# Hatchling Hermanns tortoise dying within 24 hours of hatching



## jennyhoneybun (Aug 7, 2015)

Hi

I have two questions I would really appreciate advice with. My 5 year old Hermann tortoise Pebbles laid 2 eggs on 31st May this year and a third on 18th June. I put them all in an Egg u bator and on Monday this week the first egg hatched. The baby seemed okay and was out of the top bit of the egg by evening but still attached to the bottom half. I checked him/her at regular timings and all seemed okay although he/she was still attached to the other half of the shell. when I checked Tues evening I was devastated to find him/her had died. There was no movement at all when I touched his beak, legs and shell and his mouth was open. When I took him/her out of the rest of the shell there was a large egg sac still attached. Could I have done anything else to save him/her? 

The second question is when I tried candling the 2nd egg I accidentally dropped the small torch and there is a small hairline crack on the shell which is on the surface and hasn't penetrated the membrane. Have I killed any potential baby tortoise or compromised the shell? I have been torturing myself since then and am beginning to think that this clutch of eggs is going to be a disaster.

Thanks for any advice


Jenny


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## Yvonne G (Aug 7, 2015)

There's just no telling why the one that hatched suddenly died. If you kept it warm, and the yolk hadn't ruptured, there's just no tellin'. It's heart breaking to have them go through the whole incubation sequence only to have them die after hatching. I'm so sorry. 

As to the other one...try to keep that crack moist so the membrane doesn't dry out. You can put a little piece of clear cello tape over the crack.

(Welcome to the Forum, Jenny!!)


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## Merrick (Aug 7, 2015)

i have no experience with eggs so i hope Yvonne helped. Anyways welcome to the forum


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## Tom (Aug 7, 2015)

How damp is the incubation media? They have trouble completing the hatching process if things get too dry. All the "goo" associated with them inside their egg will be like glue if things get too dry in the incubation chamber.

Perhaps something in here will help:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-incubate-eggs-and-start-hatchlings.124266/


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## wellington (Aug 7, 2015)

Hello and Welcome. Sorry for the loss of the little one. You have come to the right place for all the help you need. Many members here with lots of experience in a lot of areas. Stick around and maybe things can get figured out for next time or for the remaining eggs. Good luck with them.


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