Picture comingBreeding the pig-nosed turtle
Egg-layer: females nest at night in sand banks near water in the dry season (mid-July to early November in Australia, September to February in New Guinea), laying two clutches about 40 days apart, often only every second year. Fully developed embryos wait in the egg and hatch explosively when the nest floods. Sex is set by incubation temperature (pivotal 32 °C; cooler gives males, warmer gives females).
Step by step
Pair.
Very large tank or indoor pond.
Warm season.
7-19 eggs per clutch in Australia (mean 10), 7-39 in New Guinea (Kikori mean 21); eggs need 64-74 days at 30 °C to develop, then rest in the egg until flooding triggers hatching (natural nests 86-102 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
Males are smaller than females and have longer, thicker tails with the vent near the tip.
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.