# Hermann laid eggs 2 weeks+ ago, please help



## zomgbbq (Mar 6, 2014)

Our hermann Albert (yes, we thought he was a boy), laid eggs to our surprise two and a half weeks ago. She was then given some hormones to lay the last lot.

We have 4 eggs in total, but I'm concerned.

We moved them immediately to an incubator that we purchased. Two of the eggs still have topsoil on the outside where we weren't aware we had the clean them, will this cause a problem?

I also had to open the incubator this morning and got a slightly musty smell, it wasn't a rotten smell but kind of like the smell you get in a gym. Is this standard with the humidity? Or should I be concerned that one of the eggs is going the wrong way?


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## Laura Currado (Mar 7, 2014)

The dirt shouldn't be a problem; where do wild tortoises/turtles lay their eggs?  As far as the mustiness, what did you use to put the eggs in? I've never incubated tortoise eggs, but have others, and we've never had a musty smell, though we have lost eggs.


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## zomgbbq (Mar 7, 2014)

Laura Currado said:


> The dirt shouldn't be a problem; where do wild tortoises/turtles lay their eggs? As far as the mustiness, what did you use to put the eggs in? I've never incubated tortoise eggs, but have others, and we've never had a musty smell, though we have lost eggs.



It's in an Exo-terra incubator set at 31 degrees and 70/75 humidity.

They are in a Tupperware with no top and in vermiculite.


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## Yvonne G (Mar 7, 2014)

The mucous that surrounds the egg helps protect it from whatever 'bad stuff' might be in the hole she dug. I generally wipe off excess dirt, but leave as much mucous as possible, so I don't wash the eggs, just wipe them.

When an egg goes bad you'll get the really bad rotten smell. The mustiness you're smelling might just be from the moisture in the incubator.


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## zomgbbq (Mar 13, 2014)

Yvonne G said:


> The mucous that surrounds the egg helps protect it from whatever 'bad stuff' might be in the hole she dug. I generally wipe off excess dirt, but leave as much mucous as possible, so I don't wash the eggs, just wipe them.
> 
> When an egg goes bad you'll get the really bad rotten smell. The mustiness you're smelling might just be from the moisture in the incubator.



Thanks for both of your help so far. The mustiness is not getting worse, must be the incubator.

We're now 3 weeks gone and I have a few questions. I shone a torch through two of the eggs just now and didn't see much except a yellow/orange segment at the bottom. Should I be concerned?

From a distance it looked like there were veins for both but I can't be sure. Would you suggest I pick them up and shine the light through the bottom?


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## zomgbbq (Mar 14, 2014)

zomgbbq said:


> Yvonne G said:
> 
> 
> > The mucous that surrounds the egg helps protect it from whatever 'bad stuff' might be in the hole she dug. I generally wipe off excess dirt, but leave as much mucous as possible, so I don't wash the eggs, just wipe them.
> ...



After further inspection, I can see air sacs for two/three of them, is this a positive sign?


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## Jlant85 (Mar 14, 2014)

Post pictures =)


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