# 1st Failure



## TommyZ (Jul 15, 2014)

I know this is nothing new but its new to me so thought id share. I had my 1st experience with a failed egg. It seems to have "exploded" so to speak. I recon the tort died in the egg and gas buildup caused a "bang". Here are some photos. Kinda bummed out..


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## mike taylor (Jul 15, 2014)

Man that sucks! It was a beautiful tortoise.


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## sibi (Jul 15, 2014)

It almost looks alive. Sorry that you lost Su h a beauty


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## TommyZ (Jul 15, 2014)

I saw a hole and got all excited thinkin I had my 1st ever pip....epic fail


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## Carol S (Jul 15, 2014)

So sorry for your loss. He looks like a perfectly formed hatchling. Did the incubator get to hot?


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## TommyZ (Jul 15, 2014)

I dont think it got too hot, no. Im diligent if not obsessive about peeking in the window and checking the gauges.


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## tortadise (Jul 15, 2014)

TommyZ said:


> I know this is nothing new but its new to me so thought id share. I had my 1st experience with a failed egg. It seems to have "exploded" so to speak. I recon the tort died in the egg and gas buildup caused a "bang". Here are some photos. Kinda bummed out..


I don't see this as a failure at all. Tragic yes. But to me this is experience and an icon for you to grow into mastering what will be a second glacé in the future for you. It happens.


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Jul 15, 2014)

I'm sorry! That was such a pretty little guy 
Sometimes eggs fail, but now you are looking even more forward to the others hatching... wish he had hatched too for you


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## TommyZ (Jul 15, 2014)

Any guesses as to why it may have perished? Just curious


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## kimber_lee_314 (Jul 15, 2014)

I'm so sorry - I hate it when that happens. I have had a couple start to hatch like that, then suddenly die. Do you think it's possible he was pipping or do you think the egg exploded? (It does look like it exploded.)


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## bouaboua (Jul 15, 2014)

TommyZ said:


> Any guesses as to why it may have perished? Just curious


Yes.....I like to know and learn something from this.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2014)

Did you add water within the last few days? That's the only thing I could think of that would cause a full term babies egg to pop open like that.

Every breeder loses some in one way or another. I can totally sympathize with your sense of loss.


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## TommyZ (Jul 15, 2014)

Tom said:


> Did you add water within the last few days? That's the only thing I could think of that would cause a full term babies egg to pop open like that.
> 
> Every breeder loses some in one way or another. I can totally sympathize with your sense of loss.




Yes indeed i did. I add water as needed to the tray on the bottom. You mind explaining to me how and why it would happen? And how do i avoid that happening again? Any chance it actually piped, then died?


I use the exoterra incubator. Humidity always 80-85%
Temp 89

Thank you as always.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2014)

The eggs are semi-permeable. Adding water can make them swell, sweat and in some cases pop. I would not think that adding water to the bottom tray would do this though. It is most typically seen when water is added to the actual substrate the eggs are sitting in. I frequently add water directly to the incubation substrate when a batch of eggs starts to pip. It seems to help them extricate themselves from their shells. I do this by "feel" depending on how damp or how dry the media is at the time they start pipping.


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## TommyZ (Jul 15, 2014)

Tom said:


> The eggs are semi-permeable. Adding water can make them swell, sweat and in some cases pop. I would not think that adding water to the bottom tray would do this though. It is most typically seen when water is added to the actual substrate the eggs are sitting in. I frequently add water directly to the incubation substrate when a batch of eggs starts to pip. It seems to help them extricate themselves from their shells. I do this by "feel" depending on how damp or how dry the media is at the time they start pipping.



Well you solved it for me. I misted the unit one day thinking it was a good idea when the vermiculite felt a tad dry, damn rookie learning curve...thanks for informing me, obliged.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2014)

Sorry man. Its an art form for sure. I try to never directly wet the eggs, and if the media is getting dry over the course of incubation, I will carefully add water to a section as far from any eggs as possible. Its a fine line man. Too dry is also bad.


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## Moozillion (Jul 16, 2014)

So sorry you lost the little guy. 

I once had a pet, Yoda, die as an indirect result of my lack of knowledge. I promised Yoda's little soul that I would never allow a pet to experience that again, and I've kept my promise. That was my gift to Yoda and his gift to the others. I found that helps.
Someone wiser than me once said "Our best teacher is our last mistake." Hugs.


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## Abdulla6169 (Jul 16, 2014)

Failure is just another way to say experienced! Good luck and I hope your hatchlings are all right


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## kimber_lee_314 (Jul 16, 2014)

Yes, I have had this happen with box turtle eggs when they get wet too - they split open. I make sure water never touches the eggs after the initial washing. (I put all air holes on the sides of the containers, not the lids, to avoid any eggs getting wet. This way any condensation will run down the sides into the substrate rather than drip straight down onto the eggs.) Just before mine hatch I take off the lid and cover the top with a wet paper towel. This increases the humidity without wetting anything. So sorry!


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## Irwin4530 (Jul 16, 2014)

I am so sorry for your loss! thank you for sharing your eperience with us.......I have my first batch of eggs in the incubator and you are teaching me a great deal. THANK YOU!


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## TommyZ (Jul 16, 2014)

Irwin4530 said:


> I am so sorry for your loss! thank you for sharing your eperience with us.......I have my first batch of eggs in the incubator and you are teaching me a great deal. THANK YOU!




Yep, my pleasure. Thats why I shared, this way we all can learn together


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## TommyZ (Jul 16, 2014)

Just candled the 1st egg i had laid on 3/2. Lil guy is alive amd well in there. Based on the calendar, ill be due for my 1st ever pip any day.


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## immayo (Jul 16, 2014)

Keeping my fingers crossed over here for you Tommy! It's too bad that first little guy didn't make it


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## wiccan_chicken (Jul 17, 2014)

Wow such a learning process! I am very far away from letting my russian breed but wow man is this awesome getting to learn. I'm so sorry the baby passed  It's always heartbreaking, but it's a nice learning process, now I know what not to do for sure!


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## mojo (Jul 20, 2014)

Sorry for your loss, life is a learning curb for all of us. Thank you for sharing as have learnt something new, even though sad.


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