# First time.......My female Hermanni laid three eggs just now.



## bouaboua (Oct 2, 2014)

My wife just called: One of my Hermanni just laid three eggs. We don't have any experience of this.

What should I do? We like to incubate those eggs. Any suggestion for a incubator? How long approximately how long the incubation time for Hermanni?? I know when we dig out the eggs we don't want to rotate the orientation of the eggs. It is about 8:00 PM now.

Can we dig out the eggs now with out a incubator? or without anything.....

Or we can wait for a week or so till the incubator arrive?

Or we can dig them out and lay them on some soft towel and keep them in the room temperature for few days?

I really can use some suggestion. Please help.......Thank you all.


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## mike taylor (Oct 2, 2014)

I have no idea Steven but I'm happy for you . You are a tort grandfather!


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## Pokeymeg (Oct 2, 2014)

Great pics!! I have no answers, but try and send Hermannichris a message... He's got plenty of experience with Hermanns!


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## bouaboua (Oct 2, 2014)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004AJLREA/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SCN0LC/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

I found two of them on Amazon. Are those OK????? Those will take few day (due to the weekend) to arrive even if I ordered today. What shall I do during the mean time??

Should I dig those eggs up till the incubator to arrive or I can dig them up first then wait for the incubator??


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## bouaboua (Oct 2, 2014)

Pokeymeg said:


> Great pics!! I have no answers, but try and send Hermannichris a message... He's got plenty of experience with Hermanns!


 Yes...........Thank you. I'm like a first time parents. just drew blank.


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## bouaboua (Oct 2, 2014)

Hello @Yvonne G , @Jacqui, @N2TORTS ,@HermanniChris

*May I ask for some help with this first time parents that my Hermanni laid three eggs? What should I do and what incubator to order?? 

Thanks. *


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## bouaboua (Oct 2, 2014)

How about this incubator???

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007AG1M8Q/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

I do thinking of hatching tortoise in the long run. Should I look into the industrial one??


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Oct 3, 2014)

I'm sorry, I have little to no experience with eggs!!  I think @Tom uses one that's like 50$??


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## bouaboua (Oct 3, 2014)

Or a simple incubator like this may also work??


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## bouaboua (Oct 3, 2014)

Yellow Turtle01 said:


> I'm sorry, I have little to no experience with eggs!!  I think @Tom uses one that's like 50$??


I do found one like you said: $50.00 something........

I hope some of those had the experienced one can give me some idea. Thank you Sir.


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Oct 3, 2014)

Your welcome (ma'mn )
I believe most people put vermiculite in their incubators... I hope your eggs work out great! Congrats to you and little miss mother


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## Jacqui (Oct 3, 2014)

You should not have to wait for one, most local feed stores in the poultry section will carry those cheap Styrofoam ones. Could use it. while waiting for a fancy one, if you want to use the fancy type for the long term. Those cheap ones can work well. I used several for many years with good luck. Just be sure to get an extra thermometer or two to double check on the temps.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 3, 2014)

I think you can just leave the eggs in the hole until you get the incubator. Does your wife understand you're not supposed to turn the eggs? Leave them in the same orientation that they are in the hole.

I use little plastic sandwich boxes filled with vermiculite. I punch a few holes around the top edge of the box. Then set the boxes on the floor of the incubator. I used the Hovabator type for many, many years and successfully hatched lots of babies from them, however this past summer my partner gifted me with a Reptibator. I holds quite a bit more. Same general size overall, but inside is so much bigger. Costs more, but I really like it.


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## ben32hayt (Oct 4, 2014)

I use a Zoomed reptibator and just successfully hatched three Dalmatian hermanns tortoises about two-three weeks ago at 88 degrees Fahrenheit and 70-75% humidity. As for the incubator it works great and doesn't break the bank. I hope you successfully hatch the tortoises as it is extra rewarding!


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## bouaboua (Oct 6, 2014)

ben32hayt said:


> I use a Zoomed reptibator and just successfully hatched three Dalmatian hermanns tortoises about two-three weeks ago at 88 degrees Fahrenheit and 70-75% humidity. As for the incubator it works great and doesn't break the bank. I hope you successfully hatch the tortoises as it is extra rewarding!
> View attachment 98683



Yes. Mind just came-in yesterday. I set it at 87 F also.

Thanks.


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## bouaboua (Oct 6, 2014)

My wife told me this afternoon, She said the other female ( we have 1.2 Hermanni) also pacing the yard all day today and not eating. The same behavior as the one female that lay three eggs last Friday. 

My wife will keep a close eye on her for the next couple days.


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## bouaboua (Oct 6, 2014)

Yvonne G said:


> I think you can just leave the eggs in the hole until you get the incubator. Does your wife understand you're not supposed to turn the eggs? Leave them in the same orientation that they are in the hole.
> 
> I use little plastic sandwich boxes filled with vermiculite. I punch a few holes around the top edge of the box. Then set the boxes on the floor of the incubator. I used the Hovabator type for many, many years and successfully hatched lots of babies from them, however this past summer my partner gifted me with a Reptibator. I holds quite a bit more. Same general size overall, but inside is so much bigger. Costs more, but I really like it.



I ordered the Zoomed reptibator and came-in the next day (Free Saturday delivery. What happened in this world???) by Amazon.

Now the three eggs are in it at 87 F ( Extra thermometer probe at the egg level and Zoomed reptibator set at the 91 F) with 75% humidity.

Thank you for your help my Lady! Thank you.


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## ben32hayt (Oct 6, 2014)

bouaboua said:


> Yes. Mind just came-in yesterday. I set it at 87 F also.
> 
> Thanks.


I hope in two months you have some new bright eyed babies!


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## bouaboua (Oct 8, 2014)

I have a question:

Why artificially incubating the tortoise's eggs, we put the eggs on the top of the vermiculite and only cover 1/3 or 1/2 of the eggs in the incubator?

But in the wild, female torts will cover/bury her eggs she just laid completely under the dirt?


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