# YF eggs



## Yvonne G (Sep 4, 2014)

Years ago, when I was on the YAHOOgroups listserv, I mentioned that YF tortoises don't dig nests, but lay their eggs on top of the ground. I was really squashed and told in no uncertain terms that yes, they do dig nests.

At that time I had three egg laying females and they all deposited their eggs in a pile in one spot on top of the ground. Now I have two and they still do that.

I was doing my evening chores, and walking through the YF enclosure and I spotted 5 YF eggs on top of the ground in a corner next to the garage and the fence. When I picked them up, they were HOT. They had been sitting in the sun on a 100F degree day for who knows how long. I'm so disgusted! I hope they're not cooked.


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## tortadise (Sep 4, 2014)

Ahhhhhh man, that sucks. A good clutch of 5 too. Hope for the best in them hatching. I love Yellowfoots. I haven't hatched any in quite a while though.


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## Jacqui (Sep 4, 2014)

Sending positive thoughts that they are still viable. Selfish because I need a couple of new babies to go with my current beautiful split scute one.


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Sep 6, 2014)

Why do they lay one top of the ground if that can happen? In the wild (they live South America, don't they?) It is even hotter and birds would be able to pick them off without any effort. 
I hope they hatch alright


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## Yvonne G (Sep 6, 2014)

I have no idea. I was told that in the wild they will scrape a slight indentation, lay the eggs, then cover them with dirt and leaf litter. I don't know how true that is, because for the past 8 or 10 years my only experience has been that they lay them on top of the ground. The last time (before this time) I found YF eggs the female had made an attempt at digging a hole, but it was only an inch or so deep, so most of the eggs were right out in the open, however, this time it was under a partial roof, so they were in the shade.


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## mike taylor (Sep 6, 2014)

Try putting leaf litter in the enclosure maybe she will cover them up .


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## turtlelady80 (Sep 14, 2014)

I'm sorry to hear about about the hot eggs... my YFs have always dug a nest. I'd say about 5in down, or so. Mine nest in cypress mulch. I usually put leaf litter down in their enclosure in the fall. They love it!!!


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## bouaboua (Sep 14, 2014)

I never know that YF will do that. I can just wish the best of those eggs!!!!


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## wellington (Sep 14, 2014)

Hoping the best for the eggs. Specially, we don't see many YF. 
Do you have leaf litter or cypress mulch for them to lay in or just dirt? Wondering if they don't dig because it's dirt and they need or want something that needs less effort, like leafs or mulch? If you don't normally have that for them, you should give them some and see if that changes things. Would be interesting to find out.
Btw, want us to take care of those people that squashed you? We can you know


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## Yvonne G (Sep 15, 2014)

They are outside, and there's plenty of garden trash all over the ground - dead leaves, loose grass, top soil, etc.

And, Barb...thanks for the offer, but those people aren't worth the effort.


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## mike taylor (Sep 16, 2014)

You can always ship them babies my way! I love the yellows!


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## Yvonne G (Sep 16, 2014)

The eggs are lookin' good. Nice and white/chalky.


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## mike taylor (Sep 16, 2014)

Thats awesome! Hopefully they all hatch!


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## tortadise (Sep 16, 2014)

Excellent. I sure do hope they hatch Yvonne. Yellows are indeed superb and underrated.


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## Jacqui (Sep 17, 2014)

I agree with Kelly about how underrated Yellows are. Glad to know they are still looking good. Guess I need to start saving pennies, so I might have enough to get a hatchling or two.


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## turtlelady80 (Sep 17, 2014)

tortadise said:


> Excellent. I sure do hope they hatch Yvonne. Yellows are indeed superb and underrated.


Yellows are one of my favorites. They have such amazing personalities, especially as hatchlings.


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## tortadise (Sep 17, 2014)

turtlelady80 said:


> Yellows are one of my favorites. They have such amazing personalities, especially as hatchlings.


Yes indeed. I actually received another yellowfoot egg this morning. Hope they chalk up and look good like Yvonne's though.


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## turtlelady80 (Sep 17, 2014)

[QUOTEe, post: 946049, member: 19710"]Yes indeed. I actually received another yellowfoot egg this morning. Hope they chalk up and look good like Yvonne's though.[/QUOTE]
lol yeah those little beasts lol. You gotta watch the little ones. They'll try to bite ya!


