EMERGENCY!! I opened a 95-day old egg today and it's alive. What now?

Freddd

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I have an Eastern Box Turtle nest in my backyard which was created on July 8 (95 days ago). I assumed the turtle wasn't going to hatch due to the time elapsed. It has been extremely dry here in central NC for the last 7-8 weeks, perhaps raining only twice. Anyway, I dug up the nest 11 days ago, and found one crumpled shell with no evidence of a turtle leaving, and one hard, fully-intact egg. I didn't dig any more, so there are probably more eggs in there.
I placed the egg back in the ground and checked it again today (my cat dug the site up a little bit). The shell was soft and dented and I could feel a turtle inside (I was guessing). Anyway, I opened it and removed the top part of the shell over the turtle's back, and it moved!! There was a tiny bit of blood and clear liquid lost in my hand. I did not remove him from the remaining part of the shell, so he's laying in the bottom third of the shell. There is a little bit of yolk left on the underside - maybe 1/6 the volume of the turtle's body, so I'm guessing it's mostly absorbed. It appears to be unbroken.
So what should I do now? It's been getting cool at night for the last week (mid 50's), and indoor temperature is around 70. He's in a Tupperware with a damp paper towel acting as a lid. He's still moist from residual egg liquid. I opened the egg at 6:00 ET.
Thanks!!!
Fred
 

Cathie G

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I have an Eastern Box Turtle nest in my backyard which was created on July 8 (95 days ago). I assumed the turtle wasn't going to hatch due to the time elapsed. It has been extremely dry here in central NC for the last 7-8 weeks, perhaps raining only twice. Anyway, I dug up the nest 11 days ago, and found one crumpled shell with no evidence of a turtle leaving, and one hard, fully-intact egg. I didn't dig any more, so there are probably more eggs in there.
I placed the egg back in the ground and checked it again today (my cat dug the site up a little bit). The shell was soft and dented and I could feel a turtle inside (I was guessing). Anyway, I opened it and removed the top part of the shell over the turtle's back, and it moved!! There was a tiny bit of blood and clear liquid lost in my hand. I did not remove him from the remaining part of the shell, so he's laying in the bottom third of the shell. There is a little bit of yolk left on the underside - maybe 1/6 the volume of the turtle's body, so I'm guessing it's mostly absorbed. It appears to be unbroken.
So what should I do now? It's been getting cool at night for the last week (mid 50's), and indoor temperature is around 70. He's in a Tupperware with a damp paper towel acting as a lid. He's still moist from residual egg liquid. I opened the egg at 6:00 ET.
Thanks!!!
Fred
Hello and welcome to TFO. Although I couldn't even begin to tell you what to do in your situation, I know you are at the right site for real info. So hang in there. More experienced people here can give you better answers. I have only read that turtle eggs can overwinter but I don't know that from experience.
 

Freddd

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The turtle is sitting in the remaining bit of egg shell that I didn't peel away. I peeled the top two thirds of shell off its back and around its head. The shell was soft. The yolk seems to have remained intact and is pretty small - perhaps the size of a raisin. But again, I did get about 3-4 drops of what looked like blood on my hands when I opened the egg.
 

Yvonne G

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All you can do is wait and see. If the yolk has broken then germs get in and infection sets in. If blood vessels were ruptured before they sealed themselves off, then the baby bleeds to death (doesn't sound like that's the case). I have accidently opened eggs that weren't quite ready. Some have lived, some have died. Good luck with your baby, and please keep us informed. We all learn from others' experiences.
 

Millerlite

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The turtle is sitting in the remaining bit of egg shell that I didn't peel away. I peeled the top two thirds of shell off its back and around its head. The shell was soft. The yolk seems to have remained intact and is pretty small - perhaps the size of a raisin. But again, I did get about 3-4 drops of what looked like blood on my hands when I opened the egg.
should if waited for it to hatch or rot. I know it can be tough to be patient but it's very important to stay patient while incubating eggs.

