I’m incubating two box turtle eggs that were washed away from their clutches in 2 different heavy storms. The rest of the clutches could not be found. The first is on day 62 and has been showing great signs of development and movement. The second was found about 4 days ago. I believe it was laid about 4 days prior to that, based on the calcification ring around the middle. Egg 2 now has tiny veins forming. They are being incubated in a styrofoam container that has been holding steady at 85* and 88% humidity. Tonight I checked on them and the temp was 99 and humidity was 99. What are the odds that I just cooked both of them? Photos attached show #2’s vein development as of today and the last photo is #1 about 4 days ago where there was a great amount of movement. There is no movement today.
Heater malfunction temp too high
- Thread starter TonyaB
- Start date
RandyTortoise
Well-Known Member
Hard to tell. In the wild there are super hot days, that is nature. They cold be fine. Pull down the temp and check for continued development in a week.
At TTPG one year they gave a turtle egg incubation presentation and they had been checking some of the wild nests. Temps were recorded as high as 139 in one nest, and the eggs hatched normally. Don't remember the species, and do consider that there was also a night time cool down each night, which you did not have.
Prior to learning that, I would have told you that 99 would have surely cooked the eggs. Armed with that new knowledge though, I'd let it ride and see if they might have survived it.
Thank you. I candled both again today. I’m just not hopeful. I still see red veins in both, but very little growth from the second one and zero movement from the first. It’s the first one that hurts the most because I saw his little legs kicking quite a few times and now… nothing. It’s heartbreaking.
