Rescued Turtle Lays Eggs in Marymount University Lab!

Dr. Rimkus recently rescued a big common snapping turtle.  She was hit by a car, and he had to glue her shell (that’s the white lines you see in the picture below.)

 

Big Mama

 

Exciting, right?  Well, she was also carrying eggs!  When she first came to us a few weeks ago, she was skittish and moved to the back of her tank when people came by.  She’s gotten used to us and seems to be much more content.  I nicknamed her “Big Mama.”

On Tuesday of this week, Melany and Dr. Rimkus used injections of oxytocin to induce egg-laying.  It worked really well and luckily for Melany she laid 19 eggs that same day!

 

Big Mama's Eggs

 

The process was very similar to last year when approximately 40 mother turtles were laying eggs at the same time and keeping Melany up night and day.  This time, there was only one mother to be checked up on, and because the eggs aren’t part of research they didn’t need to be weighed and numbered.  However, they did need to be removed from the tub Big Mama was laying in quickly, before she could accidentally squish them, and then placed in sand.

 

Big Mama's Eggs

 

The eggs are now in an incubator in Marymount’s Biology lab where they will incubate for about 2 months at around 30 degrees Celsius (more females!).  Dr. Rimkus is optimistic that some eggs will survive and hatch around the end of August.  Because Big Mama suffered some major trauma (as you can see by the glue on her shell!) we were worried that the eggs might not survive.  However, mother snapping turtles have the ability to expel eggs that are not viable, so we are hoping that Big Mama held on to these eggs for a reason.

 

Close Up

 

If you look closely, you can see that part of the egg is whiter than the rest.  This is a very good sign that there is a living embryo in there.  Last year, Melany explained that a painted turtle egg has “started” when the pink egg turns white.  This is the same thing, except the snapping turtle egg is white all over, and the sign that it is “starting” is an even whiter patch.  Now Melany will cover the started eggs with sand, and in two months we will know for sure if the eggs survived!

 

 

The morning after Big Mama laid those 19 eggs, Dr. Rimkus came in and checked her for eggs by feeling underneath her shell.

 

 

Before she laid the eggs, she was a lot more docile, and even Melany had no problem picking her up by her tail and moving her to her birthing tub.  After releasing her eggs, though, she’s gotten a lot more feisty!

 

 

Dr. Rimkus had to flip her onto her shell first.  She did not want to cooperate.

 

 

Finally he was able to check and found no more eggs.  Maybe this turtle wrestling was to get Dr. Rimkus warmed up for Belize where the turtles will be even bigger.

 

 

She must be relieved.  Now she can relax and retire.  For now she will stay in the lab so we can keep an eye on her.  Congratulations, Big Mama!

 

UPDATE: Dr. Rimkus reports that 13 of the 19 eggs have started.  Cross your fingers!

2ND UPDATE: Melany reports that 18 of the 19 eggs have started!  Whoa!

 

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