First clutch of eggs!

[Redstrike]

First clutch ever! I suspect Rafiki laid the remainder of her eggs, found these 6 in their hide today. This is roughly 3 weeks after she or one of my other three laid a single egg.



No mature males in my group, I think they're all female bit mandarin is still too small to tell.

 

[wellington]

Congrats. Are you going to try and incubate anyway?

 

[allegraf]

Still very cool! How big is she now? She is only 5-6 years old! Did not realize they could lay eggs so young. Maybe it isn't an age thing but rather a size issue. Curiouser and curiouser.

 

[Redstrike]

Still very cool! How big is she now? She is only 5-6 years old! Did not realize they could lay eggs so young. Maybe it isn't an age thing but rather a size issue. Curiouser and curiouser.

I just measured Rafiki and she's 8" SCL. She is the largest in the group and the only one I've seen digging...so I'm deducing that these eggs and the single egg three weeks ago are hers. How large are/were yours when they started up? I'm elated and I can't wait to start on a breeding project in the coming years. I just need some time to get my ducks in a row.

@wellington
I'm not going to incubate because I don't have the capacity or an incubator. I'm a "do it right the first time" kind of person... yep, Type-A perfectionist here. Funniest thing is, I always find ways to improve things so it's never "right the first time". Also, the eggs were laid on the surface and appear to be a little hyper-calcified and I'm 90% sure I don't have a mature male in the group. Rolling the dice!

 

[Redstrike]

Here they are opened:

 

[dumje]

I had raised a group of Colombians and they started laying small infertile clutches right as they passed the 8" mark. They are approaching 10 inches and now are laying larger clutches and Im having a higher fertility rate in that group. Size is a huge factor in egg laying. Some will grow faster than others and some will grow slower.

You keep saying you do not have a mature male in the group...but do you have a male? It may be mature and you just don't think it is. At the very least I would put those eggs in a container and give it a shot. I have hatched without an incubator just by placing them in a container and put them in my garage.

good luck!!!

 

[dumje]

nevermind about that now...lol

 

[Redstrike]

I had raised a group of Colombians and they started laying small infertile clutches right as they passed the 8" mark. They are approaching 10 inches and now are laying larger clutches and Im having a higher fertility rate in that group. Size is a huge factor in egg laying. Some will grow faster than others and some will grow slower.

You keep saying you do not have a mature male in the group...but do you have a male? It may be mature and you just don't think it is. At the very least I would put those eggs in a container and give it a shot. I have hatched without an incubator just by placing them in a container and put them in my garage.

good luck!!!

Three are female one is still too small to tell.

 

[wellington]

Still very cool! How big is she now? She is only 5-6 years old! Did not realize they could lay eggs so young. Maybe it isn't an age thing but rather a size issue. Curiouser and curiouser.

I have no idea if age or size. I do know that Tom has always said its more about size then age. My leopard was only five, which was last year and had like 4 clutches. She pretty good sized. Just something for you to chew on

 

[cdmay]

What did they taste like?

 

[Redstrike]

What did they taste like?

Haha, I was wondering if anyone would work me over about cracked tortoise eggs on a plate!
Didn't try 'em...maybe next time? Nah, I think I'm good!

 

[Redstrike]

Found a couple eggs while cleaning the enclosure today. Rafiki was digging 2-3 weeks ago. These are probably old and I may have missed the others but still pretty neat.



More yoke than albumen...

 

[Anyfoot]

Found a couple eggs while cleaning the enclosure today. Rafiki was digging 2-3 weeks ago. These are probably old and I may have missed the others but still pretty neat.
View attachment 202436View attachment 202437
View attachment 202438

More yoke than albumen...

Do you still think you have all females?

 

[Redstrike]

Do you still think you have all females?

Yes, I'm fairly sure they are all ladies.

 

[CharlieM]

What did they taste like?

Ewwwww!

 

[allegraf]

My neighbor that raises chickens asked the same question...as if! Although yours are obviously not fertile, so if you catch them laying...I might be tempted...but I'm Asian and I've eaten haggis.

 

[Redstrike]

My neighbor that raises chickens asked the same question...as if! Although yours are obviously not fertile, so if you catch them laying...I might be tempted...but I'm Asian and I've eaten haggis.

I just don't think I could bring myself to do it after seeing them wolf down their own poop...