Latest news with #JillMancino
Telegraph
16 hours ago
- General
- Telegraph
Owner's shock as ‘male' tortoise lays eggs
A tortoise thought to be a male for 41 years has laid four eggs. Jill Mancino, 84, was left in shock after a trip to the veterinarian revealed that her pet, named Speedy, was actually a female. Mrs Mancino and her husband, from Undy in Monmouthshire, never questioned Speedy's gender and had always assumed it was a boy because it would 'chase us around the garden and headbutt our shoes'. The couple believed this was the tortoise exhibiting male tendencies in order to attract a female. However, after Speedy began digging holes in the garden and stopped eating, a trip to the vet left Mrs Mancino stunned as it was revealed that Speedy was a female. An X-ray also confirmed there were four eggs inside her shell. Mrs Mancino said she had joked to her husband that Speedy may be 'egg bound', but said she had been left in 'total shock' after the revelation. Speedy, living true to her name regardless of her gender, had laid two eggs by the time she had returned home from the vet, and then another two when let out into the garden. The eggs were then placed in a large flower pot to protect them. Mrs Mancino said she believes Speedy may have mated with a friend's male tortoise while they were on holiday last summer. However, tortoises can lay eggs without them being fertilised, and the vet suggested the male may have 'stimulated her hormones' to lay eggs.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
'Male' tortoise lays eggs leaving owners in shock after 40 years
Speedy was always assumed to be male by her owners of 41 years, so when she laid four eggs, they were shocked. Jill Mancino said the tortoise "displayed male tendencies" of "head butting" and "mounting various objects in the garden", but after a play date with their friend's male tortoise, everything changed. Jill, 84, from Undy in Monmouthshire, said Speedy "began behaving strangely" by digging holes in the garden and not eating. A vet trip revealed the Greek spur-thighed tortoise was in fact female and pregnant. Speedy, 44, has lived with Jill and her husband for almost half a century, and spends her time relaxing or sunbathing in the garden. Jill said in May they rushed Speedy to the vet after she looked "distressed". "By the time I got him home, he had laid two eggs - she I should say - then when I put her out in the garden she laid four more," she said. "I couldn't believe it, I was in total shock."Jill said she buried all four eggs in a large flower pot covered by a plastic box to protect them. Jill said they had looked after their friend's male tortoise - called Katie - while they were on holiday last summer. "That's the only time Speedy has been with another tortoise," she said. "Whether they have been fertilised I really don't know."She said the vet suggested Katie's presence may have "stimulated her hormones". They have to wait eight to 10 weeks for the eggs to incubate to see if there are any baby tortoises. Tortoises can live anywhere from 25 to 100 years depending on their species and to Chessington Garden Centre, Greek spur-thighed tortoises usually live for at least 50 years, if not reaching 80 to 100 years old."I think Speedy's going to outlive us so I don't think we'd have the babies," Jill said.
