I figured I would post some techniques I have utilized in these species I have successfully hatched out over the years. Its going to be a multi part thread so I can keep the text down to a minimum as much as possible. Here are a few methods that have worked very well for me. I would love some other input on some more difficult species like kinixys,forsten,elongated,radiated, As well as species I have not been familiar with in terms of incubation, such as aldabra, galaps, russian, hermanns, marginated. I would love to get any input from anyone. maybe you guys have better techniques.
Incubation Methods of some different tortoise species.
Just a few common things about incubation of tortoise eggs.
Placing the eggs in a deli cup or shoe box with a lid and drilled holes (1/4†in size) in about 4-6 places on the tub, few on the sides and few on the top to allow air circulation needed by the eggs during the incubation process. The tub can vary in size, depending on the quantity of eggs that are obtained from the tortoises nest. Some species will lay only a few eggs or even 1, in this scenario a deli cup would be the best method to use to uphold the micro climate surrounding the egg.
Incubation time will vary upon the temperature the incubator is set too. The lower the temp the longer the development, but higher the risk of having some developmental complications percent rise. This goes the same for higher temps.
Vermiculite is the most common substrate to use when incubating tortoise eggs. Some species such as Kinixys, Manouria, Elongated, Travancore, and Forstens, can be incubated using sphagnum moss mixtures and small branches to allow more air circulation and moisture in the ambient air that the egg requires for these special species. Each species will have different humidity and moisture requirements during the incubation duration, as well as the level of substrate needing to be surrounding the eggs in the incubator. Never spray the eggs with water during the incubation time period, this can cause eggs to pop, or crack before they will naturally pip and hatch out.
TSD (temperature sex determination) it has been proven in laboratory method experiments that you can incubate eggs at set temperatures to sustain a desired male or female. Although these experiments were in extremely controlled environments with very costly thermometers and very high cost equipment, It is a proven method.
Things you want to make sure before breeding or expecting eggs from your female tortoise. Size is very important, some species can produce eggs early in their adult life, but sometimes does not suit being able to lay successfully. In some species females can produce and lay eggs but not have a large enough ventral opening to drop the eggs without breaking them. Sometimes this causes a female to be egg bound and forces herself to hold the eggs in and can cause grave situations. AS well as a perfect nesting site is the key to having a female lay her eggs in.
The different species of tortoises have different nesting techniques. Some species will not dig a hole and lay their eggs, But rather build a nest above the ground to lay their eggs. If you have nest building species, you need to make certain there is adequate nesting material for the female to build her nest and not become egg bound. Let’s take Sulcata or leopards for an example. These species will dig a hole in the ground about 12-16†deep and soften the soil by excreting water from their body to make up the mixture of soil and liquid to soften the soil so digging is easier. As well as the softer easier to dig dirt the liquid placement is also a natural additive to the nest hole to sustain humidity for the eggs once the hole is then covered by the soil by the female.
Sulcata-
Females will start laying small clutches as early as 15†in length. Sometimes earlier, as well as smaller in size but not too common.
Clutch size varies with age and size. Early laying females will lay 1-3 clutches with 8-17 eggs and gradually increasing with age up to full adult size clutch sizes from 26-38 eggs in each clutch, up to 5 clutches. Typically laid 1 month apart from each clutch that is laid.
Incubation needs to be in a controlled Environment temps range from 84-92 being a good medium temp in the middle or kept at this range. Try to keep a sustained temp with as minimal fluctuation as possible. Drastic temperature rise or declination can cause complications in the tortoise’s development.
Nest will be dug by the female using her hind legs. Very deep 14-18†deep hole followed by a egg catch basin pit about 10†at the bottom of the larger hole dug by the female. Typically will be dug in a corner of enclosure.
Eggs will range 90-200 days in incubation duration, this is a control defined by humidity and temperature control.
Summed up (if you don’t want to read all the text)
Clutch size-8-38 eggs per clutch up to 5-6 clutches per year.
Incubation Temperature-84-92 with 70% humidity
Substrate-Vermiculite Egg placement ¼ of egg below vermiculite leaving remainder of egg above substrate. 1:1 ratio vermiculite to water IN WEIGHT NOT IN MASS. Example 1 ounce of vermiculite is 1 once water mixed together.
Leopard babcocki-
Females will start laying clutches of eggs around 10†in length at a minimum. Usually around 13-14†they will lay larger more consistent clutches.
Clutch size varies from 3-20 can receive larger clutches depending on females size and age.
Nest will be dug about 12-16†deep with an egg pit in the bottom .
Duration of incubation will depend on incubation techniques and temperatures. But typical in days is 120-200 days.
Temperature-82.4-88 with ambient humidity of 70-80%
Substrate should be vermiculite and the egg placed ¼†into vermiculite and dampened to a 1;1 ratio of vermiculite to water by weight, not mass.
