# Strange embryo’s formation



## victoria146 (Dec 6, 2020)

Hi guys!
Exactly 3 weeks ago my Russian tortoise laid 2 eggs. This is my first time with the eggs and I’m very worried as well as excited. So, the first embryo seems to be developing okay (according to many pics I’ve seen in the last 3 weeks). But the second one seems to be having some problems.. It hasn’t formed that circle of veins around the embryo yet.. The eggs are being incubated in the same conditions.
Any ideas of what it could be going on with the second egg?
Thank you all, in advance!


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## G-stars (Dec 6, 2020)

Candling isn’t exactly a science, you can’t always see what’s going on behind the scenes. There have been many cases where experienced breeders have candled an egg or thought it was bad only for it to hatch a few weeks later with no issues. I would just leave them alone and see what happens. The less you bother the egg the better in my opinion.


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## victoria146 (Dec 6, 2020)

@


G-stars said:


> Candling isn’t exactly a science, you can’t always see what’s going on behind the scenes. There have been many cases where experienced breeders have candled an egg or thought it was bad only for it to hatch a few weeks later with no issues. I would just leave them alone and see what happens. The less you bother the egg the better in my opinion.


thank you for your reply! I understand that we cannot entirely understand what’s going on there.. just find it mysterious a bit. Hoped may be someone has had a similar situation like in the 2d pic  but anyways totally agree with you on the candling and bothering the eggs.. the less the better ..


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## zovick (Dec 6, 2020)

victoria146 said:


> Hi guys!
> Exactly 3 weeks ago my Russian tortoise laid 2 eggs. This is my first time with the eggs and I’m very worried as well as excited. So, the first embryo seems to be developing okay (according to many pics I’ve seen in the last 3 weeks). But the second one seems to be having some problems.. It hasn’t formed that circle of veins around the embryo yet.. The eggs are being incubated in the same conditions.
> Any ideas of what it could be going on with the second egg?
> Thank you all, in advance!


At this time, egg #2 appears to be infertile. I see no "blood spot" at all, let alone the "halo" which would be the first blood vessel arising from the blood spot. Egg #1 appears to be developing normally for three weeks of incubation.

You could try removing egg #2 from the incubator and just letting it sit somewhere at a temperature of about 60 degrees for 3-4 weeks, then placing it back into incubation to see if that cooling period will cause it to begin to develop. This technique works for a number of species, but I have never tried it with Russian Tortoises, so don't know if it would be effective. However, judging from the posted photo of egg #2, you have nothing to lose by trying it, and if it works, you will have a second developing egg.


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## victoria146 (Dec 6, 2020)

zovick said:


> At this time, egg #2 appears to be infertile. I see no "blood spot" at all, let alone the "halo" which would be the first blood vessel arising from the blood spot. Egg #1 appears to be developing normally for three weeks of incubation.
> 
> You could try removing egg #2 from the incubator and just letting it sit somewhere at a temperature of about 60 degrees for 3-4 weeks, then placing it back into incubation to see if that cooling period will cause it to begin to develop. This technique works for a number of species, but I have never tried it with Russian Tortoises, so don't know if it would be effective. However, judging from the posted photo of egg #2, you have nothing to lose by trying it, and if it works, you will have a second developing egg.


Wow! Thank you for your reply. I have never heard of such a technique.. But what do you think this little spot and this curve could be in the second egg? May be that’s an embryo which just stopped developing?


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## zovick (Dec 6, 2020)

victoria146 said:


> Wow! Thank you for your reply. I have never heard of such a technique.. But what do you think this little spot and this curve could be in the second egg? May be that’s an embryo which just stopped developing?


Not sure exactly what that is, but it might be an embryo which died or stopped developing for some reason. Obviously, with no sign of blood vessels in the egg, it is not developing at this time.

You can always just leave it alone and see what happens.


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## victoria146 (Dec 6, 2020)

zovick said:


> Not sure exactly what that is, but it might be an embryo which died or stopped developing for some reason. Obviously, with no sign of blood vessels in the egg, it is not developing at this time.
> 
> You can always just leave it alone and see what happens.


Yeah .. I will probably just leave it and see what happens.. Thank you once again for your ideas!


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