# Redfoot eggs hatching? Help please for next steps



## wendigo (Jan 20, 2022)

My redfoot laid eggs 7/31 (1) and 10/16 (7). They've been in the incubator at 88 degrees. I check them daily, but had kinda given up hope that they were fertile. Today I noticed a crack in one of the October set, and assumed it had ruptured from going bad. Those were eggs that I was sure were bad initially, they were very dark and I never saw chalking. I gently went to lift it up and saw movement - there's a baby in there!!! What the heck do I do next? Once they're completely out of the egg do I move them to paper towels in another container in the incubator? I don't want them stomping the other eggs. Then it sounds like I need to use a bed of hibiscus/banana leaves? How long should they stay in the incubator? I was so excited I ran out to tell my husband and I'm pretty sure I broke my toes kicking the bed 

Also, is it possible that the second clutch I found was 2 clutches? One set of eggs was buried in the same spot, but deeper and looked slightly different. If they were all laid 10/16 this one would be hatching at 96 days, which seems early for redfoots? Sorry for the word vomit, I am just SO excited!


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## Tom (Jan 21, 2022)

wendigo said:


> My redfoot laid eggs 7/31 (1) and 10/16 (7). They've been in the incubator at 88 degrees. I check them daily, but had kinda given up hope that they were fertile. Today I noticed a crack in one of the October set, and assumed it had ruptured from going bad. Those were eggs that I was sure were bad initially, they were very dark and I never saw chalking. I gently went to lift it up and saw movement - there's a baby in there!!! What the heck do I do next? Once they're completely out of the egg do I move them to paper towels in another container in the incubator? I don't want them stomping the other eggs. Then it sounds like I need to use a bed of hibiscus/banana leaves? How long should they stay in the incubator? I was so excited I ran out to tell my husband and I'm pretty sure I broke my toes kicking the bed
> 
> Also, is it possible that the second clutch I found was 2 clutches? One set of eggs was buried in the same spot, but deeper and looked slightly different. If they were all laid 10/16 this one would be hatching at 96 days, which seems early for redfoots? Sorry for the word vomit, I am just SO excited!
> View attachment 339229


Congrats! Here is what to do:





How To Incubate Eggs And Start Hatchlings


I put my eggs in a plastic shoe box with a lid on it and put the shoe box in the incubator. You can drill a couple of very small holes around the top of the container, but not on the lid. I use vermiculite as an incubation media. I mix it in a 1 : 1 ratio with water by weight for Sulcatas and...




tortoiseforum.org


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## wendigo (Jan 21, 2022)

Tom said:


> Congrats! Here is what to do:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks so much Tom! I've read that several times, so hopefully I'm on the right track. Now I just have to be patient while they hang out in the egg with their little window


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## Ink (Jan 21, 2022)

Congratulations!


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## Maggie3fan (Jan 21, 2022)

wendigo said:


> Thanks so much Tom! I've read that several times, so hopefully I'm on the right track. Now I just have to be patient while they hang out in the egg with their little window


Then after you are emotionally settled down,you need to figure out how to get one or two of those babies from Florida to Oregon...


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## wendigo (Jan 21, 2022)

maggie3fan said:


> Then after you are emotionally settled down,you need to figure out how to get one or two of those babies from Florida to Oregon...


That might take a while, hahah. I got x-rays yesterday and I did break my toe. The doctor suggested Pinky, Piggy or Piddy once this one hatches  Having to explain that I broke my toe because I was excited about a hatching tortoise was interesting.


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## wendigo (Jan 22, 2022)

We have a face! Hoping they decide to come out tomorrow.


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## wendigo (Jan 24, 2022)

I was advised to help out, so last night we peeled Pinky and found that their yolk sac had dried to the membrane. They are now free, and in the incubator on paper towels surrounded by greens. I'm amazed by how tiny and fragile they seem, hope they start eating soon.


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## wendigo (Feb 15, 2022)

Just a quick update - Pinky is doing great. Four days ago I was pulling mom tortoise out of her dirt hole to put her in the heated house for the night and underneath her was another baby! Must have been one of Pinky's clutch that we missed. I was afraid he was dead, or damaged from 10lb mom sitting on him, but after warming up he looks okay. Pretty amazing that with our cold temps so far this winter he only hatched 3 weeks behind Pinky. I'm amazed at how different their coloration in, Pinky has the classic yellow head/red legs and Grounder has no red on him, all yellow. 


Fresh out of the ground. It was 55 the day I found him.


All yellow, no red


Grounder top, Pinky bottom


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## Maro2Bear (Feb 15, 2022)

wendigo said:


> Just a quick update - Pinky is doing great. Four days ago I was pulling mom tortoise out of her dirt hole to put her in the heated house for the night and underneath her was another baby! Must have been one of Pinky's clutch that we missed. I was afraid he was dead, or damaged from 10lb mom sitting on him, but after warming up he looks okay. Pretty amazing that with our cold temps so far this winter he only hatched 3 weeks behind Pinky. I'm amazed at how different their coloration in, Pinky has the classic yellow head/red legs and Grounder has no red on him, all yellow.
> View attachment 340602
> 
> Fresh out of the ground. It was 55 the day I found him.
> ...


Wow! Nice “rescue”. A good name for this one is “Lucky”.


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## Toddrickfl1 (Feb 15, 2022)

wendigo said:


> Just a quick update - Pinky is doing great. Four days ago I was pulling mom tortoise out of her dirt hole to put her in the heated house for the night and underneath her was another baby! Must have been one of Pinky's clutch that we missed. I was afraid he was dead, or damaged from 10lb mom sitting on him, but after warming up he looks okay. Pretty amazing that with our cold temps so far this winter he only hatched 3 weeks behind Pinky. I'm amazed at how different their coloration in, Pinky has the classic yellow head/red legs and Grounder has no red on him, all yellow.
> View attachment 340602
> 
> Fresh out of the ground. It was 55 the day I found him.
> ...


I would probably keep that first guy on damp paper towels for a few days. That yolk sac looks a little funky.


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## wendigo (Feb 15, 2022)

This is what he looks like today. He did spend his first 48 hrs in the incubator on paper towels. He was caked in dirt when I found him. Do you think I should switch him to paper towels still?


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## Toddrickfl1 (Feb 15, 2022)

wendigo said:


> View attachment 340609
> 
> This is what he looks like today. He did spend his first 48 hrs in the incubator on paper towels. He was caked in dirt when I found him. Do you think I should switch him to paper towels still?


If it were me I would for at least a few more days til that closes up better.


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