My tortoise layed eggs. Help

[michelerad]

My Russian Tortoise layed two eggs. This was totally unexpected. One of them looks cracked and I can see a yolk like substance. Is this egg "no good". Should I take it out of the cage. I don't know what to do to help the other egg. Any advice? Thanks

 

[wellington]

Yes, take both eggs out of the enclosure. Do not turn them, make sure the top uf the egg stays the top. The cracked one throw away, too deeply cracked. Set up an incubator with vermiculite, heat, humidity and now because I'm new at incubating eggs myself, the rest will have to come from someone else. @Tom should be able to help
If this is the first time laying, the egg may not be fertile. However, if your tort was not purchased from a breeder and it is wild caught like the pet stores sell, and is more available, it could be fertile as they can carry sperm for a few years.
Good luck.

 

[Jodie]

Here is a thread, on page 2, that has great info for you.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-we-breed-tortoises-here-at-the-az-tortoise-compound.87521/

 

[Tom]

Here are three ladies that have successfully incubated many russian eggs. Better you get tips for this species directly from them:

@kanalomele
@Carol S
@biochemnerd808


Here is a thread I did on raising babies in general. One big difference is that many people incubate russian eggs on dry media. Wetting the media as described in this thread might swell and crack your remaining egg. All the other info for starting babies and what not still applies.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-incubate-eggs-and-start-hatchlings.124266/

 

[michelerad]

Thank you to all of you!