I've got eggs!

[mashton10]

I've just come home to this! What should I do!?

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Can anyone help?

 

[TortieLuver]

Is there two eggs? The substrate doesn't look very deep from the pics...how deep is it? Was this expected...meaning her with a mature male and signs of mating? Sometimes when they are laid on the ground, they are infertile. Nonetheless I always incubate them, unless they are cracked through the membrane. Do you have an incubator? Does she appear to be digging anymore today? Sorry for the questions, but I can further help you the more information you provide. I would definitely remove the eggs and gently set in a plastic container where they won't roll around. You can place an x on the top of the egg so you remember to keep that egg that direction up. I would also give her a warm soak...it's possibly she has another egg or so inside her. If you are keeping her indoors, I highly suggest a nesting box within her indoor setup for her to dig and lay eggs or adding more substrate. However, the substrate needs to be deep enough where her legs won't easily hit the bottom.

 

[mashton10]

She's going to sleep now so I will leave for tonight. Yeah it looked like she had been digging. One egg is really small compared to the other. I will soak her in the morning and what would you suggest I incubate the eggs in? Ect also yes she had been mating with a male during summer

 

[TortieLuver]

Sometimes for a number of reasons, tortoises will lay a much smaller, like gumdrop size egg, and the others normal. The very small eggs have always been infertile for me. Yes, I agree to leave her be for tonight since she's sleeping. I would place the egg or eggs in a small plastic Tupperware container and or shoebox, but not where it can roll around. I would place it in a spot like a closet that you don't often open, so temp stays the same. Do you have any vermiculite or perlite in your garage. They sell it at lowes, Home Depot, etc. many people use different types of mediums and in different ways. I think we as breeders tend to stick to what works for us, not that other ways are better or worse. I think that's the question we are all searching for...what is the most successful way for each species to have the healthiest and highest hatch rate.

If you intend to breed, I highly recommend getting the hovabotor 1602n or another within that brand. Just make sure it doesn't rotate the eggs. I have found them to be very effective and inexpensive in comparison. People do hatch eggs by simply placing a shoebox in the closet, but depending on sex, I usually keep eggs between 84-88 degrees.