When a male initiates the breeding process he bobs his head up and down in a greeting process, if the female bobs her head back, then she is accepting of him. Then things move very quickly right into sexual intercourse. The mating season usually occurs between April and July. After mating occurs in the spring the female spends the next several weeks finding a suitable spot for the nest. She digs a hole in semi-moist soil that is about 6-8 inches in depth. She digs the hole on an angle using her front feet to dig and her hind feet to push away the build up of dirt at the top of the hole. The digging process usually takes about an hour. She can lays as many as up to 37 eggs . Eggs are usually about 1/2" in diameter and about 5/8" in length. Even though she lays 37 eggs in July after they hatch only about only about 2 hatchlings actually reach maturity (Manaster). Maturity is considered when they are able to mate and reproduce so that they can complete the reproduction process again which usually first occurs at about 3 years of age (Leatherwood). In the late summer after the breeding season they burrow down into the sand and will slow down their metabolism, so it can stay there underground without food and water until late spring, then they come out and the breeding season starts all over again (Todd).