# Egg overload!



## tortadise (May 17, 2012)

So on Tuesday my boss told me I needed to go up to Oklahoma city to finish a job for him. And today my mom who is currently watching the torts at the facility while I'm gone until tomorrow, notifies me that my big female sulcata is laying her 4th clutch of eggs already have 92 in the incubator. My Burmese brown is doing another nest getting ready to lay her first clutch. I'm on overload, being 3 hours away from them laying. I had to get 2 more incubators hopefully they are good ones never used them before. Zoomed reptibator. Any one use these before and have success? These are just going to be in these emergency situations. 

And another phone call. Now the Guyana redfoots are laying they're 5th clutch. Good god. Isn't 108 eggs enough? This will probably put me over 200 with the mountain, sulcata, and now more redfoot. Who needs a baby tort?


----------



## Arizona Sulcata (May 17, 2012)

I experienced the same problem last month. I had over 200 eggs in one incubator and 3 clutches due to hatch within days and two of my females laid 30+ eggs each in one day so I ran out and bought another incubator.


----------



## tortadise (May 17, 2012)

Man. It's nuts. That's why I sold my other female sulcatas I had trouble selling them all. Once they get huge it's just so many eggs. Why can't my stars lay that many eggs?


----------



## dmarcus (May 17, 2012)

Sounds like things have been very busy for you...


----------



## tortadise (May 17, 2012)

Yep. Also in the process of clearing some trees for a new outdoor enclosure area for about 8-12 pens. I'm definitely going to consider building a couple for hatchlings. Put a nice heavy gauge wire top and of course extend the mister system. Busy year for sanctuary, already had 7 relinquishments and or found turtle drop offs so it is busy busy busy.


----------



## dmarcus (May 17, 2012)

You need to get some volunteer help


----------



## tortadise (May 17, 2012)

Yeah i do. I ha the juvenile court ordered kids come out for years forservice hours but the city stopped that. I enjoy all the work especially when it comes to building new enclosures and buildings. I love building stuff maybe it's a good thing I'm a superintendent in construction.


----------



## dmarcus (May 17, 2012)

More satisfaction when you know its all your own work!!!


----------



## Tropical Torts (May 18, 2012)

Having 200 eggs sounds awesome to me! I would love to be able to do what you are doing right now, its like my dream, having all those different types of torts and being so successful with them!


----------



## jackrat (May 18, 2012)

If you are talking about the Reptibator incubator,I like them. Just remember,take the temperature at the egg level and adjust accordingly. In mine,about 90 or 91 degrees on the display gives me 84 at egg level.


----------



## tortadise (May 18, 2012)

jackrat said:


> If you are talking about the Reptibator incubator,I like them. Just remember,take the temperature at the egg level and adjust accordingly. In mine,about 90 or 91 degrees on the display gives me 84 at egg level.



Excellent. I was hoping I would get a good feed back on this incubator. I had trouble years ago with the hovabators. The temp varies so much even in a constant tempered environment. Thanks for your input. 



jrcrist4 said:


> Having 200 eggs sounds awesome to me! I would love to be able to do what you are doing right now, its like my dream, having all those different types of torts and being so successful with them!



John it is pretty wonderful having this many species and torts. I don'tind the overflowing egg problem. I just was a little put off with a 4th clutch from my sulcata Shea never had 4 clutches before. And it's taken a lot of work getting to where I am today. Hoping for the best with federal assistance to get AAZ recognized in the upcoming years and branching into a full scale zoo.


----------



## starfield (May 18, 2012)

Very cool! Let me know when the Guyanas start to hatch? PM? And good luck on the AZA! Id visit TX for a tortoise zoo in a heartbeat!


----------



## Tom (May 18, 2012)

Haha! You asked for it!


----------



## tortadise (May 18, 2012)

I did ask for it. But I am glad I did thin out a few years ago on my sulcata and leopards. And of course I will notify everyone on the forum before any babies are to be sold publicly. Well right now I'm shooting for AAZ. AZA is quite costly and I'm not quite there yet for AZA. But I will be.


----------



## Tropical Torts (May 18, 2012)

Wow that is awesome! I would love to come by some time in the future. I am from Tyler, tx. and still have family in Dallas. It would be awesome to make a little trip north after visiting family to check out your tort paradise. Good luck with AAZ.


----------



## tortadise (May 22, 2012)

Well 4th clutch is in the incubator. Grand total of 117 eggs from one female sulcata. Mountain decided not to lay and just wanted to mess with her nest. Packed to the brims with eggs. 

117 sulcata
43 redfoot
16 leopard
4 Chaco
And hopefully coming soon if they quit nesting around (no pun intended) elongated and Burmese brown.


----------



## tyrs4u (May 23, 2012)

Question on the nest, did you make it or did she dig up earth? Im wondering whats a good/easy thing for them to lay their first clutch... The Sulcatas & Eastern Box... Thanks any tips welcomed,and product names and sites...


----------



## KimandKarasi (May 23, 2012)

tortadise said:


> I did ask for it. But I am glad I did thin out a few years ago on my sulcata and leopards. And of course I will notify everyone on the forum before any babies are to be sold publicly. Well right now I'm shooting for AAZ. AZA is quite costly and I'm not quite there yet for AZA. But I will be.



Your name isn't joking around, you really DO have a tortadise!! lol! I would be HONORED to take a little baby sulcata off your hands in the future!! I would drive up there in no time just to SEE this tortoise sanctuary you have set up! I would volunteer there in a heartbeat, but I can't go that far every day sadly or else it would be a no brainer.  how long do the baby sulcatas incubate for?


----------



## tortadise (May 24, 2012)

tyrs4u said:


> Question on the nest, did you make it or did she dig up earth? Im wondering whats a good/easy thing for them to lay their first clutch... The Sulcatas & Eastern Box... Thanks any tips welcomed,and product names and sites...



The Burmese have make the nest out of small twigs, earth,mulch, and leaves that I put in their for them. The males and females will shovel it around the pen with their gular scute. I so use the same material for the elongated.



KimandKarasi said:


> tortadise said:
> 
> 
> > I did ask for it. But I am glad I did thin out a few years ago on my sulcata and leopards. And of course I will notify everyone on the forum before any babies are to be sold publicly. Well right now I'm shooting for AAZ. AZA is quite costly and I'm not quite there yet for AZA. But I will be.
> ...



Well thank yah. I'd love to have helpers that love torts. When the sulcatas hatch I will let everyone know. Usually around 135-185 days on the eggs. Depends on the temp. I stick with the median and incubate them at 85ish.


----------



## LeaderLeprechaun (May 24, 2012)

ill def be up to taking a redfoot off your hands when the babies are ready


----------



## tortadise (May 24, 2012)

LeaderLeprechaun said:


> ill def be up to taking a redfoot off your hands when the babies are ready



No problem. Which country of origin redfoot do you have? The ones due to hatch are Venezuelan, Guyana, and Suriname. All northern but I still keep them locale specific.


----------

