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Hi my Russian tortoises have been showing many signs of mating. I'm nervous that if she has eggs do I have to put them in the incubator right away? Also is it better making an incubator or buying one?
Help! (egg & X-ray question)
- Thread starter coledoug1
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RE: Help!
Do you also have a male tortoise? Does the female have a nice, deep plot of land in which to dig a nest? I have always dug up eggs and placed them in the incubator right away. With Russian eggs be careful to not have the incubator too wet inside. I have no skills, so have always bought the Little Giant Bird Brooder.
Do you also have a male tortoise? Does the female have a nice, deep plot of land in which to dig a nest? I have always dug up eggs and placed them in the incubator right away. With Russian eggs be careful to not have the incubator too wet inside. I have no skills, so have always bought the Little Giant Bird Brooder.
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Russian breeding
Does anyone recommend getting a Russian tortoise X-rayed?
Does anyone recommend getting a Russian tortoise X-rayed?
RE: Russian breeding
For what? Is there some problem you are trying to diagnose?
For what? Is there some problem you are trying to diagnose?
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Russian breeding
For breeding. To see if she has any eggs
For breeding. To see if she has any eggs
RE: Help! (egg question)
I think you are being too impatient. I understand that you are excited and really are enjoying keeping the tortoises, however, things happen in their own time.
You first get the tortoises set up properly, preferably 2 or 3 females to every male, and set up in a large outdoor habitat with plenty of sight barriers so the females can get out of the male's sight. Then you just wait. The male will breed the females. The females lay their eggs when the season is correct. They know what season the babies are supposed to hatch and they lay accordingly. It is probably too late in the year now and you have to wait til next year. A female tortoise can store sperm for several years so that she can lay her eggs when conditions are right.
Male Russian tortoises have to bite and intimidate the female into submission. Otherwise she just continues to wander around and try to get away from him. So he bites her front legs and her eyes, sometimes causing her to bleed. Male russian tortoises are very aggressive. That is why we have told you a couple of times that you really should have more than one female for each male.
If you only want the pair, then you'll have to either put up with her being bloody, or only put them together for breeding. And unless you actually see the copulation has succeeded, you really won't know whether or not he has bred her. A female doesn't actually "come into heat" like a dog does, however there are certain times in her life that she is more receptive to him. And if you keep them separated, you won't know when those times are. The best thing is to keep them together (with two or more females) in a LARGE outdoor pen and just wait for things to happen when they happen (probably not until next spring).
I think you are being too impatient. I understand that you are excited and really are enjoying keeping the tortoises, however, things happen in their own time.
You first get the tortoises set up properly, preferably 2 or 3 females to every male, and set up in a large outdoor habitat with plenty of sight barriers so the females can get out of the male's sight. Then you just wait. The male will breed the females. The females lay their eggs when the season is correct. They know what season the babies are supposed to hatch and they lay accordingly. It is probably too late in the year now and you have to wait til next year. A female tortoise can store sperm for several years so that she can lay her eggs when conditions are right.
Male Russian tortoises have to bite and intimidate the female into submission. Otherwise she just continues to wander around and try to get away from him. So he bites her front legs and her eyes, sometimes causing her to bleed. Male russian tortoises are very aggressive. That is why we have told you a couple of times that you really should have more than one female for each male.
If you only want the pair, then you'll have to either put up with her being bloody, or only put them together for breeding. And unless you actually see the copulation has succeeded, you really won't know whether or not he has bred her. A female doesn't actually "come into heat" like a dog does, however there are certain times in her life that she is more receptive to him. And if you keep them separated, you won't know when those times are. The best thing is to keep them together (with two or more females) in a LARGE outdoor pen and just wait for things to happen when they happen (probably not until next spring).
If you want to know if a female tortoise has eggs inside gently very gently put your thumb and forefinger in the front of her rear leg opening ( very gently)and you can feel the bumps or eggs
And if you only 1 or two pairs of adult torts just buy the incubator but I made one from a wine cooler I got at home depo it has a tinted glass door and stands about 3 and 1/2 feet tall
And if you only 1 or two pairs of adult torts just buy the incubator but I made one from a wine cooler I got at home depo it has a tinted glass door and stands about 3 and 1/2 feet tall
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