Harmful to eggs?

[Carol S]

My Russian tortoise enclosure has a rose bush, grape vine and Crepe Myrtle tree in it. I deep water these plants approximately once a week. If my females lay eggs in these areas will the deep watering make the ground too wet and keep the eggs from hatching? I keep an eye on my tortoises to hopefully catch them in the act of laying, but I have only managed this summer to catch one out of the five that are old enough to lay eggs.

Thank you for any information.

Carol

 

[Tom]

I really don't think anyone can answer this. It just depends on so many factors. Drainage, temperature, above ground humidity and evaporation, soil composition, how much sun that spot gets, etc... It might work, but I would not want to risk it if I could help it.

 

[CactusVinnie]

In most of Horsfieldi habitat it doesn't rain during the incubation interval. Usually, in summer it doesn't rain AT ALL!! I am affraid that their eggs are even more hygroscopic than other species...
If no tortoise laid yet, why don't you try to build/buy an incubator? You maybe have no idea from what kind of trash one can make an EFFICIENT incubator...
Where are you located?

 

[kanalomele]

Can't answer this truly but I say incubate the ones you find, and don't worry about the rest. However if you have 5 that are adult and potentially fertile, then you must be trying to breed them. I suggest connecting an inexpensive motion sensitive camera and OY will have better success in finding nests that are dug when you are not around