Hi all! My first post and I definitely need some guidance. I’ve had my Greek marginated tortoises since they were just hatchlings. They are eight years old and I have found them doing the nasty a couple times but yet the one that was on top is the one that just laid eggs about a foot down in their enclosure outside. She’s obviously a female, and she covered them up, I’ve protected them from any critters getting to them, but clearly have no clue what to do next they’ve been my babies since they were born and I’ve taken such good care of them, but definitely didn’t expect eggs to come this quickly according to the person that had the mom and dad.
Help! Eggs just arrived!
- Thread starter Pamcakes
- Start date
Hello and welcome! That is awesome! Here is the info you need:
How To Incubate Eggs And Start Hatchlings
I put my eggs in a plastic shoe box with a lid on it and put the shoe box in the incubator. You can drill a couple of very small holes around the top of the container, but not on the lid. I use vermiculite as an incubation media. I mix it in a 1 : 1 ratio with water by weight for Sulcatas and...
tortoiseforum.org
The eggs are fine to stay in the ground for a few weeks if needed, while you get an incubator and sort everything out. Question are welcome. We will help you.
No. 8 years is plenty of time to mature. The tortoises seem to think so too!!!
Ask all of your questions. Let's bring these new able in to the world.
I'm happy to help.Ok @TomNo. 8 years is plenty of time to mature. The tortoises seem to think so too!!!
Ask all of your questions. Let's bring these new able in to the world.
ok Tom, I think you’ll be proud! I did all my research and I’ve constructed a what seems to be the perfect incubator. The Texas heat is just insane and I’m worried leaving them outside.No. 8 years is plenty of time to mature. The tortoises seem to think so too!!!
Ask all of your questions. Let's bring these new able in to the world.
I’m still testing the internal temp and humidity for another 24 hrs then I’ll bring them in.
What the heck am I going to do with these babies if we have a successful clutch???
Notice how I say “we”?? You’ve now signed up for this journey
HA! That's funny. Yes. Yes I did. I will enjoy being allowed to help and participate.Notice how I say “we”?? You’ve now signed up for this journey
You know how much you enjoy caring for and marveling at your tortoises every day? Do you remember the daily joy you had when they were little babies just growing up and eating and exploring the world you created for them? Think about those smiles. Those warm feeling you had inside. The excitement of waiting for them to arrive. The thrill and sense of accomplishment you felt when you realized they were thriving and growing and all your efforts were paying off. The relief and satisfaction you felt whenever they took a bite of the food you prepared and put out for them. Remember all that?
So what the heck are you going to do with these babies? You are going to give those feelings, those wonderful tortoise keeping feelings, to other people. You are going to be smiling ear to ear as you hand them off, or as the people you sold them to are reporting back to you and telling you how wonderful they are and thanking you for bringing that happiness into the world and sharing it with them. That's what you are going to do. And you will do it knowing that none were taken from the wild to bring about all this joy and happiness. Ask me how I know all this... Go ahead. Ask me.
OK I’ll bite…. Do tell! And call it a guess, but you did this exact same thing didn’t you?HA! That's funny. Yes. Yes I did. I will enjoy being allowed to help and participate.
You know how much you enjoy caring for and marveling at your tortoises every day? Do you remember the daily joy you had when they were little babies just growing up and eating and exploring the world you created for them? Think about those smiles. Those warm feeling you had inside. The excitement of waiting for them to arrive. The thrill and sense of accomplishment you felt when you realized they were thriving and growing and all your efforts were paying off. The relief and satisfaction you felt whenever they took a bite of the food you prepared and put out for them. Remember all that?
So what the heck are you going to do with these babies? You are going to give those feelings, those wonderful tortoise keeping feelings, to other people. You are going to be smiling ear to ear as you hand them off, or as the people you sold them to are reporting back to you and telling you how wonderful they are and thanking you for bringing that happiness into the world and sharing it with them. That's what you are going to do. And you will do it knowing that none were taken from the wild to bring about all this joy and happiness. Ask me how I know all this... Go ahead. Ask me.
Good guess! You are very perceptive.OK I’ll bite…. Do tell! And call it a guess, but you did this exact same thing didn’t you?
Congratulation on the newly laid eggs! hopefully they will hatch safely.
If I remember correctly Tom used to advise on leaving eggs in the ground for a while before taking them. I am nost sure for how long though.
In this case, how long did you leave them in the ground before taking them to the incubator?
If I remember correctly Tom used to advise on leaving eggs in the ground for a while before taking them. I am nost sure for how long though.
In this case, how long did you leave them in the ground before taking them to the incubator?
You "can" leave them in the ground, but since Testudo eggs don't diapause, I'm not sure there is any "benefit" to leaving them. It definitely won't hurt the legs to stay in the ground for a few days or a couple of weeks until the incubator is all set up and stable at the correct temperature. Not unless ants get them, or something like a raccoon digs them up. I had raccoons try to find eggs at my place, but they couldn't seem to locate the nests. There were foot prints all over, and a few spots where they did some very shallow digging, but they never once dug up a nest.
They are still in the ground now.
Hi there! Tomorrow is 2 weeks since they hatched and the incubator is now at the perfect temp and humidity so they will be going in today
