They re-emerge during Spring through holes and self built ramps established by sawing and grinding with their teeth. Abscessed, broken and worn teeth are common in mature Weddells from years of ice grinding. They feed on fish and crustaceans and some may dive for up to an hour and to a depth of 600 metres or more in search of food. Out of the water they are sleepy, quiet animals, relaxing in clubs of up to a dozen. Under the water they are lively, alert and can be very noisy making hooting and groaning noises.
Spring is the time when groups of pregnant females lead by one male gather on broken inshore ice.
The rough broken ice surface provides an ideal habitat for breeding with a lot of shelter and numerous ice cracks. The pups, relying heavily on milk for the first 6 weeks, grow quickly. By the time they are weaned they have more than doubled their birth weight of approximately 25-30 kilograms.