Pancake nesting? Advice please.

[Tim/Robin]

It would appear as though our female pancake may be exhibiting nesting behavior. She is in one of the hides, head facing out, and digging with her back feet over, and over again. We didn't expect this so soon, as we have only had the pair a couple months.

How long, after an egg is laid, until we must put it into an incubator? Should we place it in an incubator ASAP?

 

[egyptiandan]

Hi Tim and Robin,
If she's digging your going to need a nest box. I can't see her wanting to nest in the rabbit pellets as they won't let her make a proper nest. Your going to need a box 6 to 8 inches deep full of slightly damp soil, peat or a combination of the 2. Pack it down fairly tight and place the box in the enclosure. Your going to need rocks or wood to make a step/ramp to the box. It would be best if the basking light was over the box giving a surface temperature of 95 to 100F.
You will need to put the egg/s in an incubator after she lays. A good temperature is 86F.

Danny

 

[Jacqui]

Sounds very positive! Congrats on what may be your very first egg!!

 

[Tim/Robin]

She laid and egg!!

Only hours after the female nesting, she laid an egg! Thanks for the advice, Danny, we had provided her with a box of 6 inches sand/peat that she laid the egg in. She has crawled out of the nest box now, and is acting like usual again. We hurriedly purchased a still air incubator, however it states it needs 8 hours to equilibrate. We have not taken the egg out of her nest box yet. Are we ok to wait til the morning if the incubator needs that long to equilibrate?

 

[egyptiandan]

Thats great news Tim and Robin. It's okay to wait up to a week or so with a pancake egg to incubate it. They diapause right away for at least a month and up to 3 months. Mine usually diapause for 2 months before they start developing.

Danny

 

[Tim/Robin]

humidity for pancakes

Oh great, thanks Danny. Each time you give us new information/terms, we go researching like crazy to learn even more. We have set the incubator up in the basement, where it will be less disturbed and the temperature hardly fluctuates. However, we don't have a decent hygrometer to place in the incubator yet. We may have to buy one of the little round cheapies from the pet store, just to obtain one quick. Here, in north Idaho, the relative humidity is around 40%. Should we shoot for around 70% with this pancake egg?

 

[egyptiandan]

Your welcome Yes you want to shoot for 70% humidity. Try to find yourself a hair hygrometer. They are a bit more expensive, but are the best for telling the humidity.

Danny

 

[Itort]

Here's site for poultry supplies (hygrometer). www.eggcarton.com I've used them for a number of years and they are good people to work with and their product line is inexpensive and good.

 

[Tim/Robin]

Thanks everyone

Thanks everyone for your help. Here is a picture of the pancake egg. We marked it and placed it in the incubator, and now are praying to the tort gods for success (as well as reading everything we can get our hands on about it).

 

[wayne.bob]

wooo hoooo!!!!!!!! you got one nice looking egg!!!

 

[egyptiandan]

If the egg is fertile here's how it should go. http://forums.shelledwarriors.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=3914

Danny

 

[Jentortmom]

Congrats on the egg!!! Hopefully you fill find more soon.

 

[Tim/Robin]

update

Here is an updated pic of the egg that was laid 2 months ago. We got it out today to hold a light to it and this is the first time we've seen evidence that is growing a lil tort! It would seem this pancake's name is going to be IHOP.

 

[Crazy1]

Congratulations Tim & Robin. Ihop looks great so far. Can't wait to see a new hatchling pancake

 

[egyptiandan]

Everything is looking good Tim & Robin It should be about 2 to 2 1/2 months more.

Danny

 

[Tim/Robin]

Update. After 146 days or 4 months and 23 days, the egg pipped today. I am sure it will take several days to completely hatch. We are so excited. Look at the egg in the center.
It needs to remain in the incubator until it has completely hatched, right? Then move it to the nursery.

 

[egyptiandan]

Thats great news Tim & Robin

Yes I leave them in the incubator until they are ready to be set-up. They can hatch with a bit of yolk sack or just aren't straight yet. I smear the bottom of a small plastic container with triple antibiotic ointment and place the hatchling in the container. I keep the container with the hatchling in the incubator until they are straight and the yolk sack is completely gone. When it's gone I give them their first soak and than put them in what you have set-up as a nursery.

Danny

 

[Meg90]

That's so exciting! Can't wait to see the baby pics!

 

[Tim/Robin]

This morning's picture shows a little yellow nose and an eye at the bottom, next to the broken piece of shell (eye is closed). Yes of course this sort of thing happens millions of times a day with millions of different organisms. But for some reason we are so in awe of this little baby! Its hard to leave the babe alone and not constantly open the incubator for "just one more peek". Wow, what an amazing thing to happen on this week of Christmas. No other gifts needed, thank you!

 

[Millerlite]

thats great news, Your tortoises planned this months in advance to give you a great Christmas gift, lol