Hatching a tort without the egg shell-Science nerds check it out.

allegraf

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I just saw this, an experiment in Japan on hatching a chicken without the egg! Very interesting experiment. I'm not sure if I would do this with a tort egg though. May have to practice with a chicken egg first.
 

Linhdan Nguyen

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That is very interesting.. Hmm.
I wonder what the downside of hatching without the egg is. I know it was mentioned before that baby tortoises that pip through the egg show strength and those that need a little help are weaker and may not survive long in the wild. Is it safe to assume the same about chicks?
Or how important is hatching with an egg shell?
 

Markw84

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Not only the struggle to strengthen Linhdan mentions, but I also was always under the impression that the tortoise absorbs some calcium from the shell as it develops???? It does however, underscore the importance of air exchange, temperature, and humidity.
 

Linhdan Nguyen

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If a tortoise were to hatch without the egg shell, would its shape change? I feel like tortoises fit and fill their shells just perfectly
 

Anyfoot

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If this worked with a Tortoise, how would you know when it's ready to (normally) pip?
I'm thinking chickens have a pretty accurate incubating period, so hatch time can be predicted.
 

BrianWI

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Did I miss it? Don't chicken eggs have to be periodically turned?
Early on yes, to keep the embryo from sticking to the shell. As they age, they really don't need to be turned.

I saw this before, I do wonder what the hatch rate is.

There are chicks that don't hatch from their eggs but it ranges in the reasons why, from crossbeaks to lethal genes (such as creeper Cp). Thats why you generally don't help as it can be heart-breaking.
 

jskahn

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That is what I thought, but in the video, they were not turned. Maybe because they are turned so that they don't stick to the shell, and the embryo don't stick to the plastic.
 

Anyfoot

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Early on yes, to keep the embryo from sticking to the shell. As they age, they really don't need to be turned.

I saw this before, I do wonder what the hatch rate is.

There are chicks that don't hatch from their eggs but it ranges in the reasons why, from crossbeaks to lethal genes (such as creeper Cp). Thats why you generally don't help as it can be heart-breaking.
Why does a chick embryo stick but not a Tortoise embryo?
 

jskahn

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Good question, I don't know.
Tortoises and turtles do attach to their shells, That is why you can't turn eggs from the position that they are laid in. The first day or so is okay. Once they have attached, turning them can kill the embryo.
 

BrianWI

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There ya go. For one it kills, the other it kills if ya don't. Nature is never boring.
 

Anyfoot

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Do tortoises rely on the egg shell to help the carapace form, if they attach to the egg shell, does this serve as a temperory bridge to allow the carapace shape to form. Is this why some hatchlings come out looking a bit lop sided and some look perfectly round, because one egg could be laid correct and flat and another egg could be on its edge so to speak.
If eggs were purposely laid on there edge instantly after being laid would it encourage higher domed torts.
Or is the above nonsense and they just grow until they fill the egg?
Interesting.
 

Anyfoot

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@allegraf
I broke an egg whilst retrieving them yesterday. I've only covered the hole so air and humidity exchange should be as normal.
I can try for nothing. :D
IMG_20160914_202448.jpg
 

Kapidolo Farms

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May not even ever have been fertile, we shall see. I shall take photos as we go. Adds a spark to the already interesting incubation procedure.

You have overwhelming curiosity about chelonian eggs. I wish you had been head of my graduate committee while I was in school. I might still have not graduated though. LOL. I look forward to the updates as they come in.
 
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