Turtles' Mating Habits

Family Structure

• Unlike eagles or wolves, turtles generally do not mate for life. In fact, after the initial mating process, most turtles do not display pair bonds whatsoever. Turtles also do not adhere to family group affiliations or to the nuclear family model. Essentially, once hatchlings come into the world, they are on their own. There are no known species of turtles who raise their young.

Mating Season and Incubation

• Mating season varies somewhat from turtle species to turtle species. However, mating season can typically be pinpointed to begin around late March and ends around early June. Incubation periods depend largely on climate. For instance, with loggerhead turtles, incubation can range from 53 to 55 days in Florida and from 63 to 68 days in Georgia. Sex determination in hatchlings is yet another factor that is temperature dependent. Warmer temperatures cause females and lower temperatures cause males.

Eggs and Hatchlings

• All turtles, sea turtles included, lay their eggs on land even if they live predominantly in the water. Once the female deposits her eggs in the ground, she covers them up and leaves the young to fend for themselves. Turtle eggs hatch after an incubation period that typically lasts two to three months. After hatching, the young turtles must dig their way to the surface where they must then make their way to the water to feed.

Multiple Paternity

• Turtle hatchlings generally have multiple biological fathers. This phenomenon comes about due to a female turtle's ability to store sperm for long periods of time within the reproductive tract. Since female turtles do not take mates on a permanent basis, the likelihood of sperm cells mixing to produce hatchlings is very great. Tests have shown that a single clutch of eggs -- the group of eggs laid in one mating season -- will have multiple sires. This ultimately leads to greater genetic diversity within turtle populations.