The FIRST time I GAZED on these..
I knew I had found "STARS"!!!

These gems were acquired in October 2004.
At that time they were barely 4" SCL.. as May 2000 hatchlings.

I just can't get over these..

Female..

And her suitors..

She is certainly happy..
surrounded by these handsome guys!

ALL OF THE ABOVE PICS WERE TAKEN EARLY OCT. '04

No less than 4-5 "bloodlines"..
produced these gems!
( see below )

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Just look how they've grown since then.
We're featuring just one male here..

Can you see the difference in the carapace patterns..
between the male and female?
PLUS.. she's almost 1 1/2" larger at the same age!

A reliable source tells me..
"You just might have breeding activity..
as soon as May or June 2007".

THE ABOVE PICS ARE FROM LATE OCT. '06

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On March 18th these little guys joined the group..
and will be in quarantine for several months -
even tho' a fecal test showed no "bugs"!

Our new little guy @ barely 4" was slow to settle in..
took a week to open his eyes and eat after getting here..

He looked fine the first day..

His mate did fine.. "right-out-of-the-box"!
She ate and has been active from day one.
Just a little bit bigger than him.

Now we wait another 4 years for her to make babies..

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This link is to the "unedited/updated" submission..
published in the Jan. '08 "Reptiles" magazine:

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Updates!

My reliable source has done this a few times.. try over 30 years!
So he was right on.. about breeding activity.
Although I didn't observe any.

Since I don't know what they do when I'm not looking..
I don't know if this will be viable [ fertile ].
Especially since this is her first EVER.. only time will tell.
I'm thankful to know that she can create eggs!
Note date.. the night before Thanksgiving day..

Instead of digging a nest..
she just dropped this in the straw substrate.

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How about the difference in sizes?
{ the "blood-lines" mine came from.. below }

See the exteme difference in sizes..

And the 5.5 breeding group mine came from..

Easy to tell which are the females!

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Have you enjoyed your "Star-gazing"?

Let me know.. turtletary@turtletary.com

Thanks...

Terry