# HELP, my Male Radiata lay eggs!! ??



## Sunrise (Jan 12, 2013)

Hi,

today my Male Radiata tortoise just laid 4 eggs!??
I know its male from the experts who see it, and also when he mate other tortoises, he is the one on top.

so my questions are:

1. Is it possible for male radiata tortoise to lay egg??
2. how to know if its fertile or not?
3. can I just let the egg where it is now so it will hatch naturally like it is in the natural habitat? because I wonder how they hatch out there, without heating and stuffs.

I collect tortoises and provide them with plenty space of natural habitat. luckily my gardener saw it today, otherwise I will never know about the egg, as he covered it very neatly.


thanks in advance.


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## JoesMum (Jan 12, 2013)

If your Radiata has layed eggs, SHE is female. 

Both male and female tortoises will mount and butt as part of showing dominance over other tortoises. Your expetts were wrong. It is hard to sex tortoises and sometimes egg-laying (for females) or a 'flash' of sexual parts in the first time anyone gets it right.


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## Sunrise (Jan 12, 2013)

JoesMum said:


> If your Radiata has layed eggs, SHE is female.
> 
> Both male and female tortoises will mount and butt as part of showing dominance over other tortoises. Your expetts were wrong. It is hard to sex tortoises and sometimes egg-laying (for females) or a 'flash' of sexual parts in the first time anyone gets it right.



thanks for the info.
these are the picts of the radiata..pls help sexing them..







and the other question can I just leave the egg as is, just like they are in the natural habitat out there? as they successful hacthling in the wild without any heater etc. btw the weather here is only rain and summer, 25-35 celcius all year round. TIA


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## mainey34 (Jan 12, 2013)

I dont believe males lay eggs..you have a female who tricked the experts...


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## JoesMum (Jan 12, 2013)

There is no way a male Radiata can lay eggs. The experts got it wrong. It happens sometimes 

I'm afraid I can't help with telling you how to care for the eggs beyond saying they need to be incubated. Did your tortoise bury them? Are they still buried?


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## Sunrise (Jan 12, 2013)

JoesMum said:


> There is no way a male Radiata can lay eggs. The experts got it wrong. It happens sometimes
> 
> I'm afraid I can't help with telling you how to care for the eggs beyond saying they need to be incubated. Did your tortoise bury them? Are they still buried?



yes Dino burried them, and he buried it really well. I even wonder can the baby go out as he burried it really tight.
they are still buried, I opened for a few minutes to take pictures and then put it back again.
weather is 25-35 celcius, lots of sun. it rainy season until June probably.

Done covering the eggs:





re-open:


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## JoesMum (Jan 12, 2013)

Keep them buried. She will have chosen her spot carefully. Hopefully someone will be able to help you more soon. Good luck


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## allegraf (Jan 12, 2013)

From what little I know about radiateds, they can only be accurately sexes by two ways, endoscopically and when they lay eggs. I would strongly recommend incubating the eggs. These are endangered torts and every new tort in this world helps. Where in the US are you located? It may be a guaranteed death sentence for the eggs if you are somewhere that will get cold for more than a day or so. If you need help with incubation, pm me, and I will try my best to help.

Allegra


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## bigred (Jan 12, 2013)

I would get them out of the ground and into an incubator. Another animal could sniff them out dig them up and eat them. Where are you located?


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## tortadise (Jan 12, 2013)

Incubation will be best. In ground is ok at those temps especially with the rain. Keep an eye out too. More eggs will be coming as they lay multiple clutches. If your not familiar with incubation. I would leave them in the ground. This species requires a diapose. Your daily and night tome flicuations and raony season will accomodate that if fertile. Has the other radiata been breedong?


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## Sunrise (Jan 12, 2013)

thx JoesMum, mainey34.
@allegraf, bigred: I am in Indonesia. I am not familiar with incubation I even afraid to touch the egg. I will add protection to keep it away from predator.
@tortadise: thank you, hopefully it will be success with the natural weather and environment.

Btw how to know if the egg is fertile or not? I never see her being mated by other torto. but I saw her mated other torto before. i read somewhere stated if its infertile the torto will not cover it with sand and just leave it there...is it true?


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## bigred (Jan 12, 2013)

Sunrise said:


> thx JoesMum, mainey34.
> @allegraf, bigred: I am in Indonesia. I am not familiar with incubation I even afraid to touch the egg. I will add protection to keep it away from predator.
> @tortadise: thank you, hopefully it will be success with the natural weather and environment.
> 
> Btw how to know if the egg is fertile or not? I never see her being mated by other torto. but I saw her mated other torto before. i read somewhere stated if its infertile the torto will not cover it with sand and just leave it there...is it true?



She would bury and cover the eggs either way


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## sibi (Jan 12, 2013)

I've never breeded eggs, but my torts came out of the ground mainly because the owner never knew her female had laid eggs. The owner also didn't know one thing about incubation. When she figured that there were other clutches, she tries to incubate them and they died because she really didn't know what she was doing. If you don't have experience with this, I'd leave them in the ground, but watch all the spots that she digs and protect those areas. If someone can walk you though incubation, then that's your decision. I hope they all hatch for you


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## JoesMum (Jan 13, 2013)

I'd feel inclined to leave them in place too. Fence round the hole she's dug so any hatchlings can't escape or be stepped on by accident. Good luck


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## tortadise (Jan 13, 2013)

Keep in mind the time frames you monitor them. I never see some of my tortoise species breed but get fertile eggs. Sometimes they will breed in conditions when you least expect it. Night time, and even when your not around. Could be just 20 minutes of breeding a day when your not around. Your going to have to candle the eggs to see if they are fertile. Candling them is done when they are in an incubator. It wouldn't be wise to dig them up just to candle them. At this point joesmum has it going in the direction needed. Fence the area off, log the date she laid them, monitor and record spikes in rain,drought, and temp fluctuations. If they dont hatch out over time then they are not fertile. Can be very typical in a females first go around. This waiting period may take 8-15 months however. But its all part of understanding this species in doing good record keeping and establishing the future to successfully hatching your own. Good luck. Hope they are fertile for yah. Also being her first time laying you might want to look into another male to stimulate breeding. A lot of radiata are combative to win over a female to breed with.


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## skottip (Jan 13, 2013)

Looks like you have 2 females. Females will "sudocopulate"(sp)? Male Radiateds tails are much longer, the anal scute is wider and the plasteron is concaved.
More than likely they are infertile.That is unless you actually have a male(with a penis) lol
Scott


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## Yellow Turtle (Jan 14, 2013)

So hurry buy a buy male radiata for both your females. I know one adult size is under sale in our local online market


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## Sunrise (Jan 16, 2013)

Yellow Turtle said:


> So hurry buy a buy male radiata for both your females. I know one adult size is under sale in our local online market



link?
yours?


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## deadheadvet (Jan 19, 2013)

If you are sure the other tortoise is female, then the eggs are likely to be infertile. If you are to try incubating, they have to be cooled down first for a month or so, then incubated.


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