Redfoot-
A lot of times redfoots will not have soft enough soil to dig a proper nest in captivity. When breeding redfoots make sure your corners in the enclosure are very deep and use a nice sphagnum, peat, top soil mixture and water every day when you spray them down. Give a proper nesting site for them to dig. When not applied they will typically just lay on top of the enclosure floor, and can be broken easily.
Adult females will start to lay as early as 9-10†in length
Clutch size-1-16 eggs
Duration of incubation 116-200 days, also depends on temperature kept in incubator.
Temperature- 77-86 degrees 70-80% ambient humidity
Moisture needs to be maintained for this species in the incubator.
Substrate-vermiculite is suitable however some have used sphagnum moss as substrate to incubate redfoots. Place ¼- 1/2†into the substrate.
Yellow foot-
Make sure the adult female has a suitable place to lay her eggs. They don’t put a lot of time into digging a good nest hole if the soil is not suitable. They are typically use to very moist and very easily dug forest floors, with lots of leaf litter and moss, and very fertile soil leaving it rather effortless to dig their nest.
Adult females will begin to lay eggs as early as 11-12†in length.
Clutch size-1-17 eggs
Temperature-77-86 degrees with MINIMUM ambient humidity of 80%
Duration-120-270 days.
Substrate-Very moist substrate is always good to have healthy fertile eggs develop and hatch with no likely problems. Vermiculite is a good substrate sometimes mixed with mulch or moss. A ratio of 1.5:1 water to vermiculite is more suitable for this species.
Pancake-
Pancakes will typically dig a shallow nest of 6-8†and laying typically one egg at a time. Although sometimes can lay 2 eggs in one nest digging. They are used to laying in very easily excavated sandy soil, so always make sure there is a spot in the enclosure that has a very low PI(plasticity index) almost like sand or very loose soil.
Adult females can lay as early as 6†in length.
Clutch size- 1-2
Temperature-80.6-87 degrees, ambient humidity 60-70%
Duration-99-300 days
Substrate-Vermiculite is the most suitable to use with a 1:1 ratio of water to vermiculite in weight. Buried ¼-1/2’ in the substrate.
Indian/Sri Lanken Star-
Indian and sri lanken stars will dig a rather deep nest hole in relation to the size of the species. The nest will be around 8-10†in depth.
Indian Star Females can start laying at the earliest around 7-8†in length.
Sri Lanken Star females can start laying eggs at the earliest around 7-8†in length.
Clutch size-1-10
Temperature-84-90 degrees with relative humidity sustained at 70-80%
Duration-109-168 days.
Substrate-Vermiculite is the best substrate to use with these species. 1.2:1 ratio water to vermiculite by weight not mass.
Incubation Methods of some different tortoise species.
Just a few common things about incubation of tortoise eggs.
Placing the eggs in a deli cup or shoe box with a lid and drilled holes (1/4†in size) in about 4-6 places on the tub, few on the sides and few on the top to allow air circulation needed by the eggs during the incubation process. The tub can vary in size, depending on the quantity of eggs that are obtained from the tortoises nest. Some species will lay only a few eggs or even 1, in this scenario a deli cup would be the best method to use to uphold the micro climate surrounding the egg.
Incubation time will vary upon the temperature the incubator is set too. The lower the temp the longer the development, but higher the risk of having some developmental complications percent rise. This goes the same for higher temps.
Vermiculite is the most common substrate to use when incubating tortoise eggs. Some species such as Kinixys, Manouria, Elongated, Travancore, and Forstens, can be incubated using sphagnum moss mixtures and small branches to allow more air circulation and moisture in the ambient air that the egg requires for these special species. Each species will have different humidity and moisture requirements during the incubation duration, as well as the level of substrate needing to be surrounding the eggs in the incubator. Never spray the eggs with water during the incubation time period, this can cause eggs to pop, or crack before they will naturally pip and hatch out.
TSD (temperature sex determination) it has been proven in laboratory method experiments that you can incubate eggs at set temperatures to sustain a desired male or female. Although these experiments were in extremely controlled environments with very costly thermometers and very high cost equipment, It is a proven method.
Things you want to make sure before breeding or expecting eggs from your female tortoise. Size is very important, some species can produce eggs early in their adult life, but sometimes does not suit being able to lay successfully. In some species females can produce and lay eggs but not have a large enough ventral opening to drop the eggs without breaking them. Sometimes this causes a female to be egg bound and forces herself to hold the eggs in and can cause grave situations. AS well as a perfect nesting site is the key to having a female lay her eggs in.
The different species of tortoises have different nesting techniques. Some species will not dig a hole and lay their eggs, But rather build a nest above the ground to lay their eggs. If you have nest building species, you need to make certain there is adequate nesting material for the female to build her nest and not become egg bound. Let’s take Sulcata or leopards for an example. These species will dig a hole in the ground about 12-16†deep and soften the soil by excreting water from their body to make up the mixture of soil and liquid to soften the soil so digging is easier. As well as the softer easier to dig dirt the liquid placement is also a natural additive to the nest hole to sustain humidity for the eggs once the hole is then covered by the soil by the female.
Sulcata-
Females will start laying small clutches as early as 15†in length. Sometimes earlier, as well as smaller in size but not too common.
Clutch size varies with age and size. Early laying females will lay 1-3 clutches with 8-17 eggs and gradually increasing with age up to full adult size clutch sizes from 26-38 eggs in each clutch, up to 5 clutches. Typically laid 1 month apart from each clutch that is laid.
Incubation needs to be in a controlled Environment temps range from 84-92 being a good medium temp in the middle or kept at this range. Try to keep a sustained temp with as minimal fluctuation as possible. Drastic temperature rise or declination can cause complications in the tortoise’s development.
Nest will be dug by the female using her hind legs. Very deep 14-18†deep hole followed by a egg catch basin pit about 10†at the bottom of the larger hole dug by the female. Typically will be dug in a corner of enclosure.
Eggs will range 90-200 days in incubation duration, this is a control defined by humidity and temperature control.
Summed up (if you don’t want to read all the text)
Clutch size-8-38 eggs per clutch up to 5-6 clutches per year.
Incubation Temperature-84-92 with 70% humidity
Substrate-Vermiculite Egg placement ¼ of egg below vermiculite leaving remainder of egg above substrate. 1:1 ratio vermiculite to water IN WEIGHT NOT IN MASS. Example 1 ounce of vermiculite is 1 once water mixed together.
Leopard babcocki-
Females will start laying clutches of eggs around 10†in length at a minimum. Usually around 13-14†they will lay larger more consistent clutches.
Clutch size varies from 3-20 can receive larger clutches depending on females size and age.
Nest will be dug about 12-16†deep with an egg pit in the bottom .
Duration of incubation will depend on incubation techniques and temperatures. But typical in days is 120-200 days.
Temperature-82.4-88 with ambient humidity of 70-80%
Substrate should be vermiculite and the egg placed ¼†into vermiculite and dampened to a 1;1 ratio of vermiculite to water by weight, not mass.
Redfoot-
A lot of times redfoots will not have soft enough soil to dig a proper nest in captivity. When breeding redfoots make sure your corners in the enclosure are very deep and use a nice sphagnum, peat, top soil mixture and water every day when you spray them down. Give a proper nesting site for them to dig. When not applied they will typically just lay on top of the enclosure floor, and can be broken easily.
Adult females will start to lay as early as 9-10†in length
Clutch size-1-16 eggs
Duration of incubation 116-200 days, also depends on temperature kept in incubator.
Temperature- 77-86 degrees 70-80% ambient humidity
Moisture needs to be maintained for this species in the incubator.
Substrate-vermiculite is suitable however some have used sphagnum moss as substrate to incubate redfoots. Place ¼- 1/2†into the substrate.
Yellow foot-
Make sure the adult female has a suitable place to lay her eggs. They don’t put a lot of time into digging a good nest hole if the soil is not suitable. They are typically use to very moist and very easily dug forest floors, with lots of leaf litter and moss, and very fertile soil leaving it rather effortless to dig their nest.
Adult females will begin to lay eggs as early as 11-12†in length.
Clutch size-1-17 eggs
Temperature-77-86 degrees with MINIMUM ambient humidity of 80%
Duration-120-270 days.
Substrate-Very moist substrate is always good to have healthy fertile eggs develop and hatch with no likely problems. Vermiculite is a good substrate sometimes mixed with mulch or moss. A ratio of 1.5:1 water to vermiculite is more suitable for this species.
Pancake-
Pancakes will typically dig a shallow nest of 6-8†and laying typically one egg at a time. Although sometimes can lay 2 eggs in one nest digging. They are used to laying in very easily excavated sandy soil, so always make sure there is a spot in the enclosure that has a very low PI(plasticity index) almost like sand or very loose soil.
Adult females can lay as early as 6†in length.
Clutch size- 1-2
Temperature-80.6-87 degrees, ambient humidity 60-70%
Duration-99-300 days
Substrate-Vermiculite is the most suitable to use with a 1:1 ratio of water to vermiculite in weight. Buried ¼-1/2’ in the substrate.
Indian/Sri Lanken Star-
Indian and sri lanken stars will dig a rather deep nest hole in relation to the size of the species. The nest will be around 8-10†in depth.
Indian Star Females can start laying at the earliest around 7-8†in length.
Sri Lanken Star females can start laying eggs at the earliest around 7-8†in length.
Clutch size-1-10
Temperature-84-90 degrees with relative humidity sustained at 70-80%
Duration-109-168 days.
Substrate-Vermiculite is the best substrate to use with these species. 1.2:1 ratio water to vermiculite by weight not mass.