# Eggs past typical due date



## Greg T (Jan 24, 2014)

My female leopard laid several clutches last year with fantastic hatch rates. All of the clutches were basically treated the same and pips started around 95 days. I have a clutch in the incubator right now that is 10-15 days past due with no pips. The eggs look okay, chalked up, solid when candled, and some are even oblong shaped now, so I think they are viable. The only diffrence is the incubator temps are a few degrees (3 or 4) lower than before, in the 84-85 degree range. Would this cause the delay in hatching possibly?

It just doesn't seem right that she would lay so many good clutches and then one bad clutch.

Any opinions or experience with this situation?


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## Tom (Jan 24, 2014)

Totally normal, especially at the lower temps. 100-110 days is normal for leopards.

Either way, nothing to do but wait.


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## tortadise (Jan 24, 2014)

Yep. Waiting is best. Especially with leopards. Last year I had one hatch out at 7 months after being laid. 3 months after the clutch mates hatched. So never throw them out unless infertile or rotten.


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## Team Gomberg (Jan 24, 2014)

tortadise said:


> Yep. Waiting is best. Especially with leopards. Last year I had one hatch out at 7 months after being laid. 3 months after the clutch mates hatched. So never throw them out unless infertile or rotten.



I remember this, and was going to share the story with you Greg.  Have fun waiting patiently. Good luck


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## diamondbp (Jan 24, 2014)

Sounds normal to me. I had a batch of sulcata hatchlings that had five eggs hatch THREE WEEKS after the first half of the clutch hatched. It was the strangest thing but they were perfectly healthy hatchlings of normal size. If the eggs look fine odds are they probably are just fine.


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## Greg T (Jan 24, 2014)

Good deal then. Thanks for the input. I am/was just going to let them be. I still have two eggs that are most likely infertile in the incubator from about a year ago that I keep "just in case" plus I have the room so why not. Perhaps they are just late hatchers this time.


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## TortieLuver (Jan 24, 2014)

Greg~here's my leopard hatching experience...my Leo's are temp sexed and most are at 88 degrees for females and begin hatching at 108-110 days and trickle piping over a week or so. HOWEVER, one clutch I had piped out most, except for four that all looked very viable. I held out and held out and nothing...so exactly three months after the siblings hatched, I thought to myself, "I'm just going to toss the eggs out tomorrow," and bam...I woke up the next morning and they were hatching...all perfect, all A tortoises...it really taught me a lesson to never, ever throw out any egg unless it explodes, has cracklines with mold, etc...it also made me very interested in learn tortoise embryo development and how come it took twice as long for some to cook than others...no other variables involved...all under same conditions. Since then, I have experienced this two more times, one with Sulcata eggs, but only off by 35 days from siblings and that's another awesome story.


Also, yes when I incubate males at that lower temperature, it usually takes a good 2-3 weeks longer for Leo's to hatch than for females.


Another thing~ it's been my experience with tortoises that the more clutches they have, the less viable the later clutches are for viable eggs...for example I had female Sulcatas that worked like clockwork and always laid five clutches...the first 2 clutches were 100% hatch rate, third clutch at 85%, and fourth and fifth was closer to 50%


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## N2TORTS (Jan 24, 2014)

Great post ...and "Patience is a virtue"  
I might add , A little zelous of you Leo breeders , as the RF's for my self at different experimented temps through out the years , your looking at 120-190 days ....with my hypo hatch is usually around 145 days.


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## TortieLuver (Jan 24, 2014)

Holy Toledo 190 days well I have heard the radiated incubated can take up to a year. Those sully eggs are about 85-88 days you are right though....patience is a virtue


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## Greg T (Jan 25, 2014)

Thanks to all and especially Tortieluver. That is good to know. I had no plans on tossing the eggs, but was getting worried. She did lay a lot of clutches last year and her viability was darn near 100%, but this was her second to last clutch of the year, so maybe I'll drop my expectations a little, but still hold the eggs. 

