Tortstork "Insta-Hatch" Marokkensis Egg!

hollyandT

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This is super cool!
It’s also got me curious about how the hatching process works:)
what is that dark liquid?
Is it what’s left of the white part of the egg?
 

SweetGreekTorts

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This is super cool!
It’s also got me curious about how the hatching process works:)
what is that dark liquid?
Is it what’s left of the white part of the egg?
@Shellfreak would be able to explain this better than me. I've only hatched 2 eggs so am still learning new things myself.
 

SweetGreekTorts

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Here are some pictures of Atlas that I took when I got home from work this afternoon. He's already moving around, so I gave him a larger deli cup in the incubator.

His yolk sac is almost completely absorbed, still has the tiny belly button left.IMG_20190401_163730_847.jpegIMG_20190401_162737.jpegIMG_20190401_162751.jpegIMG_20190401_162804.jpegIMG_20190401_163730_848.jpeg
 

shellfreak

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This is super cool!
It’s also got me curious about how the hatching process works:)
what is that dark liquid?
Is it what’s left of the white part of the egg?

Exactly. It’s just left over albumen. Dried up. Sometimes blood veins are popped from the hatchling moving around inside the egg and the vessels bleed into the albumen and don’t get completely absorbed into the yolk sac. They get mixed up with the albumen to make that dark color gelatinous substance, which eventually dehydrates and turns crusty. Some eggs are crystal clean when the baby hatches. Some of it might have to do with the humidity levels during incubation. Still lots of retrospective research to be done on tortoise eggs.
 

SweetGreekTorts

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Might I ask... Why did you wait to begin soaks? I soak my hatchlings daily from the day they emerge from the egg. They will drink a lot immediately and start eating that first day usually.
I want to make sure he absorbs the yolk sac completely and seals up. I didn't know if it was safe to soak him before then and didn't want to take a chance.
 

SweetGreekTorts

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I just gave him a good soak in warm water and put him back in the incubator. I didn't see him drink, but he is eating already, since yesterday.
 

Ray--Opo

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How do you know it's a male? That must be a great experience.
 

SweetGreekTorts

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How do you know it's a male? That must be a great experience.
He was incubated to encourage male gender. I know that's never a guarantee and I'll have to wait until he's grown big enough to confirm. But in the meantime, it's just easier to go with it.
 

Ray--Opo

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He was incubated to encourage male gender. I know that's never a guarantee and I'll have to wait until he's grown big enough to confirm. But in the meantime, it's just easier to go with it.
Is it a timing thing? The longer or shorter time before incubation?
 

SweetGreekTorts

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Is it a timing thing? The longer or shorter time before incubation?
It's a temperature thing. Incubating at a temperature of 85-86 degrees Fahrenheit has a greater chance of producing a male. Higher temps, 89-90 degrees Fahrenheit is favorable for females. In the middle, it could go either way. But although those temps create that greater chance for one gender, there's still a small chance it can end up the opposite gender. That's how I understand it.
 

KarenSoCal

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Russiantortylady

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WOw that is so cool!!! I am contemplating getting a insta-egg..........I wish i could borrow a incubator from someone, but I may just bite the bullet and go for it. What do you think?
 

Ray--Opo

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WOw that is so cool!!! I am contemplating getting a insta-egg..........I wish i could borrow a incubator from someone, but I may just bite the bullet and go for it. What do you think?
Yessss! Bite the bullet I want to see pics.
 

SweetGreekTorts

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WOw that is so cool!!! I am contemplating getting a insta-egg..........I wish i could borrow a incubator from someone, but I may just bite the bullet and go for it. What do you think?
If you decide to buy an incubator, get it from Incubator Warehouse online. When I was shopping for the Hovabator 1602N, I found it on a dozen different sites for many different prices. This place sells it for the lowest price ($47.99+s/h), and they ship FAST!
 
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