Suspended Incubation versus In Substrate Incubation

[bowserandyoshi]

HI! I was reading about incubation techniques and came across the option for suspended incubation. Is this advisable for sulcata tortoise eggs? I have a few eggs in the clutch that have become soft in the vermiculite but some have hatched. I am wondering if I can prevent the softening by suspending them but still keeping the vermiculite mixture below the tray. I hope anyone can shed a light on the topic. Thank you so much!

 

[Tom]

I don't know of anyone who has tried this method with tortoise eggs. Its simply not necessary because the conventional methods work just fine.

If the eggs got soft, it is because they are not viable for one reason or another. They did not become soft because of contact with the media, and so suspending them above the media isn't going to do much of anything.

 

[Markw84]

There are lots of folks using the SIM incubation technique. I feel it is more popular with other reptiles, but has become used by many tortoise breeders now. The benefit was to eliminate problems with too wet or too dry, mold, egg suffocating, high visibility to monitor eggs, and keeping the hatchling contained when it does hatch.

I've never used it myself as I've never had an issue with any of those problems they way I do eggs. I"ve been tempted as the high visibility would allow good filing of hatching, but so far it the "why fix it if not broken?".

I use a mix of vermiculite and peat and, have done it so much, add water pretty much by feel. WIth that mixture it is almost impossible to suffocate an egg unless you add way, way too much water.

From what I've seen, the SIM incubation is quite successful and I have nothing against it. Perhaps with someone new to incubating, it would be easier to "get right".

 

[bowserandyoshi]

I don't know of anyone who has tried this method with tortoise eggs. Its simply not necessary because the conventional methods work just fine.

If the eggs got soft, it is because they are not viable for one reason or another. They did not become soft because of contact with the media, and so suspending them above the media isn't going to do much of anything.

Thanks for the info, I got worried for the remaining clutch!

 

[bowserandyoshi]

There are lots of folks using the SIM incubation technique. I feel it is more popular with other reptiles, but has become used by many tortoise breeders now. The benefit was to eliminate problems with too wet or too dry, mold, egg suffocating, high visibility to monitor eggs, and keeping the hatchling contained when it does hatch.

I've never used it myself as I've never had an issue with any of those problems they way I do eggs. I"ve been tempted as the high visibility would allow good filing of hatching, but so far it the "why fix it if not broken?".

I use a mix of vermiculite and peat and, have done it so much, add water pretty much by feel. WIth that mixture it is almost impossible to suffocate an egg unless you add way, way too much water.

From what I've seen, the SIM incubation is quite successful and I have nothing against it. Perhaps with someone new to incubating, it would be easier to "get right".

Thanks for the response! I'm curious how you do the vermiculite and peat mixture, Is it mixed together or in layers?

 

[DoubleD1996!]

I mix vermiculite with water to point where I squeeze it, it forms a ball, but no water comes out.

For instance, if I fill a deli cup with vermiculite, I may put in a tea spoon at a time. I mix it through with my finger from top to bottom then squeeze to see if it holds form.

 

[Markw84]

Thanks for the response! I'm curious how you do the vermiculite and peat mixture, Is it mixed together or in layers?

I mix the vermiculite and peat most thoroughly into a uniform medium. I add water (when I used to measure) in equal weight to the mixture. If I have 300g of vermiculite/peat I added 300 g of water.

I add the peat moss as I believe the vermiculite is too high a pH for the developing egg. A more acidic environment is better for the egg and also allows for better chelation of calcium in the egg for availability to the embryo.

 

[bowserandyoshi]

I mix vermiculite with water to point where I squeeze it, it forms a ball, but no water comes out.

For instance, if I fill a deli cup with vermiculite, I may put in a tea spoon at a time. I mix it through with my finger from top to bottom then squeeze to see if it holds form.

I tried the by grammage measurement. 1:1 but maybe it evaporates too quickly? I only get about 75% humidity outside the plastic bins but inside the styrofoam box. Is that still ok?

 

[bowserandyoshi]

I mix the vermiculite and peat most thoroughly into a uniform medium. I add water (when I used to measure) in equal weight to the mixture. If I have 300g of vermiculite/peat I added 300 g of water.

I add the peat moss as I believe the vermiculite is too high a pH for the developing egg. A more acidic environment is better for the egg and also allows for better chelation of calcium in the egg for availability to the embryo.

Oh this is interesting! Thank you for this!

 

[Markw84]

I tried the by grammage measurement. 1:1 but maybe it evaporates too quickly? I only get about 75% humidity outside the plastic bins but inside the styrofoam box. Is that still ok?

I do keep a tub or two of water in the incubator to keep the humidity up in the incubator itself. That also keeps the egg containers from drying out as quickly.

 

[bowserandyoshi]

I do keep a tub or two of water in the incubator to keep the humidity up in the incubator itself. That also keeps the egg containers from drying out as quickly.

i do have a tub but maybe i can add one more for the time being! thanks!!