# Triplet update--separation



## cdmay (Sep 6, 2011)

It's good to have a vet who is also a personal friend. Dr. Dale Porcher and I have known each other since we were little kids in the 1960's so when I e-mailed him this morning with the triplet dilemma and photos he said, "Yeah, bring them in and let's separate them." I put the little guys in a bowl and drove over to his office. I don't mind admitting that I was shaking like a leaf the whole time for fear of injuring the neonates somehow. Dr. Porcher is also a reptile person and he breeds ball python (_foo_!) morphs. It took less than five minutes for him to tie off each hatchling. You can see the clipped off ends of the sutures in this photo... 







...but it did take a lot of hands to hold them while he did the knot tying...






Right after the cuts were made. Each neonate is now free and has its own little yolk sac...






I appreciate all of the very nice comments that have been made about these hatchlings and we will do our best to keep them going. They are very tiny and the weights are as follows: The two larger neonates are both 14 grams. The really little one is only 4 grams. That's not much bigger than a mud turtle hatchling. I will get measurements in a couple of days. Right now they are all back in the incubator.
As for the genetics and whether or not they are identical and so forth, those kind of things are beyond me. I really don't know but I'm sure others do.


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## jackrat (Sep 6, 2011)

I've learned a lot from this whole thing,Carl. Thanks for sharing it.


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## sahdjb (Sep 6, 2011)

Yay!!!! Glad to hear that they are still doing well! Please, keep the pics and updates coming!


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## PEEEETE (Sep 6, 2011)

That's amazing! I'm glad everything went well for you all


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## Guggie (Sep 6, 2011)

Good news. Wow - that little one is SURE little. Has anyone ever seen one so small??


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## Iliketuwtles (Sep 6, 2011)

How amazing! and only 4 grams?? Wow! I have a thing for runts, so I just want to take 'im and keep 'im forever!


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## dmmj (Sep 6, 2011)

wow I wonder if the little one is some type of record? here is hoping they make it.


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## allegraf (Sep 6, 2011)

Dr. Porcher rocks! I'm sure he was excited to see the three, something different than boring cats and dogs. This whole experience has been so fascinating. Keep up the updates! I wonder if the runt will always be smaller, develop/mature smaller, in essence a real "dwarf" cherryhead...curiouser and curiouser.


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## dmarcus (Sep 6, 2011)

Very cool that it was done so fast and with no problems...


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## ALDABRAMAN (Sep 6, 2011)

Wow. That is interesting. Hope they all do well.


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## tyler0912 (Sep 6, 2011)

Wow good luck hope they hang on


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## Momof4 (Sep 6, 2011)

That is good news!! I'm so happy their all doing well. Please keep the updates coming we all love this.


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## Yvonne G (Sep 6, 2011)

Amazing!

Every so often we get a question regarding separating twins. Now we have your beautiful pictures and commentary to go by.

I'm so happy you've posted this in pictorial for us. Thank you!


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## Torty Mom (Sep 6, 2011)

Awesome!!! They are sooo teeny tiny and CUTE!!!! I love the little guy, but I am a sucker for the underdog!! Thanks for sharing all of this, truly amazing! I hope they make it!!!


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## hali (Sep 6, 2011)

wow amazing hope they do well x


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## cemmons12 (Sep 6, 2011)

Such a Good outcome! I hope they do great! Keep us posted.


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## Edna (Sep 6, 2011)

Wow! 4 grams is really tiny. My students and I once weighed worms, the little ones from the bait fridge at the store. The bigger ones, not yet night crawler size, weighed 1-2 grams. So your little guy is the equivalent of 2-4 garden worms. TINY!! Best wishes to all 3 of the little ones


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## Kristina (Sep 6, 2011)

I thought my 7 gram Greek was tiny... holy cow.

I really hope for the best. I really would like to see that tiny one make it through.


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## AnthonyC (Sep 6, 2011)

PLEASE keep the pictures coming! It's like a cliff hanger... I can't wait to see what happens next!!!


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## natty01 (Sep 6, 2011)

omg they are totally adorable, the tiny one is amazing ! ive never seen anything that small besides a bug or a snail lol its truly amazing . i hope they make it , i have no idea what the size of a normal tortoise baby is but that teeny one is a marvel whats his name ?

can i please have permission to share the picture on another pet forum ? its so amazing i didnt even know tortoises could have triplets , the more people who see them the more people will be rooting for there servival and that has to be a good thing.


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## ChiKat (Sep 6, 2011)

Glad they're doing well. Keep us posted!!


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## Jacqui (Sep 6, 2011)

Is the little one acting just the same as the bigger two? Are they behaving normal compared to a regular hatchling at this stage? I hope the next update will be the three of them are eating in a few days!


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## l0velesly (Sep 6, 2011)

That's exciting news! The little one is really little xD I hope he grows out fine.


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## Sky2Mina (Sep 6, 2011)

Wow, that is amazing. The small one is tiny. I'm happy they're all alive, please keep us updated!


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## terryo (Sep 6, 2011)

One of the most interesting threads I've ever seen on any forum. I hope they all make it so we can watch them grow....I love that itty bitty ............


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## froghaven5 (Sep 6, 2011)

So amazing! Hoping they all do well and will be looking forward to updates. Would be really neat to see them in person. Especially the little one.


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## Laura (Sep 6, 2011)

how rare is this? 
very cool!


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## Geochelone_Carbonaria (Sep 7, 2011)

All my best, congratulations and good luck again !


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## dbsneed69 (Sep 7, 2011)

WOW!! That's about all I can say.


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## hoopalou (Sep 7, 2011)

SO thrilled to have seen this... thank you so much for sharing.


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## kbaker (Sep 7, 2011)

Amazing!!
Wouldn't it really throw a wrench in things if you got at least one of each sex out of the three?


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## RV's mom (Sep 7, 2011)

again, amazing. stunning pics ~ I too, am a sucker for the underdog...


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## cemmons12 (Sep 7, 2011)

My whole family is on edge waiting on updates, even my Mother-in-law! Lol!


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## Laura (Sep 7, 2011)

one of each out of three? Male-Female- and......?

;-)


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## Madkins007 (Sep 7, 2011)

So cool, and so many questions! What effects, if any, will having smaller yolk sacks have on the neonatal development? How often does twinning and triplets happen in tortoises? How will the little one develop as time goes on? 

(Don't worry, Carl, I am not expecting any answers to these!)

Between Allegra's surprise babies and your triplets, Florida seems to the THE place for Red-foots this year!


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## Terry Allan Hall (Sep 14, 2011)

Laura said:


> one of each out of three? Male-Female- and......?
> 
> ;-)



Confused?

Concerned?

Michael Jackson-oid? 

Seriously, wouldn't they all be the same gender?


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