how do you tell if the turtle eggs are fertile?

Question

I'm not sure if the eggs are fertile. Is there a way to tell? Do turtles often lay eggs that are not fertile?

I want to know if I need to incubate them.

Answer 1

Box Turtle Eggs
===============

* If your water turtle has laid eggs in the water bowl, and you didn't remove them
within a couple of hours, the eggs are probably dead.

* If your female turtle has not seen a male for more than three years, then the
eggs are probably infertile. However, box turtles have been known to keep sperm
around for longer than that.


1. Remove eggs after laying. DO NOT TURN OVER THE EGGS. (It is OK to mark the top
with a magic marker or a bit of charcoal).

2. Incubate in a box with moistened Vermiculate (equal parts of water and vermiculite
BY WEIGHT). You get Vermiculate at garden centers. Make small depressions into the
vermiculite and an gently position the eggs. If eggs stick together, you may try
to separate them, but if they don't come apart easily, it's better to just leave
them alone.
You can also use Shagum moss as the incubation medium. Bury the eggs into the
sphagum moss and keep it moist (not soggy).

http://www.turtlecare.net/eggs.htm

here is more info! good luck!

Are The Eggs Fertile?
=====================

(From a Turtle Homes Member)
Eggs from Turtles are fertilized as the eggs are being layed.
If the eggs had a mucous fell to them as they were lightly washed by the vet,
then maybe they are fertile. Even when I dig up fresh eggs from the ground,
as I clean them, if they rinse without any obvious slime on them they will be
duds. The slime is the Turtle sperm which actually penetrates the eggs as
they exit the Turtle and begin to harden.The tops of the eggs of my eggs turn
real white after a day or 2. Again, it is easier to see on paper toweling as
mentioned before.

Answer 2

How Are Turtle Eggs Fertilized

Answer 3

Yes, turtles often lay infertile eggs. Often they will dump them in the water.

There is no definite way to know if the eggs are fertile, unless if the female was never kept with a male from a hatchling; that is the only way you can know.

You can candle the eggs, by holding it up to the light (flash light) and look for veins or yolk. This is not a garantee and it is hard to do with some eggs.

The only sure way is to incubate. Incubate at 80% humidity at 80F will be suitablefor most turtle eggs. Here is an excellent link with pics how to make an homemade incubator for reptiles:
http://www.turtleforum.com/forum/upload/index.php?showtopic=57215&hl=incubator

They may start banding/chalking, thick whhite band around the egg, and this is not an indication whether or not it is fertile. I've had eggs that banded, but fizzled.

Anyway, after around 70-90 days the eggs will pipe. That is your sign. This may seem troublesome, but it's the only way you can tell with certainy.

If you have RES (red eared slider) eggs, chuck them out. There are 1000s of unwanted slider for adoption in American and they are bred by literally by 10s of millions on turtle farms in southern US (Lousiana) for mostly export. We are inundated with RES, please do not produce any more. If you do want to incubate, be ready to find homes for them.

Answer 4

I think you have to check it under a bright light and there's supposed to be the yolk and like a little dark dot. Which is the embryo. If not, then wait a while until you can see a difference.

Answer 5

When the little turtles crawl out then you know they are fertile....

I don't know if it is possible to candle them like eggs or not to tell.