Please help my star tortoise is not able to lay eggs!

Kinjal Thacker

New Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2017
Messages
16
Location (City and/or State)
Bhuj
I have a star tortoise named darling. She dug holes two times in last month. First time was around 25 days ago and second time was day before yesterday. She dug hole at the same spot. But she didn't lay any eggs. I also tried to provide her artificial environment but she didn't liked the enclosure. I m worried she might get egg bound. There are no specialist vets near me, and the x-ray machine of the veterinary hospital is broke. What should I do? Do I induce her eggs by oxytocin injection? Please help!!
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,268
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I have a star tortoise named darling. She dug holes two times in last month. First time was around 25 days ago and second time was day before yesterday. She dug hole at the same spot. But she didn't lay any eggs. I also tried to provide her artificial environment but she didn't liked the enclosure. I m worried she might get egg bound. There are no specialist vets near me, and the x-ray machine of the veterinary hospital is broke. What should I do? Do I induce her eggs by oxytocin