What are your thoughts on hatchlings with irregular scutes?

[TortieLuver]

I was wondering what anyones' thoughts were on irregular scutes? Many people think it's due to incubating the eggs and then having them at higher temps, but have seen many turn out fine within the same batch that had been incubated. I was just curious.

 

[dmmj]

well if it is not heat, it might be genetics, I am just guessing here.

 

[reptylefreek]

i was gonna write the same thing... until i realized i dont really know. dont like to comment unless i have a clue

 

[egyptiandan]

Everyone is correct Irregular scutes (more or less scutes) can be due to incubation temperatures and can be genetic. It's also possible that it's humidity induced.

Danny

 

[dae]

Hiya, how about scutes that are supposed to be there but are slightly irregular in themselves, e.g. one of the radiated I am going to buy has one scute on her side that is slightly smaller than the other side, but all her siblings were fine. I am still going to buy her tho because she is still lovely.

 

[TylerStewart]

Some of my adult females have extra or split-scutes, but their kids don't have it.... While it might be slightly genetic, I don't see it any more in the babies from split-scute mothers than I do from the mothers that have perfect scutes. Besides being a cosmetic thing, I wouldn't let it change your decision on a particular tortoise. When we get them, we usually sell them a little bit cheaper. Some people like it because they can ID their tortoise or tell one from another. We see probably less than 5% with split scutes in the babies.

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

You mean like this? I think it makes my sully look 'special'..!

 

[Tom]

Like everyone else I've always thought it was temperature induced, but I have zero experience to back that up. Its just what I've heard over the years from the people who do have experience. Tyler would certainly know.

 

[TylerStewart]

The problem is, how do you explain the split scute babies that hatch next to perfect babies under the exact same temperatures (and humidity), 1" apart in the incubator? Which brings back in the genetic question... Maybe some of them are prone to split scutes at 87 degrees (for example), where others aren't prone to it until 89... Hard to say. We have a low enough percentage of it here that it doesn't concern me, plus, when I put up the "B Grade Sulcatas" for sale at $10-15 off, people go crazy for that! I sell them faster with that price break than I sell the normals for at the normal price.

 

[TortieLuver]

Thanks so much for the feedback, as I was truly curious and agree with your thoughts. The research I have read seems to show it doesn't affect them over the years, i.e. pain, longevity, etc.

 

[egyptiandan]

Well I know some of mine are genetic

I have a female Pancake tortoise that has 5 coastal scutes on each side. The extra ones are the first ones on each side. They are the same shape on both sides and half the size of a normal scute. Her mom has this and 3 of her 7 hatchlings have had these exact same scutes in the exact same spot.

Danny