Kyle
 

Analogue

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This is what I would do: take a piece of thin paper (think cigarette paper) failing that, regular plain white paper- paste it over the broken part of the egg. Paper is porous like an eggshell. Crack open a real egg & try to get that thin membrane that is just inside the shell, that thin, white, papery membrane & use that as a "glue" or mastic to stick the paper to your torn tortoise egg shell. This will give the egg that protection it desperately needs before it's ready to hatch
 

Freddd

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Hey! What's happening here now?

Baby turtle is still doing well 72 hours later!!! I removed the remainder of the shell a couple of days ago, so he's just been sitting on top of the yolk sac in a tupperware, with wet paper towels around him and covering the top. I think he's grown a little and has definitely absorbed some yolk. He walked about a centimeter when I took this picture, but the yolk sac is impeding his movement. This is what he looks like now. Any suggestions?

20191014_183026.jpg
 

Toddrickfl1

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Baby turtle is still doing well 72 hours later!!! I removed the remainder of the shell a couple of days ago, so he's just been sitting on top of the yolk sac in a tupperware, with wet paper towels around him and covering the top. I think he's grown a little and has definitely absorbed some yolk. He walked about a centimeter when I took this picture, but the yolk sac is impeding his movement. This is what he looks like now. Any suggestions?

View attachment 282139
I would Just leave him in the container on top of clean paper towels til the yolk sac is completely absorbed. Change out the paper towels to clean ones each day. Once the yolk sac is gone give him a soak, then offer some food
 

Toddrickfl1

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I'm hesitant to pick him up for fear of rupturing the yolk. Would it be safer if he was on his back until the yolk is absorbed?
If you mean upside down, no, definitely not. He looks pretty good, not premature at all. You should be ok if you do it very gently. You can give it another day if you want and the yolk should be smaller.
 

TammyJ

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What would be a good first food offering? Do they generally start eating right after the yolk sac is absorbed?
Also, I would like to release him back into the wild, if possible. What's the best course of action?
He looks like he might make it, but one step at a time, and the fewer steps right now, the better.
Since he is premature, and still absorbing the yolk, I would make a solid "barrier" close around him to keep him from moving around too much inside the container he is in now. That is if he was mine I think I would do that, and just keep him warm, humid and confined for now.
He is a sweetheart.
 

Gijoux

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At what temperature is he being kept? Tender leaves and flower petals and plantain is great, or whatever safe weed you can find to have available for him to eat. Keeping the paper towel damp, but not wet. Good luck! He looks good so far.
 

Freddd

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How's he doing?

The yolk sac is 95% absorbed and he's definitely a little bigger!! I'm keeping him in the tupperware still, but now he's on a damp paper towel instead of the raw plastic - the lid opening is covered with a damp paper towel as ell. I picked him up and he seems pretty strong.
He's in the bathroom with a space heater which I periodically turn on and off. It probably gets into the upper 80's in there then falls back to room temp, which is currently 65 degrees or so. I have arugula growing in the yard, so I have put a couple of baby leaves in there the last couple days, but he hasn't touched them.
 

TammyJ

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The yolk sac is 95% absorbed and he's definitely a little bigger!! I'm keeping him in the tupperware still, but now he's on a damp paper towel instead of the raw plastic - the lid opening is covered with a damp paper towel as ell. I picked him up and he seems pretty strong.
He's in the bathroom with a space heater which I periodically turn on and off. It probably gets into the upper 80's in there then falls back to room temp, which is currently 65 degrees or so. I have arugula growing in the yard, so I have put a couple of baby leaves in there the last couple days, but he hasn't touched them.
It seems good but I don't know about the 65 degree temp, it may be too cold.
 

Freddd

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I think the yolk sac is fully absorbed now. It is just a dried up patch on her abdomen (I think it's a "she"). So how long until she eats? Should I have drinking water in her container?
 
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