My box turtle hatchling passed away, help me take steps towards the other hatchlings!

[StarSapphire22]

Yeah it is sad, but part of nature. Over 75% of that clutch hatched though. Which is phenomenal for wild nests. Was tagged from a very old female. A survivor.

Awesome!

 

[TurtleTab]

Yes, I see the image! Thank you! It is sad. Judging by the picture, I would say Lux looked like term 2. Does egg development go by temperature and environment conditions and not days after laid? Because 56 days old with an average hatch day of 70 days should be more developed than term 2 unless something intervenes in development such as temperature and environment...which of course makes sense. I glanced at the eggs last night but I will add a good amount of dirt back on them for insulation purposes tonight. Please tell me what to do when/if the other eggs "pip". There are ants in the enclosure and I don't want the babies to be snacked on while they are trying to hatch. I know they can stay in their egg shell for quite some time, it seems like long enough for ants to attack it. I really don't want to touch them at all. I want to let nature be in control, but if I can keep ants away and protect them somehow without moving them, I would like to do that. Steps? I can't add water and definitely nothing to keep ants away of course....I can't touch the eggs....what do other people do? I have horrible amounts of ants in my yard and I don't spray anything with anything so bugs like to "take over".

 

[tortadise]

Temperature and moisture related. Once around 2nd-3rd term they develop quite rapidly. Each one of those is a mere 10 days apart. But it also depends on species too. Once they pip I'd take them inside because ants will certainly get to them.

 

[TurtleTab]

Thank you for all the info. You have been a great help to me! What is the best bulb to use when I bring the eggs inside once they pip? I know I can't really keep the babies outside knowing how small they are and was thinking of setting up a temporary enclosure indoors. In the past with lizards, I used the only reptile bulb available at walmart but not sure if that's good enough for hatchlings. We have a reptile store not too far from me....maybe I will talk to them and go from there. I know they sell mealworms and crickets so I'll be purchasing those anyways. I plan on using a big plastic container with compost, dead grass and leaves from my yard (no pesticides). I love creating hides and burrows so that's not a problem. Of course a shallow water dish. But bulb set up....not familiar with. I know to keep one side warm, one side cool. I don't know the distance to keep bulb from dirt, either. Don't want to burn the babies after I already almost drowned them in the eggs....

 

[tortadise]

Little boxies don't really like a lot of light.mid go with a tube bulb. Like a 2.0 or Something that emits lower uv. They're completely carnivorous when babies. Seems they will only eat small portions of fruits. But worms,crickets, and blackberries are the best to start them out on. With deep loose substrate that is relatively moist so they can burrow. Heavily planted too, with some hostas, ferns, monkey grasses, or even Pothos would work.

 

[TurtleTab]

thank you! I think I will create the enclosure this weekend. If so I will post pictures. My local park has this area dedicated to compost/mulch...I don't know what it is but I've been using it for my turtles for years and the minute I put any down, they run to it and start digging in it. It's very black, smells manur'ish, very loose to dig in but also very thick and holds moisture. It's not wood chips. I would assume it's a mixture of rotting leaves and whatever other composted material they add to it. That's ok for baby boxies right? There's always an abundant supply and it's free to residents so I load up many containers at a time.

 

[tortadise]

thank you! I think I will create the enclosure this weekend. If so I will post pictures. My local park has this area dedicated to compost/mulch...I don't know what it is but I've been using it for my turtles for years and the minute I put any down, they run to it and start digging in it. It's very black, smells manur'ish, very loose to dig in but also very thick and holds moisture. It's not wood chips. I would assume it's a mixture of rotting leaves and whatever other composted material they add to it. That's ok for baby boxies right? There's always an abundant supply and it's free to residents so I load up many containers at a time.

That's a perfect medley for boxies. However I would be weary. Most cities have organic drop offs like this. It's basically where grass clippings, mulched trees, and soils can be taken. You never know if someone had put any harsh chemicals on a dying tree that got mulched, or raked leaves that was mixed with a dirty oil, or gas spilled soil backyard. Peat moss would be the best. It's like 10 bucks for a big cube of it from lowes or Home Depot.

