Momma Turtle

[Magicman]

This is the first time that I have actually seen a turtle laying eggs:

The ground was dry and hard so she had to have brought the water to soften the dirt and make the mud.

And this is what the "nest" looked like after she covered the eggs. Smooth and level.

"Several weeks after mating, a female digs a hole with her hind feet and deposits 6 to 10 eggs in it. The eggs incubate for 2 - 3 months and the young often stay in the nest over the winter, emerging the next spring."

 

[Nicfin36]

Very cool. I have seen box turtles around here a couple of times laying eggs and I have gone back to the location later and have been impressed how difficult it was to tell where the eggs were buried.

 

[ehenry]

MagicMan, I've seen this twice at my place. Once in middle of my wide open back yard and another by the ditch close to the road in front of the house. Was the same type turtle in your pic both times.

 

[DaveFromMi]

This guy was going south down the driveway.

 

[Magicman]

I had gone all of my life without seeing a turtle digging a nest and laying eggs and then saw another yesterday:

Her hind legs were steadily digging.