# Hatchlings with enormously big yolk sacks



## nulus (Sep 13, 2020)

Hello everyone! 
I have critical situation with my RT hatchlings. Eggs are from the same clutch, incubation time 92 days. I know - bit too long. Little tortoises broke eggs easily but it occured that both of them have enormously big yolk sacks with visible blood vessels. How can I help them to survive? What should I do? It is the first time in 12 years I have this kind of problem. Please, help me if you can.


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## Markw84 (Sep 13, 2020)

IF you can keep them cradled in the egg shell as they are in the picture - that is best. Keep the egg nestled in moist paper towels that hold it securely in place. Cover the whole baby/egg with another slightly moist paper towel and keep dark and disturb as little as possible. If they do get out of the egg, keep the yolk sac and baby cradled in a nest of moist paper towel as before, but without the egg. The yolk sac should absorb amazingly quickly - a few days. Very important not to rupture the yolk sac as that will kill the baby. If you can keep the yolk sac undamaged, there is a very good probability all will be just fine.

I would guess low oxygen levels in the incubation container could cause this. It seems low oxygen can stimulate hatching. Was your tupperware container sealed with no holes, or holes covered by wet paper towel?


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## zovick (Sep 14, 2020)

nulus said:


> Hello everyone!
> I have critical situation with my RT hatchlings. Eggs are from the same clutch, incubation time 92 days. I know - bit too long. Little tortoises broke eggs easily but it occured that both of them have enormously big yolk sacks with visible blood vessels. How can I help them to survive? What should I do? It is the first time in 12 years I have this kind of problem. Please, help me if you can.


Are the babies still alive today?

All of what Mark said is good advice, but there is another consideration which is whether their lungs are developed enough yet to breathe oxygen from the air. I mention this because one of them still looks rather young in the photo. IE, its lungs may not yet be ready to breathe.

It is quite important to keep the yolk sac from drying out and starting to become hard like that of a hard-boiled egg. I have noticed this happening when the yolk sac is exposed to outside air too early. If this happens, the tortoise will die, so try to keep them moist as Mark advised. The downside of that is that warm, moist environments breed bacteria which can readily infect the yolk sac and cause septicemia and resulting death.

Hopefully the babies will be OK, but there are some concerns to overcome before they are completely out of the woods. Good luck!


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## nulus (Sep 14, 2020)

Hi,

yes, babies are stil alive. I guess the one which is almost out of egg moved a little. They react pretty good hiding legs and head during control. I wonder if or how often should I change wet towels?


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## Tom (Sep 14, 2020)

nulus said:


> I wonder if or how often should I change wet towels?


At least daily, but do it with as little disturbance as possible. Dim lights will help keep the baby calm too.


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## nulus (Sep 15, 2020)

Is it good idea to flush them a little with saline or you saline instead water to moist paper towels?


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## nulus (Sep 15, 2020)

I replace genty paper towels. One of torts is moving a little bit and I think it's yolk sack is a little bit smaller? The other one is still in egg. Both are alive. 
I cracked egg little bit to give tortoise more oxygen/space.


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