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## Jabuticaba (Sep 17, 2014)

Yvonne G said:


> I have no idea. I was told that in the wild they will scrape a slight indentation, lay the eggs, then cover them with dirt and leaf litter. I don't know how true that is, because for the past 8 or 10 years my only experience has been that they lay them on top of the ground. The last time (before this time) I found YF eggs the female had made an attempt at digging a hole, but it was only an inch or so deep, so most of the eggs were right out in the open, however, this time it was under a partial roof, so they were in the shade.


This is something I learned during a tour at Emíluo Goeldi Museum, in my hometown (Belém, Brazil): In their natural territory, the forrest canopy is too dense for sunlight to get thru and warm the eggs. So the YF tortoise will lay her eggs on the topsoil and cover it with forrest debris (leaves, twigs, etc). The soil temp in the forrest is too cool for the eggs to hatch. Their nesting style is also much like that of crocodiles. 


May
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## Jacqui (Oct 1, 2014)

Jabuticaba said:


> This is something I learned during a tour at Emíluo Goeldi Museum, in my hometown (Belém, Brazil): In their natural territory, the forrest canopy is too dense for sunlight to get thru and warm the eggs. So the YF tortoise will lay her eggs on the topsoil and cover it with forrest debris (leaves, twigs, etc). The soil temp in the forrest is too cool for the eggs to hatch. Their nesting style is also much like that of crocodiles.
> 
> 
> May
> ...



Makes great sense.


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## Jacqui (Oct 1, 2014)

How are the eggs looking?


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## Yvonne G (Oct 2, 2014)

I actually have two batches in the 'cooker.' The first batch was put in there in June and contains 4 retained eggs and 7 from that day. They are all chalked and looking very good. The second batch, the 'hot' batch, (I can't remember how many of those are in there) are also looking pretty good. So far the incubator doesn't smell. That's always a good sign!


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## Turtlepete (Oct 2, 2014)

Pretty cool. Never knew YF's laid on the surface! I wonder why more people aren't keeping and breeding yellow's….I've thought of trying to setup a pair or trio before. Seems like they are quite a bit rarer then red's. The big cousin of the red foot, haha .


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## Yvonne G (Oct 2, 2014)

I really don't see what a lot of you are expressing. My YF tortoises are pretty drab and plain-looking, have no personality and hide in their shells whenever they see me. They are not the big ones, just average size, and in my eye, RF tortoises are much prettier.


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## Jacqui (Oct 2, 2014)

Yvonne G said:


> I actually have two batches in the 'cooker.' The first batch was put in there in June and contains 4 retained eggs and 7 from that day. They are all chalked and looking very good. The second batch, the 'hot' batch, (I can't remember how many of those are in there) are also looking pretty good. So far the incubator doesn't smell. That's always a good sign!



Sounds very good indeed!


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## Jacqui (Oct 2, 2014)

Yvonne G said:


> I really don't see what a lot of you are expressing. My YF tortoises are pretty drab and plain-looking, have no personality and hide in their shells whenever they see me. They are not the big ones, just average size, and in my eye, RF tortoises are much prettier.



Perhaps a lot of it is that Bonner (was an Easter gift to me sold as a female so was known as Bonnie aka Easter Bonnet), was one of my first tortoises and was a bigger one. Bonner was the most friendly tortoise, who was always glad to see you it seemed. I used him in the local talks I gave. Bonner never stressed with long car rides followed by what must have seemed an unending amount of giant hands reaching and touching him. My reds and cherryheads may all have more and even brighter color, but they tend to not meet his standards of personality. Of course I am also basing my thoughts on what could be one very outstanding wild caught yellowfoot.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 2, 2014)

Plus I don't pet-ify my tortoises. They are all living outdoors as close to natural as possible, with little or no interaction from me.


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## Jacqui (Oct 2, 2014)

Mine normally are too.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 2, 2014)

Every time I walk by the kitchen (where my incubators are) I turn on the light and open the lids of the incubators...and every time I do I'm disappointed. No hatching. One of these times I'm going to be surprised! Can't wait. I'm really looking so forward to the YF eggs hatching, even more so than when I have Manouria eggs in the cooker.


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## Jacqui (Oct 14, 2014)

... any surprises yet?


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## Yvonne G (Oct 14, 2014)

No, in fact the eggs from September that had been in the sun are now growing white fuzzy mold on them. The ones from June are still just a-cookin' away.


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