There are no known species of turtles today that are asexual. When turtles reproduce they do so by mating sexually and reproducing. During this process, male turtles can be found attracting females with a combination of sounds and movements particular to each species. Some common rituals used include head bobbing, dancing and making a clucking noise. Once two turtles decide to partner up, the actual mating begins. Sometimes it takes no longer than just a few minutes for a pair to decide they want to mate.
The male turtle mounts the female by getting on top of her shell from behind her. He may grab onto the shell with his claws and then twist his tail around hers or even bite her head. It is important during this time that their tails meet. The male then deposits his sperm from his penis, (located in his tail) into the female’s “cloaca” (a small opening in her tail). Sometimes this process can take as long as an hour, in which the male turtle will remain on top of the female until they are done.
When it comes time for the female turtle to lay her eggs beforehand she will dig a nest on the beach located in the sand, dirt or rocks. If it is an ocean beach, she will try to dig this nest as far away from the water as possible, so that a high tide does not become a potential danger to the eggs. This can be a large amount of land travel for such a creature that does not typically move quickly out of water. Once the female turtle makes the nest big enough for her body to fit inside of it she then climbs inside and begins to dig an even smaller chamber directly underneath her tail. This deeper portion of the nest is what will serve in keeping her eggs protected from predators. Finally, she passes the eggs out of her cloaca and will cover them and return to the water. Depending upon the species of turtle, some can lay anywhere from 2 eggs to well over 100. Female turtles do not stay with the eggs to help in the incubation process.
The baby turtles usually spend only about a month’s time inside their eggs where they feed off of the yolk. When it is time for them to hatch they peck their way out of their shells by using an “egg tooth” that they are equipped with. This tooth will fall off soon after. As soon as the young turtles are ready, they start heading out to the water. Those young that make their trip to the water at night often have the best chance for survival.
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