# Russian Egg Media



## clintdowns (Aug 7, 2015)

To wet the media? Or not to wet the media and just place the eggs int ok dry vermiculite?

What do you do, and why?


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## Jodie (Aug 7, 2015)

I have little experience. I have read lots of info and hear both ways being done. I have my 1st eggs in the incubator for 2 weeks now. I did mix 50/50 by weight.
Good luck.


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## clintdowns (Aug 7, 2015)

I actually just put my first eggs in the bator as well about 5 days ago. The eggs looked very moist and one of them looked as if maybe is was growing some mold hairs. I removed the eggs and dumped the moist vermiculite and replaced it with dry verm. Only time will tell. The humidity stays around 70-75%.


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## Tom (Aug 7, 2015)

clintdowns said:


> To wet the media? Or not to wet the media and just place the eggs int ok dry vermiculite?
> 
> What do you do, and why?



I've never incubated russian eggs, but I've researched it a lot. People are successful at it both ways, dry or damp, as long as the humidity is right. Personally, when the time comes, I will use dampened vermiculite because my area is extremely dry. If I lived somewhere with some decent humidity, I might try the dry method.

WIth all the species that I have incubated, I use dampened vermiculite.

Why don't you try half your eggs one way and half the other and see what happens?

This might offer some insight:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-incubate-eggs-and-start-hatchlings.124266/


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## clintdowns (Aug 7, 2015)

Thanks for all your insight Tom. I love to always read what you write. I may try and wet one tub again tomorrow. Also I did not weigh my vermiculite and water. I think I had way to much water.


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## biochemnerd808 (Aug 19, 2015)

Ok, so here is my input on Russian tortoise eggs. The first time I had eggs, I used moistened vermiculite, and the eggs swoll and cracked a little, and then fungus invaded, and I got no hatches (though I am not 100% certain the initial clutch was even fertile). 
I talked to some experienced breeders, including @kanalomele , and their guidance was that for some reason, Russian tortoise eggs do much better in BONE DRY medium, with several open mouth containers of water in the incubator for air humidity. I have had a near 100% hatch rate since changing to this. Not that 24 hatchlings makes me an expert... but this has worked for me, and the moist substrate did NOT.


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## Tom (Aug 19, 2015)

biochemnerd808 said:


> Ok, so here is my input on Russian tortoise eggs. The first time I had eggs, I used moistened vermiculite, and the eggs swoll and cracked a little, and then fungus invaded, and I got no hatches (though I am not 100% certain the initial clutch was even fertile).
> I talked to some experienced breeders, including @kanalomele , and their guidance was that for some reason, Russian tortoise eggs do much better in BONE DRY medium, with several open mouth containers of water in the incubator for air humidity. I have had a near 100% hatch rate since changing to this. Not that 24 hatchlings makes me an expert... but this has worked for me, and the moist substrate did NOT.



Now that is some good insight.

How wet was your media?


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## biochemnerd808 (Aug 19, 2015)

Tom said:


> Now that is some good insight.
> 
> How wet was your media?



Not very wet at all. Quick on-off of the water tap, mixed it around, set it aside while I waited for eggs to finish being laid. The microcracks appeared within the first few days, and within 2 weeks, there was dark clouding inside the egg, visible from the outside. Once I was 100% sure that nothing was growing in that egg (I waited a full incubation cycle plus 10 days), I opened those eggs, and the dark stuff was fungal growth. 

Every since that experience, I ALWAYS use BONE DRY medium (vermiculite, or one time, in a pinch, dry coco coir... unexpected clutch in the middle of winter), and those have all hatched.  Keeping the air humid with a few containers of warm water is super important though. I also taped off all but 2 of the air holes in the lid of the incubator. 

I hope this helps!


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## tortoise5643 (Aug 19, 2015)

I used dry dirt that I took from the yard when thy were laid and have had pretty good success. I have gotten 3 Russian eggs and 2 have hatched.


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