Hermann's Tortoise Pregnancy

[Danny]

Hi everyone can a Hermann's tortoise get pregnant without hibernating and at what age are they able to produce young? PLEASE ANSWER.

 

[GBtortoises]

Yes, Hermann's tortoises and other species that hibernate can develop eggs without hibernating. Even if they have never been bred by a male. Obviously, a female that has neverbeen successfully bred cannot produce fertile eggs, but they can still produce eggs. What triggers them to produce is usually specific environmental changes such as increases in temperature, humidity, light duration and to some degree an increase in food availability. Not necessarily hibernation. Many people find that they're tortoises produce eggs more consistently and successfully after true hibernation. As with anything in mother nature there are exceptions!
Egg production probably depends more upon the size of the tortoise than the age. It is variable with Hermann's tortoises for several reasons including the subspecies that you're referring to, the overall adult size of the genetic population that the tortoise is from (which is often difficult to know in captive animals) and how quickly that tortoise has grown to a specific size in captivity. Typical with normal, smooth growth an Eastern Hermann's for example wouldn't reach sexual maturity for possibly as long as 7-10 years. Most that I have raised began producing fertile eggs at 7 years old, around approximately 5" SCL. I've heard of people that have had fertile eggs from tortoises that were only three years old but because the tortoises were fed to grow fast (not recommended) they were producing eggs at 3 years old! In captivity it varies greatly based almost solely on how the tortoise is raised.

 

[Kristina]

Just so you know, the term for tortoises, turtles, and other egg laying creatures is "gravid," not pregnant.

Kristina

 

[Danny]

Yes, Hermann's tortoises and other species that hibernate can develop eggs without hibernating. Even if they have never been bred by a male. Obviously, a female that has neverbeen successfully bred cannot produce fertile eggs, but they can still produce eggs. What triggers them to produce is usually specific environmental changes such as increases in temperature, humidity, light duration and to some degree an increase in food availability. Not necessarily hibernation. Many people find that they're tortoises produce eggs more consistently and successfully after true hibernation. As with anything in mother nature there are exceptions!
Egg production probably depends more upon the size of the tortoise than the age. It is variable with Hermann's tortoises for several reasons including the subspecies that you're referring to, the overall adult size of the genetic population that the tortoise is from (which is often difficult to know in captive animals) and how quickly that tortoise has grown to a specific size in captivity. Typical with normal, smooth growth an Eastern Hermann's for example wouldn't reach sexual maturity for possibly as long as 7-10 years. Most that I have raised began producing fertile eggs at 7 years old, around approximately 5" SCL. I've heard of people that have had fertile eggs from tortoises that were only three years old but because the tortoises were fed to grow fast (not recommended) they were producing eggs at 3 years old! In captivity it varies greatly based almost solely on how the tortoise is raised.

Thanks for all that info it was very helpful

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Just so you know, the term for tortoises, turtles, and other egg laying creatures is "gravid," not pregnant.

Kristina

Cool thanks for the heads up