[split] Star laid eggs-help please

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K Tan

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Hi
I am new to this forum. Have a question.

My star tortoise laid eggs yesterday in the garden by digging a hole. Wonderful sight of her laying the eggs.
After laying the eggs, she covered the hole with the garden soil, pressed and stomped with her legs to flatten the soil.

I have placed a large overturned bucket over the area to protect it.

My question: I am thinking whether the garden soil is too heavy and clayey for the little babies to crawl out when they hatch. Would they have the strength to do this? Should I take out the soil above the eggs and replace it with something lighter such as sand?
 

Yvonne G

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Hi K Tan:

First of all...

103139mqab19lejc.gif


to the forum!!

I'm going to let the more experienced Star people answer your question, but I DO want to say I don't think the bucket is a good idea. You want the sun to be able to warm the earth. Maybe you need to put a wire fence around the spot?? Is there any chance you could dig up the eggs and artificially incubate them?

Yvonne
 

tortoisenerd

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Welcome to the group! Congrats on the eggs. Are you thinking these are fertile (do you have a breeding group)? Yes, typically you would want to get an incubator to increase the chances of ideal conditions, and thus survival. Someone should come along soon with instructions. Want to share more about your tortoise/s? We love pictures! Best wishes.
 

K Tan

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Hi

I have 2 females and a male. I saw them mating before. Not sure if eggs will be produced even if infertile ( as in chicken eggs). Attached a foto.

tortoisenerd said:
Welcome to the group! Congrats on the eggs. Are you thinking these are fertile (do you have a breeding group)? Yes, typically you would want to get an incubator to increase the chances of ideal conditions, and thus survival. Someone should come along soon with instructions. Want to share more about your tortoise/s? We love pictures! Best wishes.
 

tortoisenerd

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Yes, infertile eggs can be produced, but with them mating I think you should treat these as fertile. I hope someone can give you specific advise soon as I haven't dealt with this. Best wishes. P.S. Didn't see the photo.
 

K Tan

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Hi

Does anyone know how to tell if eggs are fertile?

I have dug the eggs out and am incubating them at 34 degree centigrade.

here's the foto. enjoy it.
 

Redfoot NERD

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K Tan said:
Hi

Does anyone know how to tell if eggs are fertile?

I have dug the eggs out and am incubating them at 34 degree centigrade.

here's the foto. enjoy it.


YIKES!!!!! You're "COOKIN'" 'em!!!!!

29-30 C tops.

After trying to candle probly 500 redfoot eggs.. even tho' they show 'veins', etc. - I've come to the conclusion.. you know after 120 -200 [ for stars ] days when they hatch or they don't

Terry K
 

Millerlite

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i have had eggs, and found that incubating them gives you less chance of success if you dont know what your doing... lol.. I did kind of half and half with my tortoises and box turtles. I got pretty good at hatching box turtle eggs, and not so good with Russians. Only way i can hatch Russians is when i leave them in the ground. Box turtle eggs i can do either but i left them in the ground more and more. For the clay tortoises know what they are doing and find a spot they think has a high chance of the eggs hatching. I would try incubating some, and try leaving clutches in the ground, incubating eggs is fairly hard when your new at it, and it can become a lot of trial and error. But i do hope they hatch. keep us update d
 

K Tan

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Millerlite said:
i have had eggs, and found that incubating them gives you less chance of success if you dont know what your doing... lol.. I did kind of half and half with my tortoises and box turtles. I got pretty good at hatching box turtle eggs, and not so good with Russians. Only way i can hatch Russians is when i leave them in the ground. Box turtle eggs i can do either but i left them in the ground more and more. For the clay tortoises know what they are doing and find a spot they think has a high chance of the eggs hatching. I would try incubating some, and try leaving clutches in the ground, incubating eggs is fairly hard when your new at it, and it can become a lot of trial and error. But i do hope they hatch. keep us update d


Hi Millerlite

Thks for sharing the info. I was told that turtle eggs here in tropical countries can get drowned by rain, so I took the risk to dig them out and incubate them; rather than keep them covered with a overturned bucket for 3 months; just in case of heavy rainfall which seeps near the eggs.
They are being incubated by someone who had incubated duck and partridge eggs before, so he is better than me doing it.

Here's a pix of the eggs being dugged out.:D


Millerlite said:
i have had eggs, and found that incubating them gives you less chance of success if you dont know what your doing... lol.. I did kind of half and half with my tortoises and box turtles. I got pretty good at hatching box turtle eggs, and not so good with Russians. Only way i can hatch Russians is when i leave them in the ground. Box turtle eggs i can do either but i left them in the ground more and more. For the clay tortoises know what they are doing and find a spot they think has a high chance of the eggs hatching. I would try incubating some, and try leaving clutches in the ground, incubating eggs is fairly hard when your new at it, and it can become a lot of trial and error. But i do hope they hatch. keep us update d


Hi Terri

Will take your advice to lower the temperature.
Here's a pix of the eggs compared to a chicken egg.

:shy:

Redfoot NERD said:
K Tan said:
Hi

Does anyone know how to tell if eggs are fertile?

I have dug the eggs out and am incubating them at 34 degree centigrade.

here's the foto. enjoy it.


YIKES!!!!! You're "COOKIN'" 'em!!!!!

29-30 C tops.

After trying to candle probly 500 redfoot eggs.. even tho' they show 'veins', etc. - I've come to the conclusion.. you know after 120 -200 [ for stars ] days when they hatch or they don't

Terry K
 
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