Picture comingBreeding the florida softshell turtle
Egg-layer: females nest on land in sand or well-drained soil from mid-March to July (sometimes in alligator nests) and may lay 2-7 clutches a season. Sex is genetic, not set by nest temperature.
Step by step
Pair.
Large pond with sand.
Warm season.
Usually 17-22 eggs per clutch (mean about 20; reported range 4-38); 4-6 clutches a year, so large females can lay over 200 eggs a year; incubation about 56-80 days.
Hatchlings are fully independent: house them in shallow warm water with a basking spot and feed small pellets, worms and daphnia daily.
- Undersized tank and weak filtration
- No UV or basking heat (soft shells, poor growth)
- Releasing unwanted turtles into the wild
Male or female
Females are far larger (usually 28-63 cm shell, record about 67-74 cm) with short tails that barely pass the shell rim; males (usually 15-33 cm) have long, thick tails with the vent well beyond the rim.
Can I breed it in my tank?
- Good for a first breeding project.
Day-by-day plan
Typical for frogs, newts and turtles
- 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
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.
- Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.