Breeding season for Florida softshells begins in early spring in the southern reaches of the Sunshine State, and continues into July. Females clamber out of the water and dig holes in a sandy bank, where they'll lay as many as 30 eggs. They'll repeat the process 5 to 7 times during a season, laying as many as 225 eggs altogether.
Like other turtles, they will attempt to lay their eggs in an alligator's nest. It's a dangerous game they play, but if successful, the eggs gain the protection of the alligator mom. And that's huge, because the list of animals that eat turtle eggs is a long one — raccoons, bears, foxes, skunks and crows are among the predators.
The eggs hatch after two or three months; young turtles, about an inch-and-a-half long and prey for birds, frogs, small gators, snakes and small mammals, head for cover and stay there, hoping to beat the odds and reach maturity. Florida softshells are found along the coastal plain from Florida to South Carolina. In colder weather, they will hibernate.
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