Hingeback eggs with an upsetting end!

[tortadise]

Recently i aquired more belliana spekii, some true adult gorgeous specimens. But before getting the addition 2.2 the first 1.1 I got the female was acting very weird, as I was working in the afican tort building changing water bowls. She was rearing up and digging her head in the mulch, repeadetly doing this, so I go to get a tub set up for eggs coming. Well I come back 20 seconds later from the incubation house, and she laid an egg and split it open right after it came out. I was devistated to see this with my eyes. I just knew I could try to get the egg incubated and hatched especially retirieving it immediately. Well I was disapointed in the outcome. But she is still very very heavy about .7 pounds heavier than the other females and males. Fingers crossed she lays more and my methods will be of success, as they have not been in the past.

I was going to try if more eggs were laid. 1/2 vermiculite 1/4 sand, and 1/4 sphagnum moss in sealed tubs as I use for all eggs with holes drilled in top and sides. incubate at 78.4 for 3 weeks and increase to 81-82.7 range the remainder. Any thoughts on this method? I would love others imput, not a common species to hatch out.

thanks,
Kelly

 

[wellington]

I can't help you on your egg incubating. However, I am sorry for the one you
lost I can also send you some good luck thoughts on getting more eggs and succeeding in hatch out beautiful babies.

 

[tortadise]

Thanks, I was very excited to have actually witnessed her laying it and then it turned very sour, but it happens. Just sucks still.

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

That really sucks. Hope she has some more for ya.

 

[tortadise]

Yes it does. She is in quarentine so I didnt make sure to have proper nesting sites. As well as these guys natural breeding season is the wet season in mozambique usually they are done laying no later then may, so I never thought I would get eggs from anyone of them. But i put some coco coir and sand mixed up in one of the corners about 12" thick, and shes definitly checking it out. Im hoping for more eggs, they usually lay 4-6 eggs so fingers crossed.

 

[tortadise]

Well another egg, and it was as same as the first broken. But she did sig a nest this time, shes still pacing so really hoping theres more to come with no broken or torn eggs. They are so soft like sea turtle eggs when I was in Costa Rica. very interesting.

 

[turtlelady80]

My sulcata laid eggs that were split right in half. I crouched down and watched them come out (all 8 of them) and it was because her anul scutes werent wide enough and they were sharp at the ends. The anul scutes were literally cutting right through the eggs splitting them in half as they were coming out. It was horrible.

 

[tortadise]

Oh man that just sucks. I had some broken eggs this season from my female sulcata. But I usually catch them as she drops them, this time I had missed her 2nd clutch and had to dig them up. 7 of them had cracks in them from landing on each other as she dropped them. Just think in the wild though the percentage of eggs hatching I would imagine due to cases like this is very high. Its a captivity problem for us when we get upset when only 6-7 out 32 are cracked. Im sure a lot more are broken in the wild. But still upsetting when it happens. Hopefully next ear she will lay some untorn ones for yah.