help with hatching Horsfieldii eggs

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Nimuel

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Greetings! I'm a happy owner of new incubator and three russian tortoise eggs laid a week ago. Eggs have been in DIY incubator in temps about 28 celcius. They are in plastic container above layer of sand. There is also container with water in the box. I'm about to move eggs to new incubator just sent for me from UK. (I live in Finland)

I know temperatures should be a bit higher, I set the incubator to 32 celcius. Also put termometer, humunity meter and container with water in. Huminity is about 80% now.

Question:
Is it ok to use sand in egg container and do I need to moist it?
 

tortadise

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If you can get your hands on some vermiculite that would be best. But since russians and many of the testudo species incubate rather quickly sand should be ok. It would be better to not move the eggs around too much. But in the future I would go with vermiculite. Are the eggs just placed on top of the sand or buried a little in it?
 

Nimuel

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Thanks, Kelly! Eggs are not burried. There has been some discussion in Finnish forum about sand and it is prefered amongst breeders in Finland, but I wanted another opinions too.. I was wondering if burrieng eggs in sand could dry them too much?
 

jwhite

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Nimuel,
This is how i incubate my russian eggs. I moisten the vermiculite with water at a 1:1 ratio by weight. So for instance 1/2 pound of vermiculite use 1/2 pound of water. I then make a little divot in the vermiculite for the egg to sit in and that is it. I keep the eggs in the position as i found them. I keep the incubator temp. at around 87F. I keep a glass of water in the incubator also and refill as it empties. As a general rule i don't moisten the vermiculite anymore while the eggs are in it, but if i do notice that it seems really dry I might add a little bit.
Good Luck with the eggs I hope all goes well.

Jon
 

Nimuel

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Thank you very much, Jon! I have an unpleasant feeling these our eggs were in too high temperature for few hours last day they were in my DIY-incubator. Time will tell.
 

jwhite

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You can never tell I had eggs I thought for sure were duds and they ended up hatching and I have also had eggs I thought were fertile and nothing so I agree keep them in the incubator and see what happens
 
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