I leave them in their incubator box until they leave the shell under their own power. Its okay if they get vermiculite on them. I just rinse it off. I only think it would be a problem if they were left on it for days.
I don't soak them or move them until they come out of the egg on their own. I don't soak or rinse them and then put them back in the vermiculite. I just don't soak or rinse until I am removing them from the vermiculite.Yea but I prefer they don’t get on covered in it it’s just easier to move them into a clean box one by one since I have to soak them anyways why put them back in a dirty box
I don't soak them or move them until they come out of the egg on their own. I don't soak or rinse them and then put them back in the vermiculite. I just don't soak or rinse until I am removing them from the vermiculite.
I'm afraid that the amount of disturbance from moving them whilst still in the egg may cause them to come out too early with too large a yolk sac and damage their yolk sac. They also need the support of the substrate around the bottom of the egg to help them pull out of it. A damaged yolk sac is usually fatal to hatchlings.
Forgive my confusion. In the picture above, it appears that pipping and partially hatched tortoise babies are still in their eggs and already removed to a brooder box on paper towels.I wait till they come out of the egg completely and then soak them for a few minutes and put them back in a clean box in the incubator until the yolk sack is completely absorbed