How to Take Care of Mississippi Mud Turtle Eggs

The Mississippi mud turtle is a subspecies of the eastern mud turtle, a freshwater turtle that spends considerable time on land. Though under increasing pressure from habitat destruction, the species continues to thrive in much of the eastern United States. They are also fairly popular pets, though they can prove difficult to care for in captivity. If your Mississippi mud turtle lays eggs, they require incubation in a high-humidity egg incubator in order to hatch into healthy babies.

Things You'll Need

  • Egg incubator
  • Vermiculite or peat moss
  • Water mister
  • Thermometer
  • Hygrometer
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Find the eggs in your turtle's enclosure. Mud turtles normally lay their eggs on land a few days after mating. Gently dig up the eggs and remove them from the nest without shaking or turning them.

    • 2

      Put moistened vermiculite or peat moss in an egg incubator. Place the eggs in this substrate so that the bottom 75 percent of the eggs are covered and the top 25 percent exposed. Water turtle eggs require humidity of approximately 80 percent. Check the hygrometer frequently and mist the substrate with the water mister when the humidity drops. When turtle eggs become too dry, they may crack and die. Even if the eggs survive, the hatchlings can be born with deformities and health problems.

    • 3

      Incubate the eggs at approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Incubation time varies considerably among mud turtles. David Kirkpatrick, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, reports that incubation periods for these turtles range from 95 to 229 days. Baby turtles utilize an egg tooth to peck a hole through the tip of the egg. This process can take as long as two days. Avoid interfering with it, and allow the babies to remain in the incubator until all have hatched from their eggs. This allows them time to absorb their yolk sacs.