My RES

Question
Hi Jeannie! My RES female is 6 to 8 inches long fron the shell and is acting differnt. She won't go in the water as much as she used to, she is digging alot of holes, she is basking much more, and she only eats certain things. Could she be carrying eggs? Could you answer asap please? This has been happenig for sometime now.

Answer
Hi Julissa,

If she's digging with her hind legs then she's digging test nests and needs to lay.  If you provide her with a nesting area or box (or if she has a dirt area outside), she should lay if the conditions are right.  Make sure the soil isn't so loose that the hole will collapse.  She'll probably lose her appetite just before she lays, but if she's digging test nests she should lay within a few days or so.

If she's been with a male within the past few years, she could lay multiple clutches of fertile eggs.  You need to know that finding good homes for RES is very difficult, and many end up abandoned or in rescue.  In general, I don't recommend incubating RES eggs for this reason.  Something for you to consider.  It's a big responsibility!