I'll let you all know when the first guy pips.


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## bigred (Jan 25, 2014)

I had a redfoot egg hatch at 208 days, so 10 to 15 days past due date is not to out of the norm


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## TortieLuver (Jan 25, 2014)

Anytime Greg I look forward to your next posting of all your eggs hatching 

Wow Bigred that's a long time too


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## Greg T (Jan 28, 2014)

Guess I was worrying for nothing.  Look who decided to pop out yesterday!  Here's a pic of the new guy next to a 4 month old.


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## Joanne (Jan 28, 2014)

gorgeous!


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## Abbie07 (Jan 28, 2014)

Congtats


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Jan 28, 2014)

Greg you weren't worried for nothing as you can see we all worry when we don't understand . That's called caring . Don't stop ! Have a great day


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## mike taylor (Jan 28, 2014)

Awesome keep them coming . Maybe this spring I'll drive out and buy one of these little beauties from you . If you dont mind whats the cost?


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## Cycere (Jan 28, 2014)

Yay! They look lovely


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## Greg T (Jan 28, 2014)

mike taylor said:


> Awesome keep them coming . Maybe this spring I'll drive out and buy one of these little beauties from you . If you dont mind whats the cost?



I plan on offering them to forum members for around $75 plus shipping costs. Just let me know when you are ready because I'll have plenty in the next few months.


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## mike taylor (Jan 28, 2014)

Man , thats a deal! I live in New Caney an hour or so from you. You think you will have some available in March?


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## TortieLuver (Jan 28, 2014)

WOOHOO Greg! I'm so excited for you...congrats!


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## Team Gomberg (Jan 28, 2014)

Yay Greg! I'll send your info to the people that have contacted me  I'm also considering jumping on the GregT bandwagon and getting one for myself...


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## Greg T (Jan 29, 2014)

mike taylor said:


> Man , thats a deal! I live in New Caney an hour or so from you. You think you will have some available in March?



That's not too far, maybe we can work out a meeting location. I will have some in March now since two of eight just hatched.


Thanks Heather, I got an email with your name in it last night... 



Team Gomberg said:


> Yay Greg! I'll send your info to the people that have contacted me  I'm also considering jumping on the GregT bandwagon and getting one for myself...


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## oneeyedClyde (Jan 29, 2014)

I definitely want a leopard if your willing to ship to the new Orleans area


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## Greg T (Jan 29, 2014)

I can ship there easily. I'll keep everyone up to date on their progress and will consider rehoming them mid- to late March after I make sure they are healthy and active.



oneeyedClyde said:


> I definitely want a leopard if your willing to ship to the new Orleans area


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## oneeyedClyde (Jan 29, 2014)

Fantastic! Thanks, Greg!


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## barroncourtney45 (Jan 29, 2014)

Thats awesome. I love those. So precious


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## kezilulu (Feb 1, 2014)

So cute and teeny tiny!
xXx


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## N2TORTS (Feb 1, 2014)

Greg T said:


> Guess I was worrying for nothing. Look who decided to pop out yesterday!  Here's a pic of the new guy next to a 4 month old.



BINGO!!!!........


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## Greg T (Feb 4, 2014)

N2TORTS said:


> Greg T said:
> 
> 
> > Guess I was worrying for nothing. Look who decided to pop out yesterday!  Here's a pic of the new guy next to a 4 month old.
> ...



I have four out and number 5 pipped, so three eggs left and they are all heavy and look ready to pop. I sure didn't know lowering the temp a few degrees would delay the hatching by a few weeks. Lesson learned here!


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## diamondbp (Feb 4, 2014)

Greg T said:


> N2TORTS said:
> 
> 
> > Greg T said:
> ...



awesome news! late bloomers


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## Barista5261 (Feb 4, 2014)

They just wanted to arrive fashionably late to the party


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