# 2 leopard tortoise clutches in one day



## Mick.Ire (Jan 3, 2013)

Hey guys, 

Our largest female leopard had been crawling the walls all week so a few days ago I knocked a nest box together approx 2ftx4ft. Put her in and she quietened down until this morning when my Dad found her filling in a nest with a cracked egg on top and another egg lying beside it. We thought she made a balls of the process but dug down a little just to see. We found 4 perfect eggs that were in the chamber of the nest. 5 are now in the incubator.
As we removed her from the nesting box to put in the main area while we dug up the eggs we noticed our other female climbing the walls, first time seen her do this, she's quite timid and reclusive. So after we got the eggs out we stuck her in and at 4pm she started digging. 3 hours later and she dropped her first egg nearly an hour later she had 6 down and began to fill the perfect nest she dug. We let her finish and gave her a good soak (as with the first girl) and dug out the eggs. 6 perfect eggs

It's our first time with leopards digging nests and laying clutches. We got the male (proven) last march and seen him cover both females so these should be fertile. All decent size eggs (huge to us as we're used to hingeback eggs).

Got some great videos and pics so I'll start a new thread with these. 
Is it unusual for two females to lay in the same day? Incubating at 29c and 80-85% humidity, does this sound ok? We're going for mixed sex and have been recommended that temp for this. 

Here's all the eggs, we think the other egg that was left on top of the first nest might have a hairline crack. Will let settle a bit and check. All the rest seem perfect. The small egg is our remaining hingeback egg, should hatch any moment. All very exciting.

Cheers Mick.


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## wellington (Jan 3, 2013)

Very cool, Congrats.


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## vickihale (Jan 3, 2013)

Hi Michael, this is Vicki.
Congrats on the eggs! I can't wait to see some hatchling pics in a few months!
Your new year sure started off great.


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## kanalomele (Jan 3, 2013)

Lucky Duck! Ill be watching for hatchling pics in a few months!


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## treefrog1 (Jan 4, 2013)

Mick.Ireland said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Our largest female leopard had been crawling the walls all week so a few days ago I knocked a nest box together approx 2ftx4ft. Put her in and she quietened down until this morning when my Dad found her filling in a nest with a cracked egg on top and another egg lying beside it. We thought she made a balls of the process but dug down a little just to see. We found 4 perfect eggs that were in the chamber of the nest. 5 are now in the incubator.
> As we removed her from the nesting box to put in the main area while we dug up the eggs we noticed our other female climbing the walls, first time seen her do this, she's quite timid and reclusive. So after we got the eggs out we stuck her in and at 4pm she started digging. 3 hours later and she dropped her first egg nearly an hour later she had 6 down and began to fill the perfect nest she dug. We let her finish and gave her a good soak (as with the first girl) and dug out the eggs. 6 perfect eggs
> ...



Mick, congrats. couple of things. You don't say if these are P pardalis or babcockii or hybred. Eggs with hairline cracks can be sealed with "newskin" a bowlers blister product. Humidity should be charted on a graph for 16% loss . weigh eggs as a group instead of singles. When candling, humidity should go to 40 % a few days before expected hatch date. after most eggs are internally pipped increase humidity to 100%.until eggs hatch.


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## Mick.Ire (Jan 5, 2013)

Hey thanks treefrog, these are babcockii, heard that about hairline cracks alright. will have a look and give it a go. We did a vermiculate/water ratio of 1/1. Weighed container with eggs in, will check weight weekly and any loss from total weight will be replaced with water. This should keep the ratio at 1/1. Incubator can maintain a constant 80%+ with this and a tray of water. 
Not really sure what you mean "When candling, humidity should go to 40 % a few days before expected hatch date". ? 
Internally pipped, do you mean when the egg is pipped? Also how long into incubation will you see signs of life when candeling. I've heard it can take a while for them to chalk but when can you see veins, membranes etc?


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## TortoiseWorld (Jan 5, 2013)

Those yummy looking eggs are making me hungry, hungry to buy a cool new tortoise that is...
I hope they all find good homes.


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## Mick.Ire (Jan 5, 2013)

papayapa said:


> Those yummy looking eggs are making me hungry, hungry to buy a cool new tortoise that is...
> I hope they all find good homes.



Hehehe, you can never have too many.


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## jaydog6644 (Jan 5, 2013)

wow dude thats really cool haven new eggs. i wanna do that some day!


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