Why don't we see many russian tortoise hatchlings?

[Yellow Turtle01]

Wow! That's awesome! I love your enclosure.

They all go into a large outdoor enclosure from mid March- Sept. until temps drop below 75.

Do you mean you bring them inside? Your babies are adorable. Is she doing okay?

 

[TortoiseRN]

Yeah I bring the females into a 4x8 ft enclosure and the male into a 2x3 ft. I keep them inside for about a month decreasing food intake giving warm soaks about every other day. Their last week before going into the fridge I turn off the heat sources and give them daily soaks to try and clean out their digestive tracks.

 

[TortoiseRN]

Babies are doing great eating and growing like crazy.

 

[TortoiseRN]

Num Num!!

 

[ascott]

They just don't lay a large quantity of eggs at any one sitting either....

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

They just don't lay a large quantity of eggs at any one sitting either....

Deciding factor?

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

View attachment 108163
Num Num!!

Your babies are adorable! I'm so glad you have some.

 

[TortoiseRN]

Happy Saturday in our house.

 

[Tom]

Yeah I bring the females into a 4x8 ft enclosure and the male into a 2x3 ft. I keep them inside for about a month decreasing food intake giving warm soaks about every other day. Their last week before going into the fridge I turn off the heat sources and give them daily soaks to try and clean out their digestive tracks.

This is exactly what I do too. The short time indoors really allows me to monitor them and make sure all is perfect before hibernation. The every other day soaks insure they are hydrated and empty for hibernation too.

Thank you for all this info. Your success is impressive!

 

[TortoiseRN]

Last one has the cutest belly bottom ever.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

my russian just layer 2 more eggs! this time I'm just going to leave them in the ground and see what happens!

 

[Tom]

my russian just layer 2 more eggs! this time I'm just going to leave them in the ground and see what happens!

Awesome. Protect them from rain during your wet winters up there.

I've had great results leaving eggs in the ground here. Have not tried it with russians yet.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Awesome. Protect them from rain during your wet winters up there.

I've had great results leaving eggs in the ground here. Have not tried it with russians yet.

she laid them in the indoor enclosure. should i still keep them in the ground? the enclosure is 4ft by8ft.

 

[Tom]

she laid them in the indoor enclosure. should i still keep them in the ground? the enclosure is 4ft by8ft.

Oh sorry. I thought it was outside. No point in leaving them buried indoors. You won't get the magic of the great outdoors or the seasonal temperature swings inside. Might as well incubate them. Indoors they are pretty likely to dig them up to lay some more or just dig into the substrate.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Oh sorry. I thought it was outside. No point in leaving them buried indoors. You won't get the magic of the great outdoors or the seasonal temperature swings inside. Might as well incubate them. Indoors they are pretty likely to dig them up to lay some more or just dig into the substrate.

okay. but what if i put a fence around the eggs?

 

[TortoiseRN]

I agree with Tom. If they find a place they like they'll alway lay there and most of the time if it's a good spot the other females will lay in a same area.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

I agree with Tom. If they find a place they like they'll alway lay there and most of the time if it's a good spot the other females will lay in a same area.

she has laid like 20 eggs for me in all, but they never hatch!

 

[leigti]

she has laid like 20 eggs for me in all, but they never hatch!

Do you have an incubator?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Do you have an incubator?

yea. I'm going to put them in.

 

[Moozillion]

Good luck with the eggs!!!