# You don't always get a perfect baby



## Yvonne G (Mar 27, 2014)

I thought it might interest those of you who have never seen a brand new baby tortoise, to see how they are folded inside the egg. This one is a bit extreme, as they're not usually as folded as this one:







The head is towards the right and the white bump behind the fold is a bit of yolk sac to be absorbed yet.

Here he is right side up, and another one with an extra marginal scute:






This baby is from the batch that hatched about 3 weeks ago, and there are still 3 more eggs unhatched. I have no idea why some hatch and some wait to hatch at a later date unless it insures a better survival rate in the wild.


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Mar 27, 2014)

*Really brand new baby*

And they are so cute also !


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## Dorrie Siu (Mar 27, 2014)

*RE: Really brand new baby*

Awww... a girl!


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## kathyth (Mar 27, 2014)

*RE: Really brand new baby*

That's the newest i've ever seen!
Great pic!!


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## wellington (Mar 27, 2014)

*RE: Really brand new baby*

So cute. As far as hatching times. Probably the first to hatch the first eaten   
Just kidding, I have no clue


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## Joanne (Mar 27, 2014)

*RE: Really brand new baby*

How do they even move around in the egg to break out?

I understand how chicks do the old pip and zip, but what do tortoises do?


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## Yvonne G (Mar 28, 2014)

*RE: Really brand new baby*

They actually do 'spin' (in slow motion) around inside the egg. Also, they swell up a bit and this helps to break the egg. When I discovered this baby he was on his back, so I'm thinking this is why he hadn't unfolded much.


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## diamondbp (Mar 28, 2014)

*RE: Really brand new baby*

lol thats awesome


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## LolaMyLove (Mar 28, 2014)

*RE: Really brand new baby*

So cute! Love baby Leo's.


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## N2TORTS (Mar 28, 2014)

*RE: Really brand new baby*

SIMPLY LOVELY!!!!!


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## Laura (Mar 28, 2014)

*RE: Really brand new baby*

you are breeding your leopards again> ??


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## Yvonne G (Mar 28, 2014)

*RE: Really brand new baby*

Yeah, the first leopard egg I ever hatched I kept for sentimental reasons. He turned out to be male and he's been taking care of my two females (about twice his size) ever since he realized he had boy parts.


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## Yvonne G (Mar 30, 2014)

So I finally got around to taking the new baby out of the incubator and I set her up in this really, really, REALLY big habitat:






...and I thought I'd better wash off her head because it looked like there was vermiculite stuck on her eyes. But, no, I'm afraid I'm going to have to euthanize this baby. There are no eyes where eyes belong, but there is a big raw-looking spot on the top of the head with maybe eyes under the skin on top of the head...and the top beak is deformed too:






and the folded plastron is not opening up either:







Poor little baby. This might have happened when the temperature inside the incubator spiked about half-way through the incubation period.


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## AZtortMom (Mar 30, 2014)

Aww. Poor little girl


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## mattgrizzlybear (Mar 30, 2014)

Whatever your choice is, to euthanize her or not, I'm sure it'll turn out okay. Good luck with the little girl.


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## tortoise5643 (Mar 30, 2014)

Do you have to euthanize him? Do you think their is no way it van survive without eyes? Sorry this just saddens me.


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## kezilulu (Mar 30, 2014)

Oh no :-( are you sure you can't just let her live and look after her? [LOUDLY CRYING FACE]
xXx


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## Ashes (Mar 30, 2014)

That's sad


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## Yvonne G (Mar 30, 2014)

I would be more than willing to give the tortoise to someone who wants to try to take care of it, but I don't have the time for it and it upsets me to see them suffer.

I don't see any nares and every so often she opens her mouth to breathe. Without being able to smell it would be very difficult to get a blind tortoise to eat. Almost certainly it would have to be tube fed, and its so small I doubt that can happen either.

Please don't make me feel any worse than I already do. Sometimes one has to be the bad guy.


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## Ashes (Mar 30, 2014)

That's understandable... Just too bad she was born like that. [GREEN HEART]


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## dmmj (Mar 30, 2014)

It is nature, sadly not all are born healthy.


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## Dorrie Siu (Mar 30, 2014)

You're not being a bad guy!! If in the wild, she would not survive and would be prey....

Don't feel bad, Yvonne. There's only so much that human intervention can do.  The point is, you tried.


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## terryo (Mar 30, 2014)

One of the reasons I don't take in any eggs. I hate seeing these sad little surprises. Hopefully the others will be OK.


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## mikeh (Mar 30, 2014)

Is it possible that under this "extra skin" are normal nares and normally developed eyes, only needing removal of this "skin"?


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## AZtortMom (Mar 30, 2014)

Dorrie Siu said:


> You're not being a bad guy!! If in the wild, she would not survive and would be prey....
> 
> Don't feel bad, Yvonne. There's only so much that human intervention can do.  The point is, you tried.



Agreed.


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## HerpMS (Mar 30, 2014)

I would be more than happy to take her and try to teach her to eat! I've rescued animals my whole life. I would hate to see the little one be put down without seeing what it's capable of learning. I'm home full time so I have more than enough time to devote to her. I live in Atlanta though.


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## bouaboua (Mar 30, 2014)

Yvonne G said:


> So I finally got around to taking the new baby out of the incubator and I set her up in this really, really, REALLY big habitat:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It is my first time to see a baby tortoise that small.

One day.........One day. I hope, If God welling, I may also able to hatch my own Tortoise. 

Thank you for sharing.


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## wellington (Mar 30, 2014)

Don't feel bad Yvonne, your thinking of the poor little thing first and putting it down is the best you could do for it. It's sad, very sad, but in the wild it probably wouldn't have lasted this long.


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## kezilulu (Mar 30, 2014)

HerpMS said:


> I would be more than happy to take her and try to teach her to eat! I've rescued animals my whole life. I would hate to see the little one be put down without seeing what it's capable of learning. I'm home full time so I have more than enough time to devote to her. I live in Atlanta though.



Sorry I didn't mean to make you feel guilty I just get sad by things like this, I should stay away from posts that look sad lol but it would be awesome if this lady could help! And I know you do the best by all your torts Yvonne! You rock!
xXx


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## katrvt (Mar 30, 2014)

If you euthanize, don't feel bad. I think it is the right decision in this case. I strongly believe that there are probably even more profound defects that cannot be seen and almost certainly this poor little one will only suffer as a result. Euthanasia is the last gift we can give the non human members of our family sometimes, and, unfortunately in some cases, it is the first as well.


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## Team Gomberg (Mar 30, 2014)

In regards to the fold, I was going to tell you that I head started 2 hatchlings that were folded sideways and funny shaped. But within a few weeks they rounded up nicely. I expected them to stay oblong, they were _that_ folded.

But this baby has more issues than just slow unfolding. The missing eyes is one thing but then you mentioned no nares... oh boy. That's another level of difficulties.


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## mike taylor (Mar 30, 2014)

In the wild this tortoise would die a slow death . With that being said if you put it down quickly I say you helped keep him from suffering .


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## littleginsu (Mar 30, 2014)

I am so very sorry,Yvonne. You are truly a beautiful soul to put the baby's needs above your wants. My thoughts are with you.


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## Star-of-India (Mar 31, 2014)

How truly sad, but euthanizing is clearly best.


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