2nd hatchling having trouble

[kimber_lee_314]

Another one of my hatchlings isn't doing well. His yolk sac just isn't absorbing. I had no problems with my first clutch, so I don't know what is going on with this clutch. I have him in the incubator still on a moist paper towel. I soak him for a little each day to make sure he's staying hydrated.
Is there anything else I can do for this baby? What could be causing this?

 

[Tim/Robin]

What species? I am wondering why they are hatching with such big yolk sacs. Do they completely break out of the shell on their own after pipping? If so, how long after pipping do they completely break out? I don't know what you could do differently for this little one. What is the humidity in the incubator? What are you using to measure the humidity?

 

[kimber_lee_314]

What species? I am wondering why they are hatching with such big yolk sacs. Do they completely break out of the shell on their own after pipping? If so, how long after pipping do they completely break out? I don't know what you could do differently for this little one. What is the humidity in the incubator? What are you using to measure the humidity?

They are leos. This one took several days to come out and he came out on his own. Honestly, I'm not measuring the humidity with anything, but I can feel the humidity when I open it. The first clutch was fine. They had even bigger yolk sacs that significantly decreased within a day or two. The first hatchling of this clutch was fine too. It's just the last one and this one.

 

[Baoh]

What is the temperature in the incubator?

 

[Tim/Robin]

My first thought is too high of humidity. But, since you have hatched others with no problems, I am stumped too. I have read that too high of humidity can lead to them pipping early with large yolk sacs.

 

[Yvonne G]

Danny (Egyptiandan) used to tell me to dab antibiotic ointment on the yolk sac instead of moist paper towels. He said they get too much moisture from the towel. My leopards this year have hatched with large yolk sacs too, but I leave them sitting in the lower half of the shell (that's how I find them and if I leave them alone, they stay there) until its absorbed...usually a day or two.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

What is the temperature in the incubator?

85-86

 

[Baoh]

What is the temperature in the incubator?

85-86

Hmmm. I was going to suggest bumping up the temperature if it was closer to 80, but 85-86 ought to be adequate. You could try increasing it by a couple of degrees if you feel like it will not make it anyway. This may or may not help, but if nothing is currently working, you will not know unless you try.

I incubate with much higher humidity than most tortoise folks and I can count the number of problem hatchlings I have produced on less than two hands (out of hundreds over the years).

 

[Katherine]

I have had many hatchlings hatch with large yolk sacs. I too place them on a damp paper towel, hold them around 88 degrees and offer them well rinsed greens and their egg shells to eat until the whole yolk absorbs. Naturally the larger the yolk sac, the long it takes to absorb...When you look at the yolk sac is in normal in color? Is the one having trouble alone, or with other hatchlings? Is the yolk sac bloody/does it appear ruptured? Small tears in the yolk sac can be dabbed with Vaseline to prevent 'leaking' or bleeding out. I am sorry you are having trouble, it's always hard to see a hatchling struggle.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

I have had many hatchlings hatch with large yolk sacs. I too place them on a damp paper towel, hold them around 88 degrees and offer them well rinsed greens and their egg shells to eat until the whole yolk absorbs. Naturally the larger the yolk sac, the long it takes to absorb...When you look at the yolk sac is in normal in color? Is the one having trouble alone, or with other hatchlings? Is the yolk sac bloody/does it appear ruptured? Small tears in the yolk sac can be dabbed with Vaseline to prevent 'leaking' or bleeding out. I am sorry you are having trouble, it's always hard to see a hatchling struggle.

The color is normal. The first hatchling of this clutch was fine. The second one died and now this one. It's not ruptured in any way, just not decreasing in size. He stayed in his shell for several days before he came out on his own. I was expecting it to be gone, but it's still big and not absorbing at the rate of my previous hatchlings. I put a little antibiotic ointment on the yolk sac just for good measure and I will offer some greens for him tonight. I guess that's all I can do!

 

[Katherine]

Just a thought..I hate to recommend not soaking a tortoise (especially on this forum- I will probably get beat up ) but I usually do not like to soak my babies until their yolk is absorbed. Because it is wrapped in a permeable membrane it concerns me that the ion gradient would not work out in the favor of the hatchling. Also since he is taking his sweet time absorbing the yolk sac I would try keep his environment as sterile as possible, to limit the chance for opportunistic bacteria to use that big ball of nutrients as a portal of entry. Goodluck, I have my fingers crossed for you and that baby.

 

[Baoh]

Just a thought..I hate to recommend not soaking a tortoise (especially on this forum- I will probably get beat up ) but I usually do not like to soak my babies until their yolk is absorbed. Because it is wrapped in a permeable membrane it concerns me that the ion gradient would not work out in the favor of the hatchling. Also since he is taking his sweet time absorbing the yolk sac I would try keep his environment as sterile as possible, to limit the chance for opportunistic bacteria to use that big ball of nutrients as a portal of entry. Goodluck, I have my fingers crossed for you and that baby.

The membrane would be semi-permeable.

 

[Katherine]

The membrane would be semi-permeable.

Correct, poor terminology on my part sorry.

 

[Baoh]

The membrane would be semi-permeable.

Correct, poor terminology on my part sorry.

Not to worry. Just something to consider for the situation's potential. The presence of aquaporins in the cells making up the membrane should limit issues due to what would otherwise occur with an uncontrolled ionic gradient.

Due to this, I am not sure there is a real risk of a hyperosmotic effect, but most things can be overdone, so avoiding overdoing it would still seem prudent to me. Perhaps an ointment like Terramycin might be of some help. The antibiotics could potentially retard bacterial ingress if that is a concern and the petrolatum, being hydrophobic, could mitigate concerns of water loss to the environment if used as a veneer over the membrane. Of course, it is not so great to have to apply tetracycline and polymixin to an animal in an especially fragile state (again, another thing that could be overdone), but doing nothing does not tend to work out in problem cases, either.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Sounds to me that you are doing things good. Sometimes some just do not make it for whatever reason. We do not soak ours until they have gained complete freedom form the egg by there own efforts. It usually only takes just a couple of days.

 

[egyptian and proud "mayar"]

poor baby , i wish it will get better soon
and wish my tortoise lay some eggs i want baby tortoises

 

[kimber_lee_314]

He seems to be doing better - I think the yolk sac is finally shrinking.

 

[MikeCow1]

That's wonderful news.

 

[egyptian and proud "mayar"]

congrats

 

[kimber_lee_314]

It has definitely absorbed now. I will probably be taking him out tomorrow to live with his friends. Thank you everyone!