Heart broke with the eggs....

[terracolson]

I was blessed to be at the rescue yesterday and one of the most beautiful 8 inch female russians was laying eggs. Its the rescues first eggs ever. Well with Russians. There are 5 or so female russians and only one male.

these are not for adoption, they have been a staple item so long, they just wont be leaving...

But one of the girls found a nice place to settle in and i watched her squirm her bottom, and shimmy and shake, i was so excited!!

We weren't to sure but kept watching her, now it was her first time to ever lay any eggs and it was not that fast, so we walked away, but kept our eyes on her from a distance.

The moment she walked out, we went over there to pick them up and right before we got there, a local neighbor tort jumped in the hole and crushed them!

I guess they were eye balling that spot.

I just wish, i would have not been a yard length away...
Of course she will lay again and all will work out..but oh did my heart hurt and does my heart still hurt.

I cant wait for the next clutch, i will get to incubate and raise me some baby russians, but i will be waiting till she lays again and i just hope are ready for her next time

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Geez, nature is brutal.

Is this something that happens a lot, you folks who have egg layers?

I guess it's a fact that most eggs and hatchlings don't make it in the wild, but I understand your sadness at seeing the destruction of potential tortoise babies.

 

[dmward1978]

So sad!!!

 

[South FL Katie]

Aw man, I'm sorry Terra! I would have been sad too.

 

[egyptiandan]

No that doesn't happen very much at all Stephanie. Most females cover the nest, so no chance of another tortoise breaking the eggs. Did she not cover the nest Terra? What kind of tortoise was this neighbor tortoise? I wouln't think a Russian was heavy enough to break eggs, unless the eggs were very thin shelled. It almost sounds like the eggs were thin shelled enough for them to have broken as they were being laid or while she was moving them around in the nest and the other tortoise stepping into the nest was just incidental. Sounds like you might need to up her calcium intake Terra.

Danny

 

[dmmj]

I know it happens often at sea turtle nesting areas, but that is accidental, digging new nests where others have already laid. maybe the other was just jealous?

 

[terracolson]

We found her after she had climbed into the box turtle pen and stuck her back in behind and underneath the hide area for the box turtles.

Did she dig it no! she came up on it..maybe she dug it over time, but its been there for a while and about 15 box turtles were around her when she was shaking her hinny.


she backed out of the hole to turn around, and a box turtle lunged in the hole on top of them.

they were done.

---

dont laugh at my art work, i did the best i could

 

[egyptiandan]

Not a good idea to let her get in with the box turtles. I'm afraid those box turtles have figured out eggs are good to eat (I bet you never find box turtle eggs). They were all ringed around the female Russian waiting for her to lay the eggs. They most likely grabbed each egg as it came out and ate them. The lunge you saw was for the last egg.
It's also not good that she didn't dig a nest, but surface laided. Is the enclosure rocky or have hard packed dirt? If so she needs a spot of dug over ground to make it easier for her to dig.
Also if you ever want to get eggs from the box turtles, you will have to seperate females so they have no company. Even that though isn't a guarantee the female won't turn around and eat her own eggs. Once they start it's hard to break them of the habit of eating eggs.

Danny

 

[terracolson]

its not my place...i cant do anything about it


its hard packed dirt, but she will be making a place for them since they are laying eggs

i told her they went to eat the eggs..that didnt go over well. she does have 30 years in this, and is my mentor, so i have to look the other way...dont bite the hand that feeds you..i love her to death, but dont agree with every thing.


she doesnt really want the eggs, and if the russian lays again, she is giving me the eggs! She deals only with her leopards eggs.

 

[Seiryu]

Also if you ever want to get eggs from the box turtles, you will have to seperate females so they have no company. Even that though isn't a guarantee the female won't turn around and eat her own eggs. Once they start it's hard to break them of the habit of eating eggs.

Danny

Wow, never thought that would eat their own eggs. They must think they are the most amazing food in the world huh?