Incubator???

[Rachaelrachierach]

Hi there. My tortoise has been laying and breaking her eggs but I've read that this could be her practice run so I purchased an incubator because the price was too good too turn down. It is for chicken eggs etc but read on here that they will be fine. So I have the incubator but abosolutely no idea as to what to do or how to get the most from it or temps or water etc. Please help! Thanks

 

[Tom]

We'll need to know what species you have to give you the right incubation info. Where you are might help too.

For that matter where and how are your adults being housed? How many eggs or clutches have been laid on the surface?

I am not familiar with that brand of incubator, but I wouldn't use it for tortoises for two reasons. 1. Tortoises lay their eggs underground, so its dark. That unit uses a lightbulb for heat. 2. Incandescent bulbs are unreliable and burn out frequently and without warning. For the purposes of incubating tortoise eggs, I would want something more reliable.

Most people use the Hovabator or Little Giant. They only cost about $50 and millions of eggs from a wide variety of reptiles have been successfully incubated in them.

 

[Rachaelrachierach]

I have Hermann's and I'm in the UK X

 

[Tom]

Do your adults live outside? Is there a suitable and deep substrate area for laying?

 

[Rachaelrachierach]

Yeah everything is spot on outside. They are out most days but in every night.
It's just when thr eggs come in lost n insure what to do x

 

[Tom]

How many clutches has she laid on the surface? How long has this been going on?

 

[Rachaelrachierach]

She's laid 3 eggs over 3 days a few weeks ago. X

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Something to watch out for is that reptile eggs must not be turned, but birds eggs must turn.

 

[Rachaelrachierach]

Yeah this is manual turning so that's great so I can just leave them. What temp? How long for? Do I put water in the base? X

 

[Rachaelrachierach]

What's the recommended temp for an incubator? Thanks

 

[THBfriend]

Yeah this is manual turning so that's great so I can just leave them. What temp? How long for? Do I put water in the base? X

Yes, you do put water in the base, to keep up humidity inside the incubator. Temperature is the most important factor. It should be around 31.5°C - that's the threshold temperature for Eastern Hermann's tortoises which yields about 50% male and 50% female hatchlings. Lower temperatures lead to more males, higher to more females. At 30.0°C you'll get almost only males and at 33.0°C almost only females. Higher temperatures have a higher mortality and higher risk of shell anomalies.
Incubation period is usually 55-60 days, if you keep temperature constant throughout the day. Some people reduce temperature during night, to simulate more natural conditions, though that doesn't appear to be neccessary (I've never tried it). Anyway, lower temperatures lead to longer incubation periods.

Here is a very interesting paper on the topic. It's well worth reading.