i found empty egg?

[ColleenT]

So i was out adding extra dirt to the pen and i found these two eggs. one is dead and sunken in. the other is empty, but appears to have opened naturally? So i searched the pen again, top to bottom, and i found no babies. But they may be under the dirt. IDK what to think. No other animals can get into the pen except insects. What are your thoughts?

 

[wellington]

I think I would keep checking.

 

[Len B]

I think it hatched and the baby will come back up when it warms up enough. Good Luck.

 

[Rover15]

Im following this wheres waldo tortoise fourm edition

 

[Sesel]

To me it does not appear that any baby came out of the egg. No signs of pipping/cracks, unless it's on the other side. Is it possible to get a picture (from another angle) of the egg that's not sunken in?

For the egg to be sunken in, it must be quite old. Definitely older than 6 months, could also be a few years old.

Sorry, I don't have any experience with American Box Turtles though.

 

[Rover15]

To me it does not appear that any baby came out of the egg. No signs of pipping/cracks, unless it's on the other side. Is it possible to get a picture (from another angle) of the egg that's not sunken in?

For the egg to be sunken in, it must be quite old. Definitely older than 6 months, could also be a few years old.

Sorry, I don't have any experience with American Box Turtles though.

I dont have any experience with any reptiles hatching but it looks like a clean split os this something that happens? I always imagined it to look like a cracked egg

 

[Eric Phillips]

So i was out adding extra dirt to the pen and i found these two eggs. one is dead and sunken in. the other is empty, but appears to have opened naturally? So i searched the pen again, top to bottom, and i found no babies. But they may be under the dirt. IDK what to think. No other animals can get into the pen except insects. What are your thoughts?

Here is a view of 3 different hatchlings emerging from the egg. This might help you determine if the one egg had a little booger in it or not. I’m not going to give an opinion on it...but i will say if your seeing some eggs now don’t be surprised if some will be fertile in the future. I’d say watch your females behavior patterns this year.

 

[ColleenT]

Ok that does look different. Mine is just split in the center most of the way around. I have looked and looked and i cannot find any babies. I will keep looking, but i am guessing it was not a live baby.

 

[Maro2Bear]

..... but fingers crossed!

 

[Markw84]

It could be a hatchling emerged from that egg. Here's a picture of a clutch of spotted turtles hatching. They make pretty clean slits in the egg many times.

And, @Sesel - perhaps you have not worked with aquatic turtle eggs. Most of them lay soft eggs, like thin leather, not the hard shells like tortoises. When they hatch, they use the caruncle (egg tooth) to simply slit it cleanly open. Sometimes one slice that splits, sometime several little slices.

 

[Sesel]

Cool, thanks for the info.

 

[ColleenT]

Thanks Mark, that gives me some hope. I still have not seen a baby, but will keep looking.

 

[Rover15]

Thanks Mark, that gives me some hope. I still have not seen a baby, but will keep looking.

Mark mentioned aquatic turtles, colleen, you have box turtles correct? Or what do you believe laid these eggs?

 

[ColleenT]

Mark mentioned aquatic turtles, colleen, you have box turtles correct? Or what do you believe laid these eggs?

They are box turtles which are not tortoises. I would not say they are totally aquatic, but they do swim and enjoy water.

 

[Rover15]

They are box turtles which are not tortoises. I would not say they are totally aquatic, but they do swim and enjoy water.

I know, I just wasnt sure if box turtles eggs are more simular to aquatic turtles or tortoises.

Ive fostered a large RES turtle for a few months as the owner was worried it would die as it was acting strange and wouldnt eat. Turns out she just wanted to lay eggs so i set her up with a nesting area and put her outside in my pond and as it goes she found a different spot to lay her eggs, and was clam and ate after she had laid. She was never with a male so they where i fertile eggs.

 

[Rover15]

Sorry point is ive seen aquatic turtle eggs but not box turtle or tortoise eggs lol

 

[Becca267]

I love the chap stick for scale. Maybe once the weather warms up a bit more the mystery will be solved. I would be a nervous wreak every time I have to step into their enclosure.

So i was out adding extra dirt to the pen and i found these two eggs. one is dead and sunken in. the other is empty, but appears to have opened naturally? So i searched the pen again, top to bottom, and i found no babies. But they may be under the dirt. IDK what to think. No other animals can get into the pen except insects. What are your thoughts?

 

[ColleenT]

I love the chap stick for scale. Maybe once the weather warms up a bit more the mystery will be solved. I would be a nervous wreak every time I have to step into their enclosure.

My enclosure has stepping stones, so that helps a lot. I try to stay on them. And if i do step into the dirt, I can usually see where i am going.

 

[Markw84]

@ColleenT I have had turtles hatch in my pond area Where I found 2 hatchlings and located the nest I had missed with two more empty eggshells (C. guttata). I could not find those others until 6 and 9 months later! With the box turtles being even more terrestrial, that hatchling could remain totally hidded for a year or more!

 

[Yvonne G]

So i was out adding extra dirt to the pen and i found these two eggs. one is dead and sunken in. the other is empty, but appears to have opened naturally? So i searched the pen again, top to bottom, and i found no babies. But they may be under the dirt. IDK what to think. No other animals can get into the pen except insects. What are your thoughts?

Nope. No turtles from those eggs. When a baby hatches the shell still looks white and brittle, just like a chicken egg that you crack.