Leopard tortoise eggs help needed

[littlemozzy1987]

Well she is here. Woke up with her out of her shell staring at me. I've had to place a piece of kitchen towel over her to try and contain her until the yolk is absorbed. It's not that big anymore so fingers crossed a few days and she can have a walk around.

 

[danipaul71]

She's super cute and looks itty bitty (it might just be the pic too, though).
Congrats!

 

[Tom]

Well I'm glad she decided to join us.

 

[littlemozzy1987]

She is super small for a leopard which I am assuming is down to the fact that she only had use of 2/3 of her egg.

 

[Tom]

She doesn't look that small to me. After she absorbs most of her yolk sac, I'd be curious what she weighs. If I recall correctly my last batch of leopards hatched between 20 and 24 grams.

 

[littlemozzy1987]

Her last clutch was averaging at 28g. I haven't weighed her yet, will wait for her yolk to go. Will keep you all posted

 

[diamondbp]

Do you find that her remaining yolk sac is slightly hard or is it pretty soft?

 

[littlemozzy1987]

Not sure, haven't touched it. Seems fairly hard but can see it squish when the baby tort pokes it if that makes sense

 

[diamondbp]

Not sure, haven't touched it. Seems fairly hard but can see it squish when the baby tort pokes it if that makes sense

I was just curious because I had a strange sulcata hatchling last year that hatched prematurely (similar to your situation but no exactly) and this hatchlings yolk sac was almost rock hard. It never absorbed fully and eventually it died a few days after hatching. It looks like your leopard baby is fully formed though so I suspect yours to be just fine. Fingers crossed for you both

 

[littlemozzy1987]

Well unfortunately she ruptured her sac during the night. After taking the kids to school I checked her and she had gotten out of her donut and was on the other side of the box with a trail of yolk. Smells horrible! I've bathed her, she's had a drink and is now marching around her box again. I know her biggest risk is infection now so will see how things develop.

 

[littlemozzy1987]

Baby no 2 has pipped

 

[Markw84]

If it was smelling bad already just after rupturing, it may well have been already going bad in the yolk sac and not being absorbed properly.

 

[littlemozzy1987]

If it was smelling bad already just after rupturing, it may well have been already going bad in the yolk sac and not being absorbed properly.

Is there a chance she will survive or would it already have been infected. I tied some floss round the top for the yolk to drop off, it dropped off within an hr. I've bathed her and she had a drink, I then put some iodine on her tummy to prevent infection. There is nothing else I can think of to do that will increase her chances.

 

[Markw84]

I have seen some make it with a ruptured yolk sac. You did exactly what I would have tried so far. Hopefully the little one has absorbed enough nutrition to be able to survive until the metabolism of food can switch in.

 

[Markw84]

Its really tough if they don't have the time to absorb what they need from the yolk sac. You did exactly what I would have tried so far. Hopefully the little one has absorbed enough nutrition to be able to survive until the metabolism of food can switch in.

 

[Markw84]

Its really tough if they don't have the time to absorb what they need from the yolk sac. You did exactly what I would have tried so far. Hopefully the little one has absorbed enough nutrition to be able to survive until the metabolism of food can switch in.

 

[littlemozzy1987]

She is a real fighter so she has a chance. She sleeps for a while then wanders around for 10 minutes then back to sleep. She drinks everytime I soak her but has refused to eat. Hopefully her tummy will look much better tomorrow if she makes it through the night.

 

[diamondbp]

She is a real fighter so she has a chance. She sleeps for a while then wanders around for 10 minutes then back to sleep. She drinks everytime I soak her but has refused to eat. Hopefully her tummy will look much better tomorrow if she makes it through the night.

If she is roaming around regularly that's a pretty promising sign.

 

[kcanales1]

She is a real fighter so she has a chance. She sleeps for a while then wanders around for 10 minutes then back to sleep. She drinks everytime I soak her but has refused to eat. Hopefully her tummy will look much better tomorrow if she makes it through the night.

How's the baby doing?

 

[littlemozzy1987]

She is still alive, plastron looks better but she is quite lethargic now so don't think things are looking good for her. She drinks when she has a soak but still won't eat anything.