# Burmese Star, first time egg laying



## Dan (Nov 19, 2018)

My Burmese star laid a single egg a few days ago but hasn’t laid any since. She is about 2950 grams so slightly smaller than when this species typically starts laying. I’m not sure if she produced just the one egg or may have more that she hasn’t laid yet. I’m concerned about her becoming egg-bound and wonder if having laid one egg is indicative that she would have laid all of them if there were more to lay. I do realize some instances of a female becoming egg bound occur when eggs are too large to pass, and in that case I could see how one would come out and the others wouldn’t. My question has more to do with the tortoise feeling it had an appropriate place to lay versus retaining eggs.


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## G-stars (Nov 19, 2018)

Did she lay the egg on top of the ground or dig a nest and lay it in there? The only times I’ve received one egg was when the female laid on top of the ground.


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## Dan (Nov 20, 2018)

It was just on top of the ground. We weren’t expecting eggs yet and hadn’t really provided great conditions to lay them. That’s since being remedied. That lone egg has started diapause.


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## Dan (Nov 21, 2018)

Second singly-laid egg found today. Makes me think more could be in there. Wouldn’t these typically get laid in quicker succession?


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## G-stars (Nov 21, 2018)

It’s quite possible there is more. She probably doesn’t have a suitable nesting area to her liking is what I’m thinking.


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## Tom (Nov 21, 2018)

I've had many first time moms of several species drop eggs on the surface. Sometimes with a leathery shell, sometimes with no shell, and sometimes a fully formed egg. My burms never did this. They didn't even dig test holes. They just started digging perfect nests and dropping full clutches into them. I was pleasantly surprised. Mine were all well over 3000 grams before having any contact with males. The smallest was 3250+, and the largest was nearly 4000.


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## Dan (Dec 5, 2018)

Got our third egg yesterday. Without an x-ray or ultrasound maybe no way to tell if more are in there. I have read that a car ride can stress the mother enough to get things moving but not really the direction I’d want to go for a few reasons.


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## Dan (Dec 8, 2018)

And a fourth now. Eggbinding, at least, now seems like less of a threat.


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## Melis (Dec 8, 2018)

Is that normal to lay over so many days?


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## Stoneman (Dec 9, 2018)

Congratulations on your eggs. I have a first time female indian star who chose not to use the diggable substrate, but laid them right on the ground as well. she laid all four of hers over the course of 24 hours, but one at a time, like yours. None were fertile, which is common for first time layers. I hope everything works out.


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## Stoneman (Dec 9, 2018)

On another note, it can be dangerous to assume that tortoises or other animals have the same needs we do. Although a dog makes a great companion for us, they have intuitive instincts that drive them to do the things they do. Like chew on and eat smaller things that move. This forum and other places are filled with stories about how people are shocked that their well behaved and protective dog could eat their tortoise. I know it probably feels good to have all of your animal buddies around you when you are relaxing, but it can turn into a really bad situation really fast.


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## Nala (Dec 9, 2018)

Thank you for input. You are absolutely right.


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## Dan (Jan 13, 2019)

This heavily calcified and almost certainly non-fertile egg was laid today. It is the fifth egg laid singly. Is calcifying like this indicative of anything?


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## Dan (Jan 13, 2019)

Melis said:


> Is that normal to lay over so many days?


No seems to be the consensus. 

I’d rather ours laid all at once too.


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