AboutMark Adkins Expertise I will be glad to help with your tortoise- and turtle-related questions. My specialty is Red-foot and other Tortoises, but I can help with many aspects of turtle care.
Understand- I am not a vet, and the more information you can give me, the more accurate my answer can be.
(Because of the number of questions I get, I reserve the right to direct you to a good website that will help rather than re-inventing the wheel.)
Experience Tortoise and other reptile keeper since 1964.
Member of the Nebraska Herpetological Society.
Author of books and articles on tortoise care.
Currently own five Red-foot Tortoises.
Expert: Mark Adkins Date: 7/19/2008 Subject: red eared slider turtles
Question about breeding how can you tell when the female is pregnant? dont the males have to fertalize the eggs?for the mateing dance what dose it mean if both of them move there claws fast at each others faces? and last how do u tell if there male or female?
Answer Turtles can be tough- they hide a lot inside that shell.
Pregnant- the eggs can be felt under the skin around the hind legs. Eventually you can usually see the bulges of the eggs.
Mating dance- when the dance is done between turtles that cannot or will not mate (too young, wrong sex, etc.) it is instead a ritual combat, domination, or bullying. We often see Red-ears bully each other, especially if the tank is too small (they don't really like cage mates.)
Male or female- can't really do it until they are sexually mature- about 4-5" long in this species. At that time, the males develop long front claws, a long tail, and an incurved belly. Female nails stay short, the tails are stubbier, and the belly is flat or outcurved.
