Box turtle eggs denting in on day 54, help!!

[xChadN]

Hello, my female three-toed laid these 3 eggs on 1/23/24, (54 days ago), they've been incubating at 84F and 80-85% humidity. I am using a hovabator 1602N. They started denting on day 49 and it has got slightly worse each day despite me adding a few drops of water around each egg daily. I have 3 different thermometer/hygrometers in the incubator and they all read the same. The incubator is at 82% humidity right now, and i have 2 other clutches from the same mother incubating right next to this clutch and they aren't dented. Is this normal for these eggs to be denting? I know that at 84F they should be hatching any day now. They all show life when candled. I can see the babies moving around. This is my first time successfully incubating fertile eggs after over 10 years of trying so i don't want to mess anything up! Any advice is appreciated

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Hello, my female three-toed laid these 3 eggs on 1/23/24, (54 days ago), they've been incubating at 84F and 80-85% humidity. I am using a hovabator 1602N. They started denting on day 49 and it has got slightly worse each day despite me adding a few drops of water around each egg daily. I have 3 different thermometer/hygrometers in the incubator and they all read the same. The incubator is at 82% humidity right now, and i have 2 other clutches from the same mother incubating right next to this clutch and they aren't dented. Is this normal for these eggs to be denting? I know that at 84F they should be hatching any day now. They all show life when candled. I can see the babies moving around. This is my first time successfully incubating fertile eggs after over 10 years of trying so i don't want to mess anything up! Any advice is appreciated

Denting this far into the process is a sign of the eggs hatching. The eggs collapse slightly and then the babies slit them open with their egg tooth.

Take a paper towel, wet it up, ring it the best you can by hand and lay it over the top of the eggs. You should see babies within the week. Best of luck!

 

[xChadN]

Denting this far into the process is a sign of the eggs hatching. The eggs collapse slightly and then the babies slit them open with their egg tooth.

Take a paper towel, wet it up, ring it the best you can by hand and lay it over the top of the eggs. You should see babies within the week. Best of luck!

That's relieving to hear. Should i take the lid off of the deli container to allow for more oxygen exchange? I went ahead and put a moist paper towel over them. I'll be sure to update if/when they hatch!

 

[DoubleD1996!]

That's relieving to hear. Should i take the lid off of the deli container to allow for more oxygen exchange? I went ahead and put a moist paper towel over them. I'll be sure to update if/when they hatch!

You could keep the lid on. Can't wait to see them!

 

[xChadN]

You could keep the lid on. Can't wait to see them!

You could keep the lid on. Can't wait to see them!

Okay will do, thanks for your help!

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Okay will do, thanks for your help!

My pleasure

 

[jeff kushner]

I just love this stuff.....can't wait to see them!

 

[Ink]

Welcome to the forum. I took can't wait to see them. Good luck.

 

[xChadN]

Thanks everyone for checking back in! Thank you for the welcome . Today is day 56. Thought i'd update ya'll, i took a peak at the eggs and they're definitely more dented than they were 2 days ago. Hopefully this is a good thing. Should be hatching any day now!! So excited!

 

[xChadN]

Little late night update for ya'll, been busy with work. Came home and saw that 2 of them hatched!!! YAY! After over 10 years of trying i finally produced my own CB box turtles! Still waiting on the 3rd one to hatch. It has been sweating all day so i assume it's near!! I'll be sure to post more pictures of them soon. Weirdly enough these almost look like integrades, maybe i'm wrong? would love other peoples opinion 🤔.

 

[Ink]

Congratulations.

 

[xChadN]

Congratulations.

Thank you!!

 

[SinLA]

Congrats!

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Little late night update for ya'll, been busy with work. Came home and saw that 2 of them hatched!!! YAY! After over 10 years of trying i finally produced my own CB box turtles! Still waiting on the 3rd one to hatch. It has been sweating all day so i assume it's near!! I'll be sure to post more pictures of them soon. Weirdly enough these almost look like integrades, maybe i'm wrong? would love other peoples opinion 🤔.
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Awesome, congrats!

 

[jeff kushner]

Very happy for you!

Congrats on the little guys!

 

[xChadN]

Thank you all for the congratulations 😄! The 3rd and last one from this clutch started to break out of the egg early this morning. I'll post more pictures once they're all out of the egg and have absorbed their yolk sac!

 

[Grace-Sophia]

Thank you all for the congratulations 😄! The 3rd and last one from this clutch started to break out of the egg early this morning. I'll post more pictures once they're all out of the egg and have absorbed their yolk sac!

Wonderful news! Congratulations!!

 

[Ink]

Congratulations!!!! So exciting

 

[Sarah2020]

Congratulations great result considering the concern a week ago! Look forward to seeing more pics.

 

[zovick]

Little late night update for ya'll, been busy with work. Came home and saw that 2 of them hatched!!! YAY! After over 10 years of trying i finally produced my own CB box turtles! Still waiting on the 3rd one to hatch. It has been sweating all day so i assume it's near!! I'll be sure to post more pictures of them soon. Weirdly enough these almost look like integrades, maybe i'm wrong? would love other peoples opinion 🤔.
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Congrats on hatching the babies!

I have to admit that I am a bit confused by your wondering if these babies are intergrades or not. If you produced these babies, don't you know if they are intergrades or not?

What are the possible parent species or subspecies of which the babies could be intergrades? Knowing that might make it possible to answer your question with more accuracy.

Do you keep two different Box Turtle species or subspecies together? If so, why not separate them so as not to produce intergrades?