AGAIN.. already???

[Redfoot NERD]

Whoda believed.. she just did this on the 26th of Oct.!

And that "TRANCE" -

Two hours later.. robbed her nest - she started to cover them up -

Ready for the incubator and the 4-5 MONTH wait -

Once she starts for the "season" she's usually real consistant.. but seldom only 33 days apart!

NERD

 

[Madkins007]

Wow! How many last time?

Is 4 kind of a small clutch? I'm just wondering if this might be some sort of continuation of the earlier nest????

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Wow! How many last time?

Is 4 kind of a small clutch? I'm just wondering if this might be some sort of continuation of the earlier nest????

Last 2 years she would nest every 38-40 days.. and laid 5 and then 6 and then 5 and then 6 eggs - usually 4 or 5 times. Seldom were they larger than 1 5/8" in diameter! I believe she is very young and hasn't even reached her prime.

As I recall my Guyana SONshine has laid a small clutch and then a few days later would "finish".. a typical clutch size. Maybe one of my Colombian's did too.

Good Q? Mark...

 

[matt41gb]

I hope they're fertile this close together. Good luck!

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Congratulations on your pending additions! I saw a Youtube video of a tortoise laying her eggs, and the "trance", and it was fascinating.

I have a question that I hope doesn't sound too ignorant: do the eggs have to be fertilized by the male after they are laid, or does the mating process fertilize eggs still "unlaid" in the female? So when matt14 hopes they're fertile so soon after the last clutch, what are the odds that they will or won't be, and how do you tell? Sorry that was actually three questions!

 

[webskipper]

Congrats!

Those older girls don't really waste any time do they?

Steph- you may be thinking of fish. Reptiles don't use the Broadcast method of fertilization that is the females lay the eggs on the rocks and the males come by and broadcast their product.

Reptiles enjoy courtship, long walks in the sand, and intimacy the way we do. Just no Luther and stinky candles in the background.

 

[Madkins007]

The eggs are fertilized in the female. The male's deeply concave plastron, large mobile tail, and amazing large reproductive organ are all designed to make this work around the awkward shell.

Terry would know more about odds, timing, etc.

 

[webskipper]

I omitted that part. The copulation, gestation, and brooding of the clutch is similar to the Birds. After all, Birds are reptiles.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Hahaha, thanks webskipper, for the amusing image of tortoises walking in the sand, off toward the setting sun...

Thanks, Mark, for the partial answer to my questions. I would still like to know about fertility odds and how long each clutch of Redfoot eggs takes to gestate, when Terry K gets a chance.

 

[dmmj]

Sounds like fish miss out on all the fun.

 

[Bryan]

Congrats Terry, I'm really looking forward to seeing pics of some of your Brazilian hatchlings next year.

 

[Isa]

Congratulations Terry, I keep my fingers crossed they are all fertile .

 

[terryo]

I bet you can't wait to see those little faces sticking out ready to meet the world. It must be so exciting.

 

[Yvonne G]

I have a question that I hope doesn't sound too ignorant: do the eggs have to be fertilized by the male after they are laid, or does the mating process fertilize eggs still "unlaid" in the female?

I don't know the names of all the body parts, so I'm going to be kinda' vague...When the eggs drop down, just before ready to be laid, they are then coated with the outer shell that becomes hardened when air hits it. Before they drop down into that position, without the hardened outer shell, that's when the sperm fertilizes them. Turtles and tortoises can have fertilized eggs (I believe in this state they are called follicles) and not lay them, and can hold them for three or four years before laying them. I don't pay real close attention to what I read, so I may be a little off base, but that's the general idea of it.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Hahaha, thanks webskipper, for the amusing image of tortoises walking in the sand, off toward the setting sun...

Thanks, Mark, for the partial answer to my questions. I would still like to know about fertility odds and how long each clutch of Redfoot eggs takes to gestate, when Terry K gets a chance.

It appears that the older the females ( and males also ) get.. has an impact on everything.

My 6 year-old [ raised in captivity from hatchlings ] virgin females first bred in May [see date in pic] -

The first nest of eggs was found [ there could have been others.. but unlikely since the ground was tilled the next early spring and no eggs surfaced ] but not sure if these were from the females that laid the 'fertile' eggs.

So gestation could be as soon as 85 days.. or longer. Early on I had males and females together in their winter quarters.. there would be breeding on one side of the table and egg laying activity around the corner --- it was an L shaped table!

The first egg hatched on Feb 26 '05 -

That baby is a Colombian and I have no idea how long it incubated.

I can say with certainty that the older they get the more "viable" [fertile] eggs I get.

The female in this thread in '09 has had the best hatch-rate she's had since I've had her.. and she has/had been with "older/younger" males!

Raising-up a breeding group of hatchlings and/or young adults takes a lot of work and time!

Terry K

---

Sounds like fish miss out on all the fun.

Male "live-bearers" don't miss out!

NERD

 

[Crazy1]

Yes the mating process fertilize the unlaid eggs in the female. But occasionally not all the eggs will get fertilized. I believe in Terry’s case it is usually better than 50/50 that they will all be fertile. After mating a female can also hold the sperm so that she can fertilize the eggs when laying time is right so that they have the best chances of survival. There is no way to tell until the egg chalks up, that is the process of the egg turning white. When first laid they look kind of translucent but when chalked they look white like a chicken egg does.
Here are some pics of my Greek eggs chalking http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-5949.html look at post #9.

Hope this helps unitl Terry gets on and gives his explenation.

 

[Candy]

Yes the mating process fertilize the unlaid eggs in the female. But occasionally not all the eggs will get fertilized. I believe in Terry’s case it is usually better than 50/50 that they will all be fertile. After mating a female can also hold the sperm so that she can fertilize the eggs when laying time is right so that they have the best chances of survival. There is no way to tell until the egg chalks up, that is the process of the egg turning white. When first laid they look kind of translucent but when chalked they look white like a chicken egg does.
Here are some pics of my Greek eggs chalking http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-5949.html look at post #9.

Hope this helps unitl Terry gets on and gives his explenation.

Robyn, what did you do with the babies? Did you sell them?

 

[Crazy1]

Not yet but I have two that will be going up for sale when the weather is better unless they are local.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Yes the mating process fertilize the unlaid eggs in the female. But occasionally not all the eggs will get fertilized. I believe in Terry’s case it is usually better than 50/50 that they will all be fertile. After mating a female can also hold the sperm so that she can fertilize the eggs when laying time is right so that they have the best chances of survival. There is no way to tell until the egg chalks up, that is the process of the egg turning white. When first laid they look kind of translucent but when chalked they look white like a chicken egg does.
Here are some pics of my Greek eggs chalking http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-5949.html look at post #9.

Hope this helps unitl Terry gets on and gives his explenation.

What am I explenating Robyn?

Terry

 

[Crazy1]

Terry that was just incase I missed something. So I guess that means I got it all correct. Besides it is your thread.