laying environment

[micki]

wot environment do owners on ere create to encourage their female torts to lay??

[Crazy1]

I just used the sand, dirt and coco fiber mixture that is in her enclosure and made it damp in one area and mounded it in a heap. My Greek Likes to lay her eggs on the side of a mound or little hill-slope if you will. It needed to be moist and warm and wal-la Eggs.

[HermanniChris]

Some Hermann's are particularly picky when it comes to their laying areas and this is usually the case with first time moms and tortoises that are used to one way for most of their lives. Other's will lay almost anywhere providing the substrate is deep enough, easy to dig in and holds sufficient humidity. Sometimes I just pile dirt in one corner and it works wonders. I have also built several easy nest boxes that have worked great as well. Here is an example of one using a cardboard box and a ramp. The ramp I took from one of those indoor mini fountains that trickels water down a slab with ridges in it. The tortoises climb right up it and get to work. Some females like to dig their nests underneathe something like a plant or log, I have noticed this mainly with Testudo hermanni hermanni. So, sometimes adding something like that will encourage them to lay.

[JustAnja]

This makes me think Im trying too hard on my indoor setups.

[HermanniChris]

Anja, natural is always better so I'm sure if you're putting together elaborate set ups things are working for you. This is why during the summer my animals are in large well decorated and planted enclosures outside. Inside going the simple route works great for me because it is only for a short period of time and because I have a lot of tortoises.

[JustAnja]

Thats cool Chris, they will be in elaborate outdoor setups in the summer here as well BUT we have a much shorter summer period so my torts are indoors far more then yours would be out there. I just like to replicate as close to natural with them as possible to make them comfortable.

[micki]

Thanx Chris thats really great. can i ask wot surface temp the soil is and is it damp?? where are u from?? in summer my torts are in a covered outdoor earth floor enclosure. at wot point do u put the soil box in??

[Crazy1]

HermanniChris Wrote:The ramp I took from one of those indoor mini fountains that trickels water down a slab with ridges in it.

Chris I never thought of that. Now I wish I had saved my fountain instead of selling it at a yard sale this last fall. I love that as a ramp. Now I will have to go yardsaleing to try and find one-cheap.
Thanks for the Idea.

[HermanniChris]

Thanks

The surface temp in that particular box was 97, and with most of my animals I've noticed the warmer the area the better it is. Some however, do prefer it a bit cooler, you have to experiment with it.

The soil was slightly moistened and as it would dry out I would add water to it and almost immediately they would begin to lay.

I do not add in my nest boxes until I notice my females pacing however, some tortoises do not even act as though they are gravid so it may be a good idea to keep one in there at all times if you are not 100% certain of your tortoise's behavior.

[micki]

was thinkin last nite about the covered run that my torts have..
worrying the soil mite not get warm enough for them to start layin.
then i started thinkin about the soil box method and there behind me
in the shed was an old 2.5ft fish tank. couldnt i use this filled deep
with soil, light suspended above for the female to lay in

[emysemys]

because you're using moist soil as a nesting material, how long does the cardboard box last?

Yvonne

[micki]

how deep would u recommend for the soil??

[HermanniChris]

I forgot to mention that I put a rubber liner in the bottom of the box so that it doesn't get destroyed. I put in 6 to 8" of dirt.

[micki]

Chris i added a soil box with a ramp to my torts area just like urs and guess wot, ive now go 4 eggs

[HermanniChris]

That's great Micki! Congrats