Tortoise_Wrangler
Member
I've raised Tortoises since I was 5, but for the first time in my life I've been able to pursue my hobby further by actually having the room to breed Russian Tortoises. I built a nice 15ft x 6ft enclosure for my herd, it has 7 different types of plants available at all times to graze on and a variety of weeds, opuntia, leaves, flowers and dark leafy greens. My tortoises started to grow, slowly of course, but their routines became solid and predictable, like they should be. I waited and waited, but it seemed they weren't going to breed. 2015 yielded no eggs, but I knew this was going to play out his way, so it wasn't a disappointment. I assumed 2016 would be the same...
Then I put them outside because we've had two weeks of warm weather, and that will most likely be how it is from this point on. First day out, my 6 inch female, Dora digs a hole, but, ya know, she's probably just trying to hide. So I check a few hours later, nothing, so whatever. The next day I walk out and Dora has her butt in a flask shaped hole, but it can't be. I take a closer look, and what do I see, but she's digging a nest, no debating it. I ran inside and screamed "YEEEEEESSSSSSSHHHHHHH!!!!" and started shadow boxing and jumping around like an idiot. I stopped myself because the wife would be home soon and I didn't need her to see me acting like an idiot. I've been trying to get eggs for so long and it just happened out of the blue. Did I over react or does it always feel this great?
Well, I got my first clutch of 2016, and my first clutch ever, and thanks to the tortoise forum I was ready for it. I have the eggs incubating at 89.0F and humidity is usually between 70-80% humidity, I shoot for 75% as a consistent. I would post pictures, but I think we've all seen an egg before. I'll keep everyone updated. 9 days in at this point. Now the real test is here, can I hatch them? But I did my homework before hand, so wish me luck.
Then I put them outside because we've had two weeks of warm weather, and that will most likely be how it is from this point on. First day out, my 6 inch female, Dora digs a hole, but, ya know, she's probably just trying to hide. So I check a few hours later, nothing, so whatever. The next day I walk out and Dora has her butt in a flask shaped hole, but it can't be. I take a closer look, and what do I see, but she's digging a nest, no debating it. I ran inside and screamed "YEEEEEESSSSSSSHHHHHHH!!!!" and started shadow boxing and jumping around like an idiot. I stopped myself because the wife would be home soon and I didn't need her to see me acting like an idiot. I've been trying to get eggs for so long and it just happened out of the blue. Did I over react or does it always feel this great?
Well, I got my first clutch of 2016, and my first clutch ever, and thanks to the tortoise forum I was ready for it. I have the eggs incubating at 89.0F and humidity is usually between 70-80% humidity, I shoot for 75% as a consistent. I would post pictures, but I think we've all seen an egg before. I'll keep everyone updated. 9 days in at this point. Now the real test is here, can I hatch them? But I did my homework before hand, so wish me luck.
