Successful breeding of Cuora (Pyxidea) mouhotii

jonathan gray

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Well, it appears that 12 of the 14 obsti eggs have banded. The ones laid in August are showing blood vessels. No 'action' with the serrata eggs. Yet.
 

jonathan gray

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Make that 13 of the 14 obsti eggs have banded and are now showing tiny blood vessels. This is good news! Alas, however, the serrata eggs remain clear and are starting to get a little molded. Heavy sigh.
 

Turtle girl 98

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Well, I finally broke down and cracked open the remaining eggs; opening the incubator started to feel like I was looking into an open grave. All ten eggs were fertile and the remaining seven eggs ALL had dead, desiccated babies inside. I suppose I should have taken pictures but the sight was too pitiful (and gross), for me to do so...I'm a hobbyist, not a scientist. The baby that emerged from the third egg hung on for a few days and then died. The white, inner membrane of the egg had separated from the shell and had encased the baby so it was unable to grow properly. When it emerged from the egg (with my assist), its head was twisted 90 degrees. I had hoped that. with hydration and a lot of TLC the baby might just make it but such was not to be. So the bottom line is this: out of ten good eggs, I got two live babies and eight dead ones, all my fault because I decided to try a new method of incubation (SIM), which I do NOT recommend anyone try with this species. Again, I have no scientific proof to support my conclusion but my experience with this most recent disaster leads me to believe mouhotii eggs need to be in contact with a moist incubation medium (I had been using a mixture of vermiculite and milled sphagnum moss), in order to bring them to a successful term.
I just had the same exact thing happen this year with my eggs. I got one live baby that survived and all the rest I cracked open after to long and found them all fully developed and dead. I was going to take pictures to but it was very sad. So happy you got some babies I have no idea what happened with the eggs to cause them all to die, I have been guessing the humidity wasn't enough or they weren't strong enough to hatch.
 

jonathan gray

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I just had the same exact thing happen this year with my eggs. I got one live baby that survived and all the rest I cracked open after to long and found them all fully developed and dead. I was going to take pictures to but it was very sad. So happy you got some babies I have no idea what happened with the eggs to cause them all to die, I have been guessing the humidity wasn't enough or they weren't strong enough to hatch.
I'm sorry to hear that. This year's clutches still remain a mystery: will any more of them hatch or did something go wrong along the way. There really are so many variables it would be hard to pinpoint what worked and what didn't.
 

jonathan gray

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Two more eggs pipped. That makes a total of five live babies out of eight eggs, two went molded, and one remains a mystery for the present. All told, that's not a bad hatch rate, is it...5 out of 8?
 

Turtle girl 98

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It really is, isn't it? I was so ready to trash the molded eggs but then I figured I'd isolate them to see if anything happened. And it did. The other egg I'm sure is dead but, until it explodes, I'll keep it where it is.
I totally agree. Your babies are so beautiful. Good job! I agree don't throw any til they explode. Bubba came from the one egg I was certain was dead right off the bat. I love watching the little babies hatch. It's magical isn't it
 

jonathan gray

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I totally agree. Your babies are so beautiful. Good job! I agree don't throw any til they explode. Bubba came from the one egg I was certain was dead right off the bat. I love watching the little babies hatch. It's magical isn't it

It is magical and it never gets old. I have hatched a LOT of turtles and tortoises in my day and it's like Christmas every time!
 

Turtle girl 98

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This year was my personal first time. I've been around them hatching but never got to experience when you open up the little container to see a baby poking out of the egg ☺️ it is just like Christmas. I cannot wait to see them grow if you ever want to rehome any of them cute babies let me know ☺️
 

jonathan gray

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For what it's worth, the success of this year's hatch rate compared to last year's abysmal results underscores my belief that these eggs need to be in contact with the dampened incubating medium and not suspended above water as in a SIM incubator.
 

jonathan gray

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All seven of the neonates seem to be doing very well: all have begun eating and appear to be robust and feisty, just like their parents. Pictures soon to follow. BTW, the remaining eggs about nine more days before they're due to pop. Fingers crossed!
 

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