You read that correctly. 108%. How is that possible, you might ask? Well I will tell you...
Last year, most of my Burmese star clutches had a 100% hatch rate. I hatched a total of 84 of them from 9 clutches out of five females, and only 4 eggs didn't hatch. 2 from one clutch didn't hatch, one from another clutch, and one from a third clutch. The other 6 clutches were 100%.
That trend continues this year. 33 eggs from 3 clutches and 32 hatched about a month ago. Now I have three more clutches hatching. First clutch of 10 all hatched. The second clutch had 12 eggs from a first time mom. This is female is my sixth and she came from the Behler Center. I got her a year later than my others and she had a dry start and is fairly bumpy because of it, but has now finally come online. So of her 12 eggs, all hatched into 13 babies. Yep. 13 babies from 12 eggs. Siamese twins... Or would this be Burmese twins? Joined at the yolk sac. These two babies both came from the same normal looking egg. One is slightly smaller than normal, but the other one is the same size as the rest of their clutch mates. I don't know how they both fit in there...
Experience has taught me that when there is any kind of problem with the yolk sac, the baby doesn't survive. This yolk sac does not look good, so I'm not expecting either to live. I'm hoping for the best, and I've tied it off in the middle with some dental floss, but my expectations are low.
So I have 23 babies form 22 eggs. The third clutch just began pipping last night but so far I see 9 heads poking out of 11 eggs:
I don't know what I'm doings so well with these guys, but it seems to agree with them. I've tried to create an optimal environment for them with good temperatures year round, good foods, and good hydration, but I do that with all of my tortoises, and always have. I can't account for this unusually high rate of fertility and positive egg development. I think about it constantly, trying to learn from such success and apply it elsewhere to other species in need, but I really don't know what is making such a difference. I suppose the whole combination of factors is working in their/my favor.
Anybody want a bunch of unrelated Burmese star babies? I've got you covered if you do...
Last year, most of my Burmese star clutches had a 100% hatch rate. I hatched a total of 84 of them from 9 clutches out of five females, and only 4 eggs didn't hatch. 2 from one clutch didn't hatch, one from another clutch, and one from a third clutch. The other 6 clutches were 100%.
That trend continues this year. 33 eggs from 3 clutches and 32 hatched about a month ago. Now I have three more clutches hatching. First clutch of 10 all hatched. The second clutch had 12 eggs from a first time mom. This is female is my sixth and she came from the Behler Center. I got her a year later than my others and she had a dry start and is fairly bumpy because of it, but has now finally come online. So of her 12 eggs, all hatched into 13 babies. Yep. 13 babies from 12 eggs. Siamese twins... Or would this be Burmese twins? Joined at the yolk sac. These two babies both came from the same normal looking egg. One is slightly smaller than normal, but the other one is the same size as the rest of their clutch mates. I don't know how they both fit in there...
Experience has taught me that when there is any kind of problem with the yolk sac, the baby doesn't survive. This yolk sac does not look good, so I'm not expecting either to live. I'm hoping for the best, and I've tied it off in the middle with some dental floss, but my expectations are low.
So I have 23 babies form 22 eggs. The third clutch just began pipping last night but so far I see 9 heads poking out of 11 eggs:
I don't know what I'm doings so well with these guys, but it seems to agree with them. I've tried to create an optimal environment for them with good temperatures year round, good foods, and good hydration, but I do that with all of my tortoises, and always have. I can't account for this unusually high rate of fertility and positive egg development. I think about it constantly, trying to learn from such success and apply it elsewhere to other species in need, but I really don't know what is making such a difference. I suppose the whole combination of factors is working in their/my favor.
Anybody want a bunch of unrelated Burmese star babies? I've got you covered if you do...
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