# Dying hatchling Sulcata



## phiraphon (Nov 23, 2011)

Hi all,
I need all advices here.
My Sulcata pair have been breeding and so far she laid 6 clutches of average 20 eggs per clutch. Thank god (I hope) she is done for this year. I have 4 clutches hatched at average of 80-85%hatching rate. I incubate them at about 87F with about 80% humidity. Everything seems to be just fine until the 5th clutch just started to hatched last week. The first egg hatched at about 75 days and so far 10 babies hatched, but 5 of them didn't make it through the second day. Some who died, seem to be very weak, smaller and got a lot of egg yolk outside their body. Most of those cracked the shell but didn't make it all out, a few of them successfully hatched but died a few days later. They (5 who died) acted lethargic and eventually died. The other 5 seems to be ok, eating, drinking and moving around. I never changed any set up on my incubator since it always running. The temperature and humidity always showed 87F/80humid. It just broke my heart to see those little guys dies. If anyone have any of this early dead or any suggestions at all, please let me know. I am open to anything.
Thank you so much.


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## Yvonne G (Nov 23, 2011)

Sounds like they might have hatched out too soon. But I don't really know for sure. In my case, my DIS (dead in the shell) is usually caused because I forget to keep the humidity up in the incubator. I don't know all the reasons for hatching too soon. Hopefully someone better experienced at hatching will give you some insight.


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## Tom (Nov 23, 2011)

Did any have split scutes? One thought is that your thermometer is off. 15-20 days early is pretty odd. These were incubating over summer. Might they have gotten too hot on a few scorching summer days?

Did you recently add water to the incubation medium? Sometimes this will make near term eggs pop open before the babies are quite ready.

Just throwing out possibilities.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Nov 23, 2011)

I would consider the higher temperature factor.


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## phiraphon (Nov 26, 2011)

Thank you everyone. I will use a portable thermometer to check and see if that incubator is off.


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## turtlelady80 (Nov 27, 2011)

Im so sorry to hear that. That is so sad. I hope you get it all figured out. Wish I had some advice for ya. Im new to the sulcata breeding. Ive got mine in the incubator now. But I did have a lot of box turtles die inside their eggs. Never understood it. Some weird things just happen. Wishing you better luck in the future!


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## Maggie Cummings (Nov 27, 2011)

Could it be a lack of enough calcium in the female?


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