[ATremor (OP)]

The water has risen where several turtle eggs have been buried. I've heard conflicting answers so would like to know if anyone can help with this one. The majority are Painter turtles. Thanks

[Don_1]

All chelonians, be they terrestrial tortoises or turtles (such as the Three Toed Box Turtle), fresh water or marine turtles lay their eggs in nests on dry land.

The Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta ) is a species of 4 main subspecies (Western, Midland, Eastern and Southern) of small aquatic turtles found throughout North America.

It's eggs have a thin walled, pliable and semipermeable shell.

In dry conditions, the eggs hatch earlier than those in damp conditions and the hatchlings tend to be smaller than those which incubate longer.

The eggs cannot be submersed in water. This would lead to the embryo drowning.  In common with other turtle and tortoise eggs, and unlike those of birds, the eggs must maintain their orientation during incubation. Turning the eggs will also result in the embryo drowning.

If the nests in which these eggs have been laid have been submersed for long periods, it is very likely that the embryos will not have survived, either as a result of drowning in water or drowning in the fluids within the shell if the eggs' orientation was altered by rising and falling water levels.

[ATremor (OP)]

Thanks a bunch for your reply. All of my eggs were indeed submersed for just 1 day and there were no survivors!