Burmese Star Hatching

Markw84

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I love this time of year as the winter clutches of Burmese Stars have finished their diapause and incubation and are all hatching. 4 different bloodlines. These are the newest batch in just the past 3 days...

6-1 group (3).jpg

And here they are back in their brooder box to get that perfect start...

6-1 group (1).jpg

And the brooder box goes back in the incubator I use for brooders as it has a light to start getting them used to a photoperiod...

6-1 group (2).jpg

They will join the others in about 7-10 days when their yolk sac is completely healed and they have at least done their first poop!

In that 7-10 days they will be eating a wide variety of foods as you can see in the brooder box, and have gained an average of 15% more weight. Their yolk sac and sometimes misshapen shell from hatching will go from this...

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To this when ready to join the hatchlings from earlier clutches in their first enclosure...

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This type of start allows them to thrive and look like this - who is now 130g and about 7 months...

IMG_1396.jpg
 
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KarenSoCal

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And the brooder box goes back in the incubator I use for brooders as it has a light to start getting them used to a photoperiod...
Are their eyes closed in the egg until they pip? Surely they could see light through the eggshell. Or are they in the dark while still in the incubator?
 

Markw84

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Are their eyes closed in the egg until they pip? Surely they could see light through the eggshell. Or are they in the dark while still in the incubator?
I keep my egg clutches in the dark through most of diapause and incubation. I keep my incubators in a dedicated closet in the middle of the house - in my office - with the doors shut. It is a more stable ambient temperature there. However, I have incubated may eggs - turtle and tortoise - in incubators with glass doors in an open room with light going in. I don't think it matters about light. I have no idea if they open their eyes prior to pip. Probably. But even without open eyes they could still perceive light. I do have a feeling that the light does have some affect, though. The constant checking for pips, and light - I believe may stimulate them to pip just a bit earlier and as a result tend to come out of the egg with a bit larger yolk sac. It seems those left without Brenda constantly checking for pips - so in the dark - we tend to find with much smaller yolk sacs when we see they hatched.
 
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