So I work at a corporate pet store, and tonight one of my associates found two Greek tortoise eggs. I'm concerned for mom tortoise, and want to make sure that while we have her, and after, she has the proper nutrition, I imagine she's been through quite the ordeal. Also, I have a friend who works at a science center and is interested in adopting the eggs and attempting to hatch them, but I have some questions. I found info on temperatures, but I need more info. we have a limited budget, but I'm wondering if we can incubate with, say a 10 gallon tank, substrate (although I would need to know what works best, would tropical soil/coconut fiber work? How far deep do you put them, and is the temperature supposed to be the soil temp or air temp above the soil? Does the substrate ever need to be changed? And what should the humidity be like? Should there still be uva/uvb rays present? I figured that probably doesn't matter since they're beneath some bedding but thought I'd check to make sure. Will someone please help? I want these babies to grow up!
need help with eggs!
- Thread starter nicole409
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Hello and Welcome.
I have never had any eggs, so never incubated or hatched any. I will leave this for those who has. Good luck.
In the mean time, you might find some useful info in this thread http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-70809.html
I have never had any eggs, so never incubated or hatched any. I will leave this for those who has. Good luck.In the mean time, you might find some useful info in this thread http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-70809.html
Hi Nicole, and welcome to the Forum!
I've never worked with Greek tortoise eggs, but I'll give you some general info, and maybe someone with more Greek experience will come along and help you too.
Don't change the orientation of the eggs. You should mark the top so that it always stays the top. If you turn the eggs, the yolk will crush and kill the embryo.
Nestling them down into moistened vermiculite is what most of us do, and the temp really should stay steady, that is, not cool down or climb up, during the incubation period. Right around 83F degrees would be good.
Once you've got the eggs set up in your "incubator," you never move them or change the medium.
Good luck. I hope they hatch for you.
I've never worked with Greek tortoise eggs, but I'll give you some general info, and maybe someone with more Greek experience will come along and help you too.
Don't change the orientation of the eggs. You should mark the top so that it always stays the top. If you turn the eggs, the yolk will crush and kill the embryo.
Nestling them down into moistened vermiculite is what most of us do, and the temp really should stay steady, that is, not cool down or climb up, during the incubation period. Right around 83F degrees would be good.
Once you've got the eggs set up in your "incubator," you never move them or change the medium.
Good luck. I hope they hatch for you.
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A glass tank is not the best scenario for incubating eggs. The temps fluctuate too much with the glass “walls†. You would be better off with a Styrofoam cooler which will hold temps more constant through out the incubating process. Using home made incubators is fine but take in to consideration you will need a heat source, reliable thermostat ( to turn on and off your heating element) and water source( glass dish) to keep humidity up. This can be tricky to achieve in making one that will hold true for the next 3-4 months ….Your best bet is buy a Hovabator’ -they are basically the exact construction as mentioned above. Plus it’s self contained, and easy to use and around 75 bucks new and low as 25 used. Most importantly is to set up your incubator days prior to egg placement .. As you will need to dial in the correct tempts ( by rotating thermostat lever ) that will hold true , day in and night. ( Why homemade ones can be tricky unless you have a knack for building things) For an example take a look at the room you sleep in .. that room changes temps thru out the day and night and quite considerably , this can not happen to your tortoise eggs…. they must stay within a stable temp or you will have less chances of hatching anything out. As others have mentioned , once eggs are laid you DO NOT want to rotate them or move them around ( odd and very neat~o how nature’s game plan works within our world …this is the exact opposite when trying to hatch out any bird species ….where the eggs *MUST* be turned every 12 hours ….a great topic on evolution between reptiles and birds) I have seen ads where people try and sell tortoise eggs you can hatch …that’s complete BS!… there is no way one could ship eggs unless you went all out with special packaging , heating bla bla bla ….and just the vibrations from moving would be ill fated.
Good luck with your hatchling project …..and I will give the best most important and fun filled fact…. * BE PREPARED TO TEST YOUR PATIENCE*…..no matter how many eggs one has hatched , it never gets old or boring ….and waiting for that miracle to happen as you count down the days … and that *exact* day really doesn’t take place until 3-6 weeks later .. You sort of feel like a little kid on Xmas eve …wondering what Santa will bring you ~
JD~
A glass tank is not the best scenario for incubating eggs. The temps fluctuate too much with the glass “walls†. You would be better off with a Styrofoam cooler which will hold temps more constant through out the incubating process. Using home made incubators is fine but take in to consideration you will need a heat source, reliable thermostat ( to turn on and off your heating element) and water source( glass dish) to keep humidity up. This can be tricky to achieve in making one that will hold true for the next 3-4 months ….Your best bet is buy a Hovabator’ -they are basically the exact construction as mentioned above. Plus it’s self contained, and easy to use and around 75 bucks new and low as 25 used. Most importantly is to set up your incubator days prior to egg placement .. As you will need to dial in the correct tempts ( by rotating thermostat lever ) that will hold true , day in and night. ( Why homemade ones can be tricky unless you have a knack for building things) For an example take a look at the room you sleep in .. that room changes temps thru out the day and night and quite considerably , this can not happen to your tortoise eggs…. they must stay within a stable temp or you will have less chances of hatching anything out. As others have mentioned , once eggs are laid you DO NOT want to rotate them or move them around ( odd and very neat~o how nature’s game plan works within our world …this is the exact opposite when trying to hatch out any bird species ….where the eggs *MUST* be turned every 12 hours ….a great topic on evolution between reptiles and birds) I have seen ads where people try and sell tortoise eggs you can hatch …that’s complete BS!… there is no way one could ship eggs unless you went all out with special packaging , heating bla bla bla ….and just the vibrations from moving would be ill fated.
Good luck with your hatchling project …..and I will give the best most important and fun filled fact…. * BE PREPARED TO TEST YOUR PATIENCE*…..no matter how many eggs one has hatched , it never gets old or boring ….and waiting for that miracle to happen as you count down the days … and that *exact* day really doesn’t take place until 3-6 weeks later .. You sort of feel like a little kid on Xmas eve …wondering what Santa will bring you ~
JD~
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