Gravid behavior - advise needed

Hanako · 27-10-2014, 07:58 PM

One of my big girls has been displaying gravid behavior. She has been pacing around for the last few days and I was wondering, but overnight/early morning she dug a hole and then covered it back without laying anything. Today she has been pacing around the enclosure and mounting other females of her size or bigger (although she did not do any aggression towards the smaller ones). She also tried to bite the hind legs of another adult female. (This was quite shocking for me, because this possibly pregnant female is the most gentle creature; I don't think I have ever seen her bite anyone, including me when I was forced to tube feed her in the past).

Is there anything I can do to encourage her lay the eggs? When my other female laid eggs a year ago, it was so unexpected that I did not have all this worries, but now I am recognising the signs and it brings a whole new set of worries. What if she doesn't lay it? Could the eggs go rotten in her?

I think I made the conditions right, there is a corner where the soil is warm, deep and damp so I am not sure why she didn't like it. The other one a year ago did like it, so it must be right! What if she is too picky?

How long your tortoises behave like this before they lay? Is it normal that she could be doing this for perhaps even a week? (I am not sure if my nerves will last so long!) Or do your tortoises just get on with it?

**egyptiandan64** · 27-10-2014, 11:23 PM

Usually covering a nest and not laying eggs would be a phantom pregnancy. For piece of mind I'd take her to the vets and get an X-ray done to see if she really does have eggs.

Danny

Hanako · 28-10-2014, 07:48 AM

Thank you Dan. I will wait a few days just in case that she decides to lay the eggs and then I will take her to vet. This morning it was the same like yesterday - a hole dug with her hind legs. In fact, she is still digging. The hole looks quite pretty - not sure what she wouldn't like about it if she doesn't lay.

Hanako · 28-10-2014, 08:55 AM

She laid!!! I am proud mother of 5 eggs! (I hope they are fertile!)

**egyptiandan64** · 28-10-2014, 12:07 PM

That's great news

Danny

emma_mcraf · 28-10-2014, 12:16 PM

Brilliant news. Fingers crossed they're fertile. Please let us know how they get on.

27-10-2014, 07:58 PM	#1
Hanako Member Hatchling Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 690	Gravid behavior - advise needed One of my big girls has been displaying gravid behavior. She has been pacing around for the last few days and I was wondering, but overnight/early morning she dug a hole and then covered it back without laying anything. Today she has been pacing around the enclosure and mounting other females of her size or bigger (although she did not do any aggression towards the smaller ones). She also tried to bite the hind legs of another adult female. (This was quite shocking for me, because this possibly pregnant female is the most gentle creature; I don't think I have ever seen her bite anyone, including me when I was forced to tube feed her in the past). Is there anything I can do to encourage her lay the eggs? When my other female laid eggs a year ago, it was so unexpected that I did not have all this worries, but now I am recognising the signs and it brings a whole new set of worries. What if she doesn't lay it? Could the eggs go rotten in her? I think I made the conditions right, there is a corner where the soil is warm, deep and damp so I am not sure why she didn't like it. The other one a year ago did like it, so it must be right! What if she is too picky? How long your tortoises behave like this before they lay? Is it normal that she could be doing this for perhaps even a week? (I am not sure if my nerves will last so long!) Or do your tortoises just get on with it? Last edited by Hanako; 27-10-2014 at 08:13 PM.

27-10-2014, 11:23 PM	#2
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	Usually covering a nest and not laying eggs would be a phantom pregnancy. For piece of mind I'd take her to the vets and get an X-ray done to see if she really does have eggs. Danny __________________

28-10-2014, 12:07 PM	#5
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	That's great news Danny __________________

28-10-2014, 12:16 PM	#6
emma_mcraf Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 11,365	Brilliant news. Fingers crossed they're fertile. Please let us know how they get on. __________________ Emma Testudo Hermanni 5.12.2:Theo, Tamara, Tabitha, Harriet, Isabelle, Clara, Oscar, Hugo, Oliver, Florence, Arabella, Esmé, Aurelia, Felicia, Claudia, Atticus, Celestia, Amaris, Tristan and Clementine Budgies: Jasper, Ivo, Otis, Henry, Louie and Luca Doggies: 1.1.0 Chester and Lottie

28-10-2014, 07:48 AM	#3
Hanako Member Hatchling Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 690	Thank you Dan. I will wait a few days just in case that she decides to lay the eggs and then I will take her to vet. This morning it was the same like yesterday - a hole dug with her hind legs. In fact, she is still digging. The hole looks quite pretty - not sure what she wouldn't like about it if she doesn't lay.

28-10-2014, 08:55 AM	#4
Hanako Member Hatchling Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 690	She laid!!! I am proud mother of 5 eggs! (I hope they are fertile!)

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