Box turtle egg not moving

[brandilfly22]

I have a box turtle egg in incubator. Humidity 80 and temperature 82-86. I spray warm water twice a day to moisten the egg. It’s day 59. Last week I candled the egg and saw movement! This week I candled and I can’t see movement anymore. I’m fearful the embryo has passed. I still see veins and a shadow at the top, yoke at bottom. Should I wait 100 days or is no movement a given sign that it has passed? This is my first time. Be kind please.

 

[MichaelL]

I would stop moistening it and just leave it be. I just had five hatch a couple days ago at days 60 and 61. I kept candling them like you did and would get worried about no movement sometimes but you really just have to leave them be and they'll be fine. I'm sure yours will hatch within the next few days or a week or two.

On a side note, I realized that I should stop moistening them around days 30-40 of incubation. I continuously moistened my first two a few times a week (the substrate and moss, not the actual eggs) and they both split and got maggots at day 49ish (they were fertile and unfortunately the small turtles died because of the split and maggots).

For my five I just hatched, I stopped moistening around day 30 and they turned out great. Just my experience. Post pics if it hatches!

 

[brandilfly22]

Ok got it! I will leave it alone. Thank you so much for sharing and replying. i was definitely worried.

 

[brandilfly22]

I’ve been leaving it alone and not spraying with water. But now I notice a dent in the egg. Is it normal before they are hatching to get a small dent?

 

[brandilfly22]

I’ve been leaving it alone and not spraying with water. But now I notice a dent in the egg. Is it normal before they are hatching to get a small dent?

I’m going to stay on course and not spray/candle but I am going to peak in incubator.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Maybe @Tom can help

 

[brandilfly22]

Maybe @Tom can help

Thank you.

 

[brandilfly22]

Here’s a photo. Two days ago no dent today this. The humidity dropped to 70 since I haven’t been spraying. It’s so hard to know too dry or too wet. This is my first time so like I said be easy on me.

 

[Markw84]

Its hard to tell by your picture how you are incubating. The egg(s) should be in a small, closed container with a few small holes in the side, inside the incubator. A substrate of vermiculite and peat moss is best, kept moist. that will keep the egg inside the container at 100% humidity without having too much water. I always place a sensor inside the container with the eggs to monitor temperature and humidity exactly. I only add water or spray the substrate if I see the humidity reading drop below 100%. I normally will only do that once during the entire incubation. When they start to hatch I will add a bit more water to ensure easy egg exit.

Here's some Burmese Star eggs just laid and how I set up for the incubator to give you an idea. I have the container cover off for the picture.