I have a red ear slider turtle and a painted turtle in one cage and I have noticed eggs in there..What do I do

Question

Can a red ear slider turtle and a painted turtle mate...I have them together in a tank and I noticed five eggs in there today..How long does it take for them to hatch...and what do I need to do?

Answer 1

Female turtles can lay eggs even without being fertilized first, like chicken eggs. Whichever of your turtles is a female probably just popped some eggs out because it is unlikely that the two mated, as they are different species (though related). If your turtles are both female, then they are definitely unfertilized and will not hatch into cute little babies. If they were actually fertilized, she would most likely be looking for a land area to dig a hole and lay them in, so I wouldn't worry about the eggs. (Your turtles might eat them, so if you just want to save them for observation, put them in a small separate container).

Answer 2

Take the painted turtle out and put a male red slider in there (if its a female) it can possibly die if the eggs arent fertalized right.

Answer 3

It is unlikely they are mating- they are different genera of turtles.

Turtles in captivity often lay infertile eggs, and if the eggs are in water, they are guaranteed infertile.

This sometimes happens with sheer age, but can also be a sign of stress, perhaps overcrowding.

Check out http://www.austinsturtlepage.com for other ideas and advice.