Red-Eared Slider Eggs: A Complete Beginners Guide

If you’re interested in breeding red-eared sliders, then there are many things you first need to understand about their eggs to help you handle and take care of them in the best way possible for successful breeding.

In this guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about red-eared slider eggs, from how to know your female slider is pregnant to how many eggs it lays, how to take care of the eggs, and so much more!

Everything you need to know about red-eared slider eggs:

Below is our full list of everything you need to know about your female red-eared slider pet turtle eggs to become a successful breeder:

How many eggs do red-eared sliders lay?

A female red-eared slider usually lays 2 to 30 eggs per clutch. You can expect your female slider to lay as many as 5 clusters of eggs every year.

When do red-eared sliders lay their eggs?

Your red-eared slider is likely to lay eggs around May to July, so you should monitor it for pregnancy signs during this time of the year. Sliders usually mate anywhere from April to early July, and a female takes approx. 3 to 6 weeks to become pregnant after the mating period.

What do red-eared slider eggs look like?

Red-eared slider eggs are usually oval in shape and measure around 0.6 inches long and 0.4 inches in diameter. The eggs are generally white but they can turn yellow with age.

Can red-eared slider eggs hatch in water?

Red-eared slider eggs cannot hatch in water. Though the eggs need to be in contact with water to keep moist, they shouldn’t get submerged completely. They still need to be exposed to air for gas exchange. If the eggs get submerged in water, even for a short period of time, the embryo risks dying.

How to tell if red-eared slider eggs are fertile?

The best way to tell if your red-eared slider eggs are fertile is by holding them up to a flashlight, candle, or any other light source and checking what’s inside. If you see a dark spot in the eggs’ center, that’s a developing embryo and your eggs are fertile.

Red-eared slider nesting box: is it necessary?

You don’t need to get your red-eared slider a nesting box. However, it can help protect your slider’s eggs from predators as well as environmental factors such as humidity and temperature.

It also helps provide the eggs with a controlled environment which increases the survival chances of your eggs.

Since the red-eared slider usually lays its eggs on land, a nesting box helps mimic its natural behavior by providing it with an ideal place for laying her eggs.

Above all, a nesting box makes it easy for you to monitor your turtle’s eggs throughout the incubation period.

Do red-eared sliders lay eggs without a male?

Yes, female red-eared sliders can lay eggs without a male. However, these eggs are unfertilized and cannot hatch into baby turtles.

How do you take care of red-eared slider turtle eggs?

When it comes to taking care of your red-eared slider eggs, you can simply let them hatch naturally by providing your turtle with a nesting spot and letting it to the rest (just like it does in the wild).

Alternatively, you can artificially hatch the eggs in an incubator where they have higher chances of hatching into baby sliders.

You simply transfer the eggs from the slider’s nest and put them in your incubator. Set the incubator temperature and humidity correctly and keep monitoring the eggs throughout the incubation period.

Is it OK to move red-eared slider eggs?

Moving your red-eared eggs isn’t recommended as you can easily stress the developing embryos and lead to their death or malformation.

The eggs are also sensitive to changes in humidity and temperature, and moving them can affect their incubation and hatching process.

However, you may have no other option but to move your turtle’s eggs, say due to predators or environmental factors.

In such cases, we advise you to handle your eggs gently and ensure you transfer them to a suitable environment with similar conditions to your original nest.

What temperature do red-eared slider eggs need?

Red-eared slider eggs should be kept at a temperature between 82 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If they go below or beyond this temperature range, they may go bad and won’t hatch into baby turtles.

How deep do red-eared sliders bury their eggs?

Red-eared sliders usually bury their eggs in a shallow nest around 2 to 8 inches deep. The nesting depth depends on the environmental conditions as well as the individual female preference. The shallow depth is necessary to allow the eggs to receive heat from the sun for proper incubation.

Do red-eared sliders stay with their eggs after laying them?

No. Red-eared sliders don’t stay with their eggs after they’re laid. They simply cover them and leave them on the nest to hatch on their own.

This takes around 2-3 months. No extra care or protection is needed from the female slider for them to hatch properly.

Do red-eared sliders cover their eggs?

Yes. After laying her eggs, a female slider covers them with vegetation and dirt to keep them from the predators’ eyes as well as unsuitable environmental factors such as cold weather that may affect their incubation process.

What is an egg sac for red-eared sliders?

Egg sac refers to the soft attachment underneath your turtle’s shell. It mostly resembles an orange/yellow yolk and plays a critical role in providing the newborn red-eared slider with the necessary nutrients for the first few weeks after they’re hatched. If this sac gets punctured, your hatchling may get infected and die.

Final Verdict

That’s all you need to know about red-eared slider eggs. We’ve covered everything from how many eggs the turtle lays, how the eggs look like, how to take care of them, when the slider lays their eggs, how to tell if the eggs are fertile, and so on. Once your slider turtle lays eggs, it’s upon you to protect and take good care of them so they can hatch into healthy baby slider turtles!