# Sulcata laid eggs



## TortugAncestral (May 5, 2020)

Hello! My sulcata just laid eggs in the front garden, I would like to get an incubator. Could someone help me out with a guide? I looked for informarion in the forums but I couldnt find much for starting to incubate.
I will continue to search but if someone could link a guide or could guide me I will appreciate it.


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## zovick (May 5, 2020)

Here is a link to a company which makes good, inexpensive incubators. You can spend a lot more for fancier ones, but these have worked very well for many people including me over the years.



1602N - Thermal Air Hova-Bator


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## TortugAncestral (May 5, 2020)

zovick said:


> Here is a link to a company which makes good, inexpensive incubators. You can spend a lot more for fancier ones, but these have worked very well for many people including me over the years.
> 
> 
> 
> 1602N - Thermal Air Hova-Bator


I appreciate it  I will buy them as soon as possible


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## Tom (May 5, 2020)

TortugAncestral said:


> Hello! My sulcata just laid eggs in the front garden, I would like to get an incubator. Could someone help me out with a guide? I looked for informarion in the forums but I couldnt find much for starting to incubate.
> I will continue to search but if someone could link a guide or could guide me I will appreciate it.


I also like the Hovabators. If you can't find that one, Little Giant makes a similar one.
This thread should help too:





How To Incubate Eggs And Start Hatchlings


I put my eggs in a plastic shoe box with a lid on it and put the shoe box in the incubator. You can drill a couple of very small holes around the top of the container, but not on the lid. I use vermiculite as an incubation media. I mix it in a 1 : 1 ratio with water by weight for Sulcatas and...




tortoiseforum.org


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## MichaelL (May 5, 2020)

Be careful with some incubators. I got a still air incubator a few years ago for my leopard geckos. The temp it says on the digital thermometer was actually about 2-3 degrees higher than the actual temp where the eggs were. You should have a separate thermometer inside just to make sure it's reliable.


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## Cmv (May 5, 2020)

MichaelL said:


> Be careful with some incubators. I got a still air incubator a few years ago for my leopard geckos. The temp it says on the digital thermometer was actually about 2-3 degrees higher than the actual temp where the eggs were. You should have a separate thermometer inside just to make sure it's reliable.


I’ve had the same experience with several incubators. I prefer the ones that allow you to calibrate the thermostat thermometer, but I eventually made my own that can stay within 1 degree F for temp sexing.


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## TortugAncestral (May 6, 2020)

MichaelL said:


> Be careful with some incubators. I got a still air incubator a few years ago for my leopard geckos. The temp it says on the digital thermometer was actually about 2-3 degrees higher than the actual temp where the eggs were. You should have a separate thermometer inside just to make sure it's reliable.


I will be carefull and try to find some reviews of the incubator, thanks for the warning


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## TortugAncestral (May 6, 2020)

Tom said:


> I also like the Hovabators. If you can't find that one, Little Giant makes a similar one.
> This thread should help too:
> 
> 
> ...


I will check those too! I really appreciate the help you have given me this month with the hatchlings and with this guide


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## TortugAncestral (May 6, 2020)

Tom said:


> I also like the Hovabators. If you can't find that one, Little Giant makes a similar one.
> This thread should help too:
> 
> 
> ...





MichaelL said:


> Be careful with some incubators. I got a still air incubator a few years ago for my leopard geckos. The temp it says on the digital thermometer was actually about 2-3 degrees higher than the actual temp where the eggs were. You should have a separate thermometer inside just to make sure it's reliable.



I think I will get the still air Hovabator without the electronic thermometer, and use the extra money to buy the digital thermometer, I will not rush with this buy and look for more options and some videos. Thanks again


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## Maggie3fan (May 6, 2020)

Please think about this...
while I agree, it would be fun to hatch eggs....how many eggs do you have? Are you going to be able to keep and raise healthy babies? Are you going to be able to find good homes for all of them?
on the West Coast Sulcata tortoises are like feral cats...too many tortoises and not enough homes. Involved in tortoise rescue, I have seen so many Sulcata... abused, deformed and unhappy. Lots and lots of cute little tortoises...how many stories or pictures of adults compared to hatchling do you see? In comparison...lots of hatchlings...not so many adults. It takes a lot of money to set up 1 Sulcata properly...
Just something for you to think about.
I personally would never hatch Sulcata eggs...


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## TortugAncestral (May 6, 2020)

maggie18fan said:


> Please think about this...
> while I agree, it would be fun to hatch eggs....how many eggs do you have? Are you going to be able to keep and raise healthy babies? Are you going to be able to find good homes for all of them?
> on the West Coast Sulcata tortoises are like feral cats...too many tortoises and not enough homes. Involved in tortoise rescue, I have seen so many Sulcata... abused, deformed and unhappy. Lots and lots of cute little tortoises...how many stories or pictures of adults compared to hatchling do you see? In comparison...lots of hatchlings...not so many adults. It takes a lot of money to set up 1 Sulcata properly...
> Just something for you to think about.
> ...


