Redfoots not laying eggs :(

Hello tortoise keepers it’s been a while since I. And on the forum. Okay about a year and a half ago I acquired a 2.1 group of adult wild caught tortoises. I bought them from Joe a reputable breeder from Florida. He said he believes the tortoises to be about 10 years old, and that he imported the tortoises from Suriname 3 years ago at the time. He also mentioned that the torts were ready to lay eggs. To this day my torts have not laid eggs. I thought that they were ready to lay cause I saw my torts breeding I even bought the incubator but nothing. Btw my male redfoot escaped and was never found. My tortoises have been “healthy” I mean they’re very active, bright eyes and alert and very personable. They are good eaters and one of them only got sick from a respiratory infection last year, I took it to the vet and was prescribed antibiotics other than that I’ve never had other issues. Perhaps I’m doing something wrong? I feed a varied diet, they eat everything I mix it up! I’ve never seen the females pacing nor sniffing the substrate in their enclosures, no digging etc. nothing, never found eggs in the indoor or outdoor enclosures. Maybe the male’s sperm was fertile? I don’t know, but I need to replace the male that I lost. Also I’m changing their diet to an all organic diet maybe that will help. If you know something please chime in I appreciate any advice in advance. Thank you and also I have pictures of all my tortoises in my profile albums, you can check them out if you!

A lot of the eggs I've found, I found by accident.
Not all egg laying is obvious.
Generally itll take place in a corner, under a Bush, under a flowerpot or in a shady area of loose earth.
You might find babies wandering around before you find eggs.
Make sure you provide cuttlebone inside your enclosure.
Any time any if my females was going to lay, they always ate them up.

ZEROPILOT said:

A lot of the eggs I've found, I found by accident.
Not all egg laying is obvious.
Generally itll take place in a corner, under a Bush, under a flowerpot or in a shady area of loose earth.
You might find babies wandering around before you find eggs.
Make sure you provide cuttlebone inside your enclosure.
Any time any if my females was going to lay, they always ate them up.

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Thanks for replying @ZEROPILOT I thought all egg laying was obvious, I probably missed a nest at my old place before I moved. I’ll check their indoor enclosure again. So redfoots eat their eggs too?

Octavious22 said:

Thanks for replying @ZEROPILOT I thought all egg laying was obvious, I probably missed a nest at my old place before I moved. I’ll check their indoor enclosure again. So redfoots eat their eggs too?

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No.
They eat cuttlebone.
But then again, I'm sure they'd eat eggs too if the encountered one. And could fit it in their mouth.
I do feed mine some finch eggs. My wife has finches and sometimes I'll boil a dud egg or two and toss them into the pen. They dissapear quickly.
I actually have a 1.5 year old Redfoot right now that was from an un found egg. From an un found nest. It hatched out all on it's own and was apparently doing quite well for a few weeks before I even knew about him.
Maybe your enclosure isn't as overgrown and jungle like as mine. But Its been my observation that they prefer to lay eggs in hiding spots.
My enclosure has LOTS of hiding spots.
If you keep a more spartan enclosure with a few more or less dedicated spots for egg laying....A shady spot next to a plant and with fluffy soil.....Then I think the majority of eggs would be easier to find. The digging would be more obvious.
After egg laying, my tortoises trample the ground down and pee on it. In short time, it often looks like normal, hard packed and unmolested soil.
Right now I'm going for the natural approach.
If eggs happen, they happen.
Don't worry too much about finding every egg.
They often do just fine without any "help".