 

[TurtleTab]

I will get peat moss for the babies! I am also creating my own compost area in a corner in my yard. My son dug this huge annoying hole in the ground to use dirt for a "ramp" so now I have this crazy 3 foot deep hole back there so I filled it with vines and leaf debri around my yard and it's breaking down great! And I did check it for my lost turtles...no luck. But I plan on using my own compost eventually.

 

[tortadise]

Fantastic. Boxies are great climbers. I've lost a few here too. But they turned over and were in the country so they released themselves and I didn't have to do it for them have

 

[TurtleTab]

These are the two eggs left in nest. I checked on them just now because we had another bad rain storm. I did have them covered up with 3 or 4 inches of soil when it rained but as u can see, the nest is very very damp/saturated. I am letting them dry a little, not sure if that's ok but again I do things in a panic. As you can see, one egg is bigger and brownish. It almost looks like it's painted with dirt but now I'm afraid it may be molded? It is really fat compared to the white slender egg. I did try to smell them but all I smell is wet dirt. I glided my finger over both and they feel about the same, not hard like chicken egg, but thin shelled and...not squishy but you know the feeling. As for shell feeling, they feel normal and ok. Color I'm concerned. On aug 25 the eggs will be 70 days. Do you think I should dig around nest site and remove the whole nest without touching eggs or disturbing them? I can just remove entire site area and replace in container with the same dirt texans give them natural light? I'm worried about more rain. It's suppose to rain all weekend. Our weather is always unpredictable.

 

[TurtleTab]

Not texans ( spellchecker did that) but it should hv said "etc. and".

 

[TurtleTab]

Ugh and not natural light but artificial light.

 

[tortadise]

Wow those are saturated. I'd get some dry soil and place them in a tub and leave on your shelf in the garage somewhere. If they have been that wet the whole time, Its probably a small chance of hatching.

 

[TurtleTab]

Thank you. You've been a great help!

 

[TurtleTab]

So I've taken eggs out of nest and placed in a 5 gallon aquarium for now. I'm not fond of aquariums but this should be ok for temporary use. I bought sphagnum peat moss from reptile store and placed in aquarium. I was very very careful at removing each egg and placing in exact way I found it. When removing dark egg, I was surprised to find that the bottom is bright white still. It appears to be stained with dirt on the top. This egg feels heavier and "with live turtle". I didn't hold long but I almost want to say I felt it move inside, not a slush around movement but a little wiggle of some sort, odd feeling but exciting feeling if that's possible to feel it. Other egg I can tell is "with turtle" too just not as big inside nor as heavy nor any movement. I covered them under peat moss. I placed a reptile heating pad, the smallest kind, under the cage near the eggs to warm new nest site since they are indoors. Not going to decorate their environment further until I know their fate. I did put a fake log with small openings on all sides in tank for a hide but that's it. I hope this is a drier home for them. I also decided to name them Allister Thor, and Raiden Dahlu...Allister after his father Allen. The Thor and Raiden names come from "thunder" since the thunderstorms here tried to drown them. I hope they pull through. I haven't lost hope yet.

 

[Moozillion]

Great job!!! I've got fingers crossed for you!

 

[TurtleTab]

Update on my eggs: the darkest egg looks like it collapsed. Two big dents on each side as if someone squeezed it to death other 1 looks healthy if not a little bit bigger. I'm prepared for neither surviving. Eggs are stressful. This may be first and last clutch for me being responsible for...If other eggs are laid, I don't want to know about them. They will be 70 days old aug 25, not that it means they'll hatch, just keeping track of their age.

 

[TurtleTab]

Update on the eggs: the darkest 1 collapsed entirely. Down to last egg. It is bigger, but darker. Most likely it's not going to hatch but giving it plenty of time. Aug 25 it was 70 days old so...it is now 74 days old.

 

[Moozillion]

Whether any hatch it not, I admire your efforts!!!

 

[Kim444]

any news?