# First timer going thru nesting and egg laying



## dragonflyet (Aug 21, 2014)

Hi there. My name is Katie. I have a female Russian Tortoise named Eva. I for one have no idea what I'm doing but with all my research I have done, I have an incubator ready, I've created a warm area with lots of dirt and some sand for her to nest. I hope Eva knows what she is doing, I'm more the impatient. 

She keeps making a hole in one spot of the box, its huge 4x4 garden box. She is moving her back legs and kind of shaking. I don't know what to do for her or when she will lay eggs. I'm a bit nervous. Any ideas?


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## ZEROPILOT (Aug 21, 2014)

Are you sure she's about to lay eggs? It sure sounds like it. She knows what to do.


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## dragonflyet (Aug 21, 2014)

She was very aggressive to the other tortoise I have, ramming him, getting heavy and eating a lot. Before I put her in the box for a couple of days would just walk around the patio climbing into my garden boxes and making a mess. She keeps moving dirt with her back legs. She is eating a little bit today but not as much as she normally does in the morning.


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## wellington (Aug 21, 2014)

Sometimes they will dig test spots first. I would just keep checking in on her until she either lays or stops digging. Be sure that if she does not lay and stops digging, that she is acting fine and normal. You don't want to miss the fact should could also be egg bound. Just a precaution.


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## dragonflyet (Aug 21, 2014)

Thank you. I just don't know how long this process is. I am so glad I work from home so I can watch her daily. I have noticed she tries to climb out of the box. I don't know if she wants back on the patio or outside. The dirt outside is dry and I would have to sit with her if I put her out there since there is a pond, birds and no fence for her. I live in an apartment but there is a little dirt with grass and weeds for her. I don't want to bother her too much but I want to make sure she is happy.


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Aug 22, 2014)

The dirt should be slightly damp. Just moist  not soaking. Good luck!


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## tortoise Inc (Sep 29, 2014)

Any eggs yet..???


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## jskahn (Sep 29, 2014)

I would set up a clamp on light in one corner of the box, to create a warm area that might attract her to lay.


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## dragonflyet (Jan 6, 2015)

Hi there. Ok so I have been super busy with work stuff and now moving to another apartment and cleaning out the box of dirt and it was a very big box on Thursday Jan 1st I found 4 eggs down at the bottom. I guess when I looked previously a few months ago I didn't look deep enough. I have them in the incubator because they needed to be out of the box. I candled them a few days ago and see 2 with veins, one might have veins but I can't tell its a dark and smaller of the 4 eggs. The last one I candled and just see right thru but I do see a white band or something and then if I turn it I see something dark on the bottom and like something round on top. I have no idea really what I'm looking at. I am sure the two with veins are fine I hope. So its been about 3 months and I'm not sure how much longer until they hatch and I've looked online and I think that mid February if I don't have eggs then they didn't make it. It has been in the 60s-80s outside from Oct 1 till now with a few nights that were lower than 50 but they were covered deep in the dirt and i had a screened in patio so it wasn't too freezing. 

Anyone have any ideas or thoughts about this batch?


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## dragonflyet (Jan 6, 2015)

see picture, the two on the left have veins


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## Tom (Jan 6, 2015)

DON'T EVER TURN THE EGGS!!!! That can kill the embryo inside.

Staying outside underground with cold temps won't hurt them at all and in fact, might even help them. Russian eggs typically take about 60 days once you get them into a warm incubator. The time they spent still in the ground does not "count" toward this 60 days.

Most breeders recommend keeping the incubation media (looks like perlite in your case) fairly dry and instead maintaining some humidity inside the incubator by using separate tubs of water with no lids.

I have seen baby sulcatas get blocked up by eating perlite right after hatching, so I won't use it for incubation. I have had not issues with sulcatas and leopards using vermiculite. I do know of russian breeders who have used perlite and did not report any problems, but because of my experience with other species I won't use it. If you decide you want to change, just don't turn or rotate the eggs.


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## turtlelady80 (Jan 25, 2015)

And don't assume after the 60 days, if they don't hatch, that they are duds. Keep us updated!!


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## dragonflyet (May 4, 2015)

Update. All 4 were duds, 2 cracked and the other two turned black. I was pretty sad about her first clutch not going well. I didn't disturb the eggs at all just kept them in the incubator.

Last Friday April 24th Eva was pacing and walking around my kitchen for nearly 6 hours. I wasn't paying attention until Monday April 27th, she was walking all over me and being really noisy and was up really early and I put he outside in my little yard and within 2 hours she dug a hole, laid 3 nicely big eggs!!! GO Eva!! I actually saw the last one slide out of her it was cool to see. I kind of let her be alone for a few days whether inside or outside but she mainly stayed inside under her heat lamp and slept. I offered her food but she didn't eat much for a couple days, I think I saw her fall asleep on her greens at one point lol.

I have 2 eggs in the incubator and one egg undisturbed in the ground. I just want to know how that is going to work. If at some point it will get super cold which I doubt since I live in Jacksonville maybe I can do something or super rainy. 

I was wondering if Eva will lay any more eggs this spring or wait till Fall? 

Also any tips about what to do when the eggs hatch. In another week I'll shine a flashlight to see if I see the veins but I won't handle the eggs. I just bring the Tupperware in the bathroom. I'm going to remain patient for a few months and I know the outside one might be longer but either way I think that this clutch will be healthier.


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## Tidgy's Dad (May 6, 2015)

Better luck with these ones.
Keep us posted.


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## ZEROPILOT (May 6, 2015)

Is Perlite as good as Vermaculite? I can't find Vermaculite.


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## mike taylor (May 6, 2015)

Has she been with a male ?


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