I totally agree with you, I do not want to have more tortoise just for greed or to entertain myself a moment and then leave them alone. I am a reptile lover and I take seriously the treatment they need, that is why I am asking for advice. This exact concerns that you mention have been a topic of discussion in my family since I study abroad, I can only take care of them in vacations, this time is an exception because of COVID-19 I have online classes. I have told them what are the needs the hatchlings have and how much time and care you need to give them. 

With this said, you have made me think if having the hatchlings would be the correct thing to do, I will definitely have another discussion with my family about the topic, thanks for making me more conscious about this situation.


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## Maggie3fan (May 6, 2020)

TortugAncestral said:


> I totally agree with you, I do not want to have more tortoise just for greed or to entertain myself a moment and then leave them alone. I am a reptile lover and I take seriously the treatment they need, that is why I am asking for advice. This exact concerns that you mention have been a topic of discussion in my family since I study abroad, I can only take care of them in vacations, this time is an exception because of COVID-19 I have online classes. I have told them what are the needs the hatchlings have and how much time and care you need to give them.
> 
> With this said, you have made me think if having the hatchlings would be the correct thing to do, I will definitely have another discussion with my family about the topic, thanks for making me more conscious about this situation.


thank you very much for understanding my concerns...please stay here and continue to ask questions...if you are gonna hatch eggs you will need advice and there are experts here who will answer all your questions...
oh...and it is fun to have a bunch of babies...I know...lol


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## Yvonne G (May 6, 2020)

I had a female sulcata for a few months. During her time with me she dug several nests and deposited eggs in them. After she was through and started to cover the nests, I took the shovel and chopped up the eggs in the nest, allowing her to finish covering the nests.


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## Tom (May 6, 2020)

TortugAncestral said:


> I totally agree with you, I do not want to have more tortoise just for greed or to entertain myself a moment and then leave them alone. I am a reptile lover and I take seriously the treatment they need, that is why I am asking for advice. This exact concerns that you mention have been a topic of discussion in my family since I study abroad, I can only take care of them in vacations, this time is an exception because of COVID-19 I have online classes. I have told them what are the needs the hatchlings have and how much time and care you need to give them.
> 
> With this said, you have made me think if having the hatchlings would be the correct thing to do, I will definitely have another discussion with my family about the topic, thanks for making me more conscious about this situation.


How available are sulcatas in your area of Mexico? How many breeders are working with this species, and how many of those are starting babies correctly?

I hatch a small number of sulcatas annually. I do this not because the world needs more people breeding sulcatas, but because I love the species, they make wonderful enjoyable pets in the right circumstances, and I want people to be able to get a HEALTHY sulcata baby. A large percentage of the sulcatas hatched annually die because breeders and sellers start and house them incorrectly, and then tell the buyers how to house them incorrectly.

Just more food for thought...


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## TortugAncestral (May 6, 2020)

Tom said:


> How available are sulcatas in your area of Mexico? How many breeders are working with this species, and how many of those are starting babies correctly?
> 
> I hatch a small number of sulcatas annually. I do this not because the world needs more people breeding sulcatas, but because I love the species, they make wonderful enjoyable pets in the right circumstances, and I want people to be able to get a HEALTHY sulcata baby. A large percentage of the sulcatas hatched annually die because breeders and sellers start and house them incorrectly, and then tell the buyers how to house them incorrectly.
> 
> Just more food for thought...


I have never search for Sulcata breeders, I have seen some tortoise at petco and other pet stores but Im not sure if they were sulcatas. I don´t know how many eggs where laid, but if it is something I could not handle I would look for a new home for them, I have some friends that love reptiles too and they will take proper care of them.


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## TortugAncestral (May 7, 2020)

Tom said:


> How available are sulcatas in your area of Mexico? How many breeders are working with this species, and how many of those are starting babies correctly?
> 
> I hatch a small number of sulcatas annually. I do this not because the world needs more people breeding sulcatas, but because I love the species, they make wonderful enjoyable pets in the right circumstances, and I want people to be able to get a HEALTHY sulcata baby. A large percentage of the sulcatas hatched annually die because breeders and sellers start and house them incorrectly, and then tell the buyers how to house them incorrectly.
> 
> Just more food for thought...


So I think I made grave mistake, I wrongfully identified the specie as a sulcata, I dont know how I confused the specie, but it is actually a Gopherus Berlandieri. I reply to you Tom because I found a thread were you said I they can take the same care as a russian tortoise.


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## Sue Ann (May 8, 2020)

TortugAncestral said:


> Hello! My sulcata just laid eggs in the front garden, I would like to get an incubator. Could someone help me out with a guide? I looked for informarion in the forums but I couldnt find much for starting to incubate.
> I will continue to search but if someone could link a guide or could guide me I will appreciate it.


@Tom or @Yvonne G would be good resources


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## TortugAncestral (May 8, 2020)

Sue Ann said:


> @Tom or @Yvonne G would be good resources


Thanks Sue  I have already found a thread from Tom where he explains how to incubate the eggs in case I decide to do so, but we haven´t decided. I read that Gopherus Berlandieri lay between 1-3 eggs, in case we decide to keep them it wont be that difficult.


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