THIS CONTENT IS ARCHIVED Body Kansas City, Mo. – Rain is just another form of wet for red-eared slider turtles, who spend their time in and out of water in ponds, sloughs, and rivers. One advantage though is that rain softens the ground for digging a hole to bury eggs in. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) notes
the turtles are a popular photo subject for wildlife watchers, but it’s an unusual treat if you spy them laying eggs. A female slider at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City made a short, mid-day, egg-laying trek from the pond to some nearby shrubs on June 25. The turtles use their strong back legs with webbed feet and claws to dig a hole. Females lower their backsides over the hole, squeeze out the egg from an ovipositor, and then immediately use their hind legs to bury the egg. Then they repeat the process with the next egg. In late summer or early autumn, the hatched turtles will emerge and begin exploring. In Missouri, large females can lay up to 30 eggs, said Jeff Briggler, MDC scientist and herpetologist. They may lay the largest and most developed eggs in the clutch first. Then a week or two later they may lay and bury the remaining eggs in the clutch. Many hatched turtles won’t survive. But the red-eared slider is abundant because they can live and survive in many types of habitats, including human dominated places. Visitors to the Discovery Center’s outdoor garden trails often snap photos of them sunbathing on logs or rock. But not often are eggs spotted. An hour after the Discovery Center turtle laid her eggs, the spot was completely level and covered with mulch. There were few visible signs that she had dug in that spot. For more information on red-slider turtles in Missouri, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZV4. What month do redRed Ear Turtles lay their eggs between May through early July. A female might lay from two to 30 eggs, with larger females having larger clutches. One female can lay up to five clutches in the same year, and clutches are usually spaced 12 to 36 days apart. Eggs hatch 60 to 90 days after they have been laid.
How often does a redThe eggs are fertilized during the egg-laying process. Different clutches are laid about two to five weeks apart, and a single female can lay as many as 30 eggs during a season, which explains why the turtles are as widespread and numerous as they are.
How do redA red-eared slider turtle prepares to lay eggs by digging a hole with her hind legs. The female drops the eggs into the hole, then quickly buries each one before laying the next. The turtle and the eggs are vulnerable to predators at this time, so they quickly lay and bury the eggs.
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Where do red eared slider turtles lay eggs
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