# One single sulcata egg?



## murdocjunior (Mar 17, 2012)

My female sulcata laid one single egg in the back yard on the grass, what does that mean? She laid last year for the 1st tyme. She hasnt tried digging or anything? Please help?


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## dmmj (Mar 17, 2012)

Could be a dud


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## ALDABRAMAN (Mar 17, 2012)

Just a low volume clutch, I would incubate it and see if fertile. Could be a very special hatchling!


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## Jacqui (Mar 18, 2012)

ALDABRAMAN said:


> Just a low volume clutch, I would incubate it and see if fertile. Could be a very special hatchling!



I agree!


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## Tom (Mar 18, 2012)

Newly maturing females will sometimes do this sort of thing. I call it sort of "priming the pump". Or she might just not be finding the right area to lay. Are there damp areas in her yard? Dry areas? Different substrates? Dirt, sandier soil, loamy soil? Sometimes they are picky about where they lay. My females go to different parts of the pen at different times of the year. I think it is due to soil moisture content. They are looking for just the right amount of moisture. In the hot dry months, they make the soil moist themselves. During these times I soak the adult females more often and make sure the waterer is always full clean. My females will usually come over and drink about a gallon or two of water either right after laying or the next morning.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Mar 18, 2012)

Tom said:


> Newly maturing females will sometimes do this sort of thing. I call it sort of "priming the pump". Or she might just not be finding the right area to lay. Are there damp areas in her yard? Dry areas? Different substrates? Dirt, sandier soil, loamy soil? Sometimes they are picky about where they lay. My females go to different parts of the pen at different times of the year. I think it is due to soil moisture content. They are looking for just the right amount of moisture. In the hot dry months, they make the soil moist themselves. During these times I soak the adult females more often and make sure the waterer is always full clean. My females will usually come over and drink about a gallon or two of water either right after laying or the next morning.



 I notice that are females tend to drink a lot after laying also.


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## Jacqui (Mar 18, 2012)

Could she already have actually made a nest and laid more eggs either before or after the single one?


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## bigred (Mar 18, 2012)

Tom said:


> Newly maturing females will sometimes do this sort of thing. I call it sort of "priming the pump". Or she might just not be finding the right area to lay. Are there damp areas in her yard? Dry areas? Different substrates? Dirt, sandier soil, loamy soil? Sometimes they are picky about where they lay. My females go to different parts of the pen at different times of the year. I think it is due to soil moisture content. They are looking for just the right amount of moisture. In the hot dry months, they make the soil moist themselves. During these times I soak the adult females more often and make sure the waterer is always full clean. My females will usually come over and drink about a gallon or two of water either right after laying or the next morning.



Priming the pump, I like that. My redfoot females drink alot before and after they lay. Walking around sniffing the ground for just the right spot. I water the areas that they lay in when I know they are gonna lay


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## bfmorris (Mar 19, 2012)

murdocjunior said:


> My female sulcata laid one single egg in the back yard on the grass, what does that mean? She laid last year for the 1st tyme. She hasnt tried digging or anything? Please help?



That happens, sometimes. Sometimes a bowel movement can be associated with it. I'd adopt a wait and see attitude.


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## turtlelady80 (Mar 21, 2012)

My female dropped 4 duds spiratically over a 2 week period. She then dug a nest and laid 9 more! So be ready, she might be just dropping off the duds to get ready for the rest. I would def incubate all of them just to be safe and keep a close eye on her. Be prepared for more.


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