Eggs past typical due date

[Greg T]

My female leopard laid several clutches last year with fantastic hatch rates. All of the clutches were basically treated the same and pips started around 95 days. I have a clutch in the incubator right now that is 10-15 days past due with no pips. The eggs look okay, chalked up, solid when candled, and some are even oblong shaped now, so I think they are viable. The only diffrence is the incubator temps are a few degrees (3 or 4) lower than before, in the 84-85 degree range. Would this cause the delay in hatching possibly?

It just doesn't seem right that she would lay so many good clutches and then one bad clutch.

Any opinions or experience with this situation?

 

[Tom]

Totally normal, especially at the lower temps. 100-110 days is normal for leopards.

Either way, nothing to do but wait.

 

[tortadise]

Yep. Waiting is best. Especially with leopards. Last year I had one hatch out at 7 months after being laid. 3 months after the clutch mates hatched. So never throw them out unless infertile or rotten.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Yep. Waiting is best. Especially with leopards. Last year I had one hatch out at 7 months after being laid. 3 months after the clutch mates hatched. So never throw them out unless infertile or rotten.

I remember this, and was going to share the story with you Greg. Have fun waiting patiently. Good luck

 

[diamondbp]

Sounds normal to me. I had a batch of sulcata hatchlings that had five eggs hatch THREE WEEKS after the first half of the clutch hatched. It was the strangest thing but they were perfectly healthy hatchlings of normal size. If the eggs look fine odds are they probably are just fine.

 

[Greg T]

Good deal then. Thanks for the input. I am/was just going to let them be. I still have two eggs that are most likely infertile in the incubator from about a year ago that I keep "just in case" plus I have the room so why not. Perhaps they are just late hatchers this time.

 

[TortieLuver]

Greg~here's my leopard hatching experience...my Leo's are temp sexed and most are at 88 degrees for females and begin hatching at 108-110 days and trickle piping over a week or so. HOWEVER, one clutch I had piped out most, except for four that all looked very viable. I held out and held out and nothing...so exactly three months after the siblings hatched, I thought to myself, "I'm just going to toss the eggs out tomorrow," and bam...I woke up the next morning and they were hatching...all perfect, all A tortoises...it really taught me a lesson to never, ever throw out any egg unless it explodes, has cracklines with mold, etc...it also made me very interested in learn tortoise embryo development and how come it took twice as long for some to cook than others...no other variables involved...all under same conditions. Since then, I have experienced this two more times, one with Sulcata eggs, but only off by 35 days from siblings and that's another awesome story.

---

Also, yes when I incubate males at that lower temperature, it usually takes a good 2-3 weeks longer for Leo's to hatch than for females.

---

Another thing~ it's been my experience with tortoises that the more clutches they have, the less viable the later clutches are for viable eggs...for example I had female Sulcatas that worked like clockwork and always laid five clutches...the first 2 clutches were 100% hatch rate, third clutch at 85%, and fourth and fifth was closer to 50%

 

[N2TORTS]

Great post ...and "Patience is a virtue"
I might add , A little zelous of you Leo breeders , as the RF's for my self at different experimented temps through out the years , your looking at 120-190 days ....with my hypo hatch is usually around 145 days.

 

[TortieLuver]

Holy Toledo 190 days well I have heard the radiated incubated can take up to a year. Those sully eggs are about 85-88 days you are right though....patience is a virtue

 

[Greg T]

Thanks to all and especially Tortieluver. That is good to know. I had no plans on tossing the eggs, but was getting worried. She did lay a lot of clutches last year and her viability was darn near 100%, but this was her second to last clutch of the year, so maybe I'll drop my expectations a little, but still hold the eggs.

I'll let you all know when the first guy pips.

 

[bigred]

I had a redfoot egg hatch at 208 days, so 10 to 15 days past due date is not to out of the norm

 

[TortieLuver]

Anytime Greg I look forward to your next posting of all your eggs hatching

Wow Bigred that's a long time too

 

[Greg T]

Guess I was worrying for nothing. Look who decided to pop out yesterday! Here's a pic of the new guy next to a 4 month old.

 

[Joanne]

gorgeous!

 

[Abbie07]

Congtats

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Greg you weren't worried for nothing as you can see we all worry when we don't understand . That's called caring . Don't stop ! Have a great day

 

[mike taylor]

Awesome keep them coming . Maybe this spring I'll drive out and buy one of these little beauties from you . If you dont mind whats the cost?

 

[Cycere]

Yay! They look lovely

 

[Greg T]

Awesome keep them coming . Maybe this spring I'll drive out and buy one of these little beauties from you . If you dont mind whats the cost?

I plan on offering them to forum members for around $75 plus shipping costs. Just let me know when you are ready because I'll have plenty in the next few months.

 

[mike taylor]

Man , thats a deal! I live in New Caney an hour or so from you. You think you will have some available in March?