# Signs of hatching?



## kimber_lee_314 (Nov 9, 2011)

This may be a dumb question, but I'm new to breeding tortoises so I'll ask anyway. Is there anyway to tell if an egg is going to hatch soon? Does the egg change color or are there any other signs that it's about to happen?


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## GBtortoises (Nov 10, 2011)

Assuming that you're talking about an egg in the later development stage since you anticipate it hatching "soon", there is no indication as far as egg color. This far into the development a fertile egg should have long turned a chalky white color. An egg that has failed at the later development may also turn chalky white but can be determined non-fertile by candling it. 

If you know the nesting date and the species you can determine an approximate hatch date with that information. The number of incubation days can vary some based on incubation temperature and humidity but there is an average range (in days) for all species.

All you can do now is keeping an eye out for chipping of the eggshell from the inside out. Followed by a small set of eyes or a foot!


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## zesty_17 (Nov 10, 2011)

As my guys were developing, I would candle them about every other to every 3 weeks. I could def see them growing inside the egg, and it did get darker and darker as they filled up the egg, so just before hatching i candled them again and it was completely dark inside-meaning no light was able to pass through the egg, except for at the small air sac which eventually disappeared as well.


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## Boony (Nov 12, 2011)

In my case, I saw pipping before hatching. The outer shell of the eggs were partially peeled off for pipping. Also, I actually saw one of the hatchlings kicking the egg shell from inside when there was not even a single crack. I never candled them, but a in a day or two after I saw the egg shell debris and the kick, the egg started hatching. Hope this helps! 

Regarding color, one of the very white ones partially became a bit yellowish from the day 70, but it turned out to be ok. I now have two hatchilings- it's been only a week


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