8 week old fertile russian tortoise egg help

[Dondy929]

Hi everyone! I female russian tortoise laid a fertile egg 8 weeks ago. I am nervous that it has died in the egg but am too inexperienced to really know. Do the pics I posted look normal to anyone? The veins disappeared and pinkish liquid remains at the bottom.

 

[biochemnerd808]

Looking at the date you posted your question, it seems like it might be too late... but I thought I'd put in my 2c anyway.

I would avoid touching or handling the egg in any way. Once I place it in the vermiculite incubation medium, I do not touch it, bump it etc. - and candling happens 1x at 4 weeks to see the veins, and 1x at 6 weeks to confirm there has been progress. But I don't touch the flashlight to the egg at all.

The way the egg looks now, I think probably the embryo died. Could have been shaken loose by the egg being moved, could have just naturally not progressed. No way to tell the reason. But at 8 weeks, the egg should be full of a baby tortoise (black shadow) except for the bubble at the very top. My eggs hatch between day 59 and 72.

What temps did you incubate at? What was your incubation medium? air humidity? did you add humidity to the medium?
I use bone-dry vermiculite. I put the egg in so it is nestled in there to about 50%. I place multiple wide-rimmed jars of water in the incubator (they have to be refilled a few times). The air is humid enough that water runs down the glass door. Incubation temp is 89-90 degrees F. I have 2 tiny computer fans in there to help circulate the air.