbound though. any soil or vermiculite etc for her to lay in.? do you change temps and photoperiod according to season?

 

[iluvsmyreptiles]

There is soil there for her.
I do change temps etc according to season.
They have never bred before.
What is eggbound for a turtle?

 

[wattso]

stress can cause them to delay depositing the eggs. if you gently [very gently] feel with two fingers inside the rear limb pocket[hollow where the leg comes out] you may be able to feel the eggs. but if your not sure a vet can do it for you. if you think she may be gravid or find out she is you can prep a large tub with deep layer of vermiculite dampened a bit and put her in there. this also may stress her and make her retain them awhile, you would hasv to return her to the water to eat/drink/poo etc every day for atleat 2 hrs till she lays. if she lays in the water you've got less than 4 hrs to fish em out or the embryos will drown. but, check first, she may not be mature or him, . check with your vet mate.

 

[iluvsmyreptiles]

Thanks heaps Wattso.
How often after they mate do they lay?

 

[wattso]

how long? they get fresh from about april onwards mating. usually they do the biz during sep and oct after cooling or hibernation, then nest/lay soon after .takes about 48 days incubation atabout 30c. hard to judge when she might lay without a good idea when they mated though.

 

[iluvsmyreptiles]

Excellent
I'll book her an appointment with the vet tomorrow.
Cheers

 

[wattso]

Good stuff, hope she is mate. baby turts rock!

 

[iluvsmyreptiles]

Thx,
I hope so too!