Excitement!

[JerryBerry]

Hey everyone I'd had an adult female egyptian tortoise for five years, and I found her a husband last year. I've been spotting them mate several times these last few days and I'm prearing myself for eggs.

My question is: how long before I expect to find eggs?

Thanks
Jerry

 

[Yvonne G]

@Will @HermanniChris

 

[HermanniChris]

It totally depends. In can happen in as little as 6 weeks after mating or it could take several years before seeing results.

 

[JerryBerry]

Thanks for your replies What affects this period's length? The temperature? The diet? Maybe genetics? Or the fact that the male has possibly never mated and might fail to fertilise the female? This is my first time attempting to breed kleinmanni, I don't know if rules for other tortoises follow through her as well

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Egg production in the wild is influenced by seasonal food availability. Wild females can and do lay infertile eggs because they cycled based on seasons and food abundance. Captive females that all gets more random based on the diet you offer, and how their hormone cycles are affected by your husbandry routine. Specifics for Egyptians I am not so knowledgeable on.

In many species the shortest cycle from mating to laying fertile eggs is about 3.5 to 4 weeks. But it can be a much longer period if the female has mated but her own cycle and nutritional status will not support laying eggs.

 

[JerryBerry]

Ahh I understand We try to keep their supply of leafy greens as constant as possible of course. Suppose all I can do now is wait and have an incubator on standby... What are the best threads on this forum that I can re-read about egg laying and incubation?

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Ahh I understand We try to keep their supply of leafy greens as constant as possible of course. Suppose all I can do now is wait and have an incubator on standby... What are the best threads on this forum that I can re-read about egg laying and incubation?

I think look back in this sub-forum for past posts on Egyptian tortoises, or more broadly testudo. There is also a sub-forum just on this topic.

 

[JerryBerry]

So i found this in their enclosure today... is it a bad egg?

 

[KevinGG]

Any luck?

 

[JerryBerry]

The egg I posted about is in an incubator at 31 celsius and 60-70% humidity. It measures 45mm long and 23mm wide, which is large from what I've been reading. I've tried to candle it but I can't see very clearly inside the egg. It certainly doesn't look as clear and featureless as it did on day 1 however. If it's not a slug, it should be due around christmas time. I check around for any new eggs every day. This one was laid on the 17th of September, and weighs 11g.

 

[Salspi]

Good luck!

 

[JerryBerry]

This is what things look like so far. Day 50. I read development is very slow early on, so I'm hoping to see more growth in the coming weeks.

 

[JerryBerry]

Hey guys, quick update... I think I've messed up big time
I was checking on the egg today, and I found out that the egg hasn't been incubating at 31 degrees, but at 25 degrees.
The reptile incubator had the temperature probe at the top of the incubator, and there were no fans in there to make sure the temperature was even. So the probe was constantly being under 31 degrees, but the egg was at 25 degrees since the 17th of September. It's my fault I should've known the temperature probe was in an awkward place.

I feel gutted. I hope the embryo didn't die. I've been candling the egg with an LED every week, and I do see shadows in the egg getting bigger, but I fear the worst. I put a small USB fan in there to keep the air circulated and make sure the probe detects the REAL temperature of the incubator.
Any input is appreciated.

 

[Markw84]

@JerryBerry there is still a chance that the cool period did not kill the embryo. Most species of reptiles (and birds) are capable of "cold torpor" which is a suspension of development that embryos use to survive brief periods during times temperatures are too low to support developmental requirements. With tortoises, this can be an extended period of cool-down. 25°C is not necessarily cold enough to totally stop development, but will slow it until warmer temperatures return.

Not sure what type of incubator you are using, but a 6°C (11°F) difference in temperature from top to bottom would be almost impossible to maintain with any reasonable insulated incubator. And if that is possible, the temperature swings would be very large with room temperature swings. I can't believe the temperatures would have been that low for long or consistently.

The issues of infertility with first time layers, escessive handling/candling, and just simple fertility rates would be of bigger concern in my opinion!

 

[JerryBerry]

Thank you for your reply. The incubator has a coil that’s directly beneath the plastic lid. It heats the top air and maybe the bottom by radiant heat.

If candling is disruptive I will not do it anymore.

The fan hopefully won’t affect the egg. The temperature is now even. I saw the difference in temperature with an infrared thermometer. The egg was 25-26 degrees. Fingers crossed.

 

[TiffanyVL]

This is what things look like so far. Day 50. I read development is very slow early on, so I'm hoping to see more growth in the coming weeks.

Don't blame yourself about the temp, because the egg looks like it was rotten to begin with - My hatch rate at best is only 50%
Ive had a couple of egy's hatch in my enclosure without a lot of heat

Ive seen a lot of rotten eggs recently from my group :/
probably because I haven't been cooling them down at night. Them seem to produce better eggs with cool nights