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gsvitek

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Hi.
My name is Grace & I have had a turtle or tortoise since I was 11 yrs. old...over 46 yrs. experience. I currently have a pair of Sulcatas, raising them from hatchlings, for 9 & 10 yrs., & they are mating, and have laid 3 clutches of eggs. This is a new experience for me. The 1st clutch (10) will be at 90 days incubation today. I'm getting excited! I have read online & have several books on tortoises. Do the eggs change in appearance when they are ready to start hatching? One is getting dark spots on the outside shell. Or is it spoiling. Have used a flashlight on the eggs. Some are very solid and dark, just a few are clear.
I enjoy this app., and am not sure how to work it yet. Hope this reaches someone with "egg knowledge."
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Grace:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

Sometimes the eggs will look like they are swelling a bit, but normally you won't notice any difference in them. When you think its time for them to hatch, it helps to spritz a little warm water on them. This helps the baby be able to break through the inner membrane.
 

ascott

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Welcome to the Forum :D We LOVE PICS :p

Very fun....remember to resist the urge to help them out of their shell......:D:D
 

Tom

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Hello and welcome. I usually add just a little water for some extra humidity at this point. Seems to help them hatch a little easier too.

Don't disturb them. Sometimes they take a day or two to get out of their shells. I leave them in the incubator until they get all the way out of their shell and start moving around. Then I set up a "brooder box". They need this while they finish absorbing their yolk sac and waiting for the umbilical scar to close up. Its just a plastic shoe box with a few 1/4 inch holes drilled around the top. I put damp paper towels in the bottom, keep the lid on and keep it somewhere warm (85-90 degrees). I also like to rinse any incubation medium off of the egg shell and put that in there with them. They usually eat all the calcified portion. I also keep some greens in there with them. They tend to nibble on the paper towels if you don't. I also start soaking them daily at this point. It keeps them hydrated, clean, and makes it easy to keep an eye on the receding yolk sac. Good luck!

We want pics!!! ...please.
 

Zamric

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Welcome mto the Forum Grace!

hehehe What an introduction! you come in with a lifetime experiance with torts, one brood almost hatching and 2 more behind....

Tom has the info you need as well as a couple of our other Sulcata breeders.

and for the rest of us humble Sulcata owners, we like pics and you got a mated pair from hatchlings... that should be a "Full Cycles" worth of pics for us to enjoy.... you can start posting them at your conveniance!;) (might I suggest you open a photobucket account to make pic posting easier?) :p
 

Debi1*

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gsvitek said:
Hi.
My name is Grace & I have had a turtle or tortoise since I was 11 yrs. old...over 46 yrs. experience. I currently have a pair of Sulcatas, raising them from hatchlings, for 9 & 10 yrs., & they are mating, and have laid 3 clutches of eggs. This is a new experience for me. The 1st clutch (10) will be at 90 days incubation today. I'm getting excited! I have read online & have several books on tortoises. Do the eggs change in appearance when they are ready to start hatching? One is getting dark spots on the outside shell. Or is it spoiling. Have used a flashlight on the eggs. Some are very solid and dark, just a few are clear.
I enjoy this app., and am not sure how to work it yet. Hope this reaches someone with "egg knowledge."

Welcome, Grace
Good luck with your eggs. It would be great to see some pics of your enclosure and to know what part of the country you are in. And by the way,were the same age.
 

Katherine

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Welcome to the forum!! I second Toms advice, I am unsure of the humidity in your incubator but I usually incubate mine around 80%humidity and then up the humidity to the mid 90s when it's hatching time- definitely allows them more ease while exiting the shell. Goodluck with the eggs and please keep us posted : )
 

pryncesssc

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Welcome !!! How exciting to have the babies you raised have babies of their own !!! Hope they are all healthy :)
 
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