MissyAnnMay
New Member
Hello all,
I have 2 Russians that live in a tortoise table outside (Southern California). I have had them about 4 years but my female I rescued so I am not sure how old she is. She is MUCH larger then the male and I was told by the vet my male would not be interested in mating for quite some time. Thus I kept them together. Well they have been going at it all spring. however, I never worried because it seemed like he was never in the correct position and he's just so much smaller.
Low and behold I found an egg in there this morning. It was just a single egg. it wasn't buried and it looked as if they had been walking over it and rolling it all over the place before I got to it.
I gently picked it up without turning it and laid it in the corner of the table. Since this morning my female has been sleeping. I did move her to check for more eggs and I dug around the enclosure to no avail.
My questions is, do you think this egg could be viable? and if it is would it have been damaged by being outside with no heater and being kicked around by my torts?
Lastly, is it possible for this egg (or future clutches) to hatch if I just let them be? Do I need to get an incubator?
I recently moved into a new house with a large yard. My hubby and I were going to finally make a space for the torts in the yard with grass and plants and tons of room to roam. I'm just wondering if eggs can survive without our interaction. I am not opposed to raising more torts I just do not want to interfere with nature unless absolutely necessary.
SoCal weather where I live is up and down. Anywhere from the 60's-100's on any given day.
Thanks in advance for any advice!
-Missy
I have 2 Russians that live in a tortoise table outside (Southern California). I have had them about 4 years but my female I rescued so I am not sure how old she is. She is MUCH larger then the male and I was told by the vet my male would not be interested in mating for quite some time. Thus I kept them together. Well they have been going at it all spring. however, I never worried because it seemed like he was never in the correct position and he's just so much smaller.
Low and behold I found an egg in there this morning. It was just a single egg. it wasn't buried and it looked as if they had been walking over it and rolling it all over the place before I got to it.
I gently picked it up without turning it and laid it in the corner of the table. Since this morning my female has been sleeping. I did move her to check for more eggs and I dug around the enclosure to no avail.
My questions is, do you think this egg could be viable? and if it is would it have been damaged by being outside with no heater and being kicked around by my torts?
Lastly, is it possible for this egg (or future clutches) to hatch if I just let them be? Do I need to get an incubator?
I recently moved into a new house with a large yard. My hubby and I were going to finally make a space for the torts in the yard with grass and plants and tons of room to roam. I'm just wondering if eggs can survive without our interaction. I am not opposed to raising more torts I just do not want to interfere with nature unless absolutely necessary.
SoCal weather where I live is up and down. Anywhere from the 60's-100's on any given day.
Thanks in advance for any advice!
-Missy