# Crazy incubation times? Leopard tortoise



## Jodie (Nov 10, 2016)

I see post about clutches hatching together all of the time. This has not been my experience. One or two hatch from one clutch, then some from another, then a couple from different clutches... Am I doing something wrong?
I incubate at a pretty consistent 86F. My small female laid 5 clutches this year. Almost exactly every 4 weeks, starting in Memorial day. 4 Have hatched from the 1st and 2nd clutches. Right now 3 more are hatching. 1 from each of 3 clutches.
My large female's did this last year too.


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## Yvonne G (Nov 10, 2016)

My leopards are this way too. I have had a couple clutches in the incubator from the same female, about a month apart. The first clutch hatches ONE egg, then a few days later another hatches. In the meantime, ALL the eggs from her second clutch hatch at the same time, BEFORE the original clutch finishes hatchin. They're in the same incubator, that means same temperature for both. I haven't a clue why this happens.

In birds, they all hatch at the same time for their safety. And I think sea turtle eggs all hatch at the same time. The leopard tortoise's reasoning escapes me.


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## Jodie (Nov 10, 2016)

At least it's not just me. Thanks!


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## Anyfoot (Nov 11, 2016)

I know your post is about leopard, BUT.....
I just had a clutch of 9 redfoots hatch, first 5 within a day of each other, then the last 4 three wks later within a day of each other. 
As far as incubation goes with redfoots it's relatively simple, no diapause or cooling periods, or night lows. 
I had all 9 eggs in the same corner of the incubator and even within that corner the 5 and 4 eggs that hatched where not all adjacent to each other, so for example the 2 eggs closest to the corner, where 3 wks apart, so that suggests forgetting any slight differences within the incubator. 
Why I ask myself. 
Is it a way to ensure different sexes, if in my case the 5 eggs were 3 wks ahead of the 4 eggs, then at the critical sexing development stage it could be at different temps(in the wild)

Is it to give a better survival chance, what if a predator sees the first 5 come up and eats them, but misses the next 4. Do other species combat this with shear amount of hatchlings rising all at once. 

What's the norm amount of eggs for a fully mature female Leo?


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## Jodie (Nov 11, 2016)

I am relatively new at this, and seems like normal only establishes itself in order to throw me off. My large female, 20 pounds, lays 7 to 9 eggs in each clutch.
Your explanations sound like reasonable theories to me.


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## Anyfoot (Nov 11, 2016)

Jodie said:


> I am relatively new at this, and seems like normal only establishes itself in order to throw me off. My large female, 20 pounds, lays 7 to 9 eggs in each clutch.
> Your explanations sound like reasonable theories to me.


I don't understand why some redfoots lay clutches of 5 and some 10. Is it because different gene pools(localities) have evolved to cope with their particular environment. 

Do you only have one male involved? I have more than 1, so another thought was maybe my female has a cocktail of sperms.


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## Jodie (Nov 11, 2016)

Only 1 male, yes. My female's are very different though. Scarlett is 18years and 20 pounds. She starts laying in the fall, lays 7 to 9 eggs per clutch, through the winter. Her hatchlings average 28 grams. She lays in the evening, and it is a process every time.
Nia, this was he first year laying. She is 8 years and 15 pounds. She started laying in the spring. Lays 5 to 9 each clutch. Hatchlings averaging 20 grams. I have almost missed her laying a couple times. She lays in the afternoon.
I assume the number and size are do to her age and size.


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