How to Breed a Turtle
Turtle enthusiasts likely know breeding turtles can be a difficult undertaking. Due to encroachment of their habitat, several turtles are producing fewer clutches, and numbers of wild turtles continue to drop. If you have the patience, and a pair of willing turtles, it can be a valuable service to mate them to ensure continuity of the species. Some breeds are easier to mate than others. Red-eared sliders are an adaptable species and usually good for novice turtle breeders. Once you acquire the skills, consider acquiring and breeding some of the rarer types, like the Gibba GIbba Side Neck Turtle.
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Instructions
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Determine the gender of your turtles. The World Chelonian Trust has a useful resource that shows visual comparisons between male and female turtles of various species.
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Make sure the turtles are sexually mature. Sexual maturity is typically related to the size of the carapace, rather than a specific age. For example, Red-eared slider males are usually sexually mature around two to five years old, once their carapaces reach 4 inches. Female Red-eared sliders usually mature when their carapaces are 6 or 7 inches, between the ages of five and seven.
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House the turtles in a proper habitat with plenty of space. Ensure they receive several hours of light each day, natural or artificial.
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Consider introducing a second male turtle if your breeding pair seems reluctant to mate. This might trigger a territorial display from the resident male and encourage the female to get ready to breed.
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Observe the female for signs of preparing to lay eggs. She will start digging nests and be more active than usual. Provide several areas of soft soil within the habitat, along with leaves, logs and other camouflaging material that allows the female to lay and bury her eggs. Alternately, collect any eggs and incubate them.
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Tips & Warnings
The incubation period varies among species, ranging from 45 days to more than a year.
The female can breed with multiple males and retain their sperm. She can produce eggs up to two years after a successful breeding.
Watch for signs of aggression among males sharing a habitat. They tend to get competitive when there is a female turtle ready to breed.
References
Resources
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