# Hatching at 46 days



## pinkspore (Jun 29, 2013)

46 days ago, my prettiest polka-dotted three-toe laid the first turtle eggs I've ever seen. After reading extensively about incubation on the forums, I set them up in a plastic tub inside a small cooler with several inches of water and an aquarium thermometer. They have been sitting in the same dirt in which they were laid, temperatures have been on the high end of 86-89 degrees and humidity has always been over 95%. In the last week or so I've noticed tiny bugs in the soil. I only check the eggs every few days, and have been trying to set them and forget about them.

Last night I found a broken egg, and on closer inspection there is definitely a tiny turtle beak poking out. The baby is alive and moving, but I thought 46 days was way too early for hatching. I read more here on the forum and wanted to tape/vaseline/neosporin him back into the egg, but his little nose is poking out and I don't want to put anything on that. The inside of the egg looks pretty empty.





Do I have a super-premature baby? Is there any chance he's going to make it? He's still moving this morning. Should I move him to a sterile environment?

Should I try to candle the other three eggs? Move them to a cleaner substrate with no tiny bugs? Leave them alone?


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## Millerlite (Jun 29, 2013)

46 days isn't to early, people have had eggs hatch at 45-50 mine hatched at 51,


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## Yvonne G (Jun 29, 2013)

It's because you had the temperature so high.


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## pinkspore (Jun 29, 2013)

That makes sense. I'm hoping to incubate for girls.

Do I need to worry about air in the cooler?


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## kimber_lee_314 (Jun 29, 2013)

Mine hatch on an average of 47 days so he's not too early.  I leave mine alone until all their yolk sac has absorbed. Then I move them into another tub with wet paper towels but still keep them tub in the incubator. Once they start eating I move them into their own enclosure. Congrats and good luck!  (BTW - is this a hatchling of one of the three toeds I gave you?)


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## EchoTheLeoTort (Jun 29, 2013)

good luck  Guess you are just lucky and are getting some turtles earlier so you don't need to wait


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## pinkspore (Jun 29, 2013)

kimber_lee_314 said:


> (BTW - is this a hatchling of one of the three toeds I gave you?)



Yes! These are Cassandra's babies, I'm not sure if the father is my big red boy or one of yours. I'm hoping for some really colorful girls.


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## lindseyjordan10 (Jun 29, 2013)

Amazing picture. So cool to see


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## pinkspore (Jun 30, 2013)

Progress! I can see her yolk sac under her tummy.


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