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Breeding / Frogs, newts and turtles
Florida red-bellied cooter
Frogs, newts and turtles · Easy

Breeding the florida red-bellied cooter

Egg layer: may mate all year (courtship seen October-March); females lay 3-6 clutches a year, often in the mound nests of American alligators.

Full species page

Step by step

Pairing

Pair.

Breeding tank

Large pond.

What starts it

Warm season.

Eggs and young

6-31 eggs per clutch, 3-6 clutches a year; eggs hatch after about 45-80 days (ToW: probably 60-75).

Raising the fry

Hatchlings are fully independent: house them in shallow warm water with a basking spot and feed small pellets, worms and daphnia daily.

Common mistakes
  • Undersized tank and weak filtration
  • No UV or basking heat (soft shells, poor growth)
  • Releasing unwanted turtles into the wild

Male or female

Males have long, slightly curved front claws and long thick tails with the vent beyond the shell rim; females are larger (about 30 cm vs 25 cm).

Can I breed it in my tank?

  • Good for a first breeding project.

Day-by-day plan

Typical for frogs, newts and turtles

  1. Day 0Eggs

    Needs a special setup. Read the species guide first.

A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.

Simulator: guided

Stage 1 of 1Eggs

Needs a special setup. Read the species guide first.

Simulator: try it yourself

Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.

No spawning
  • Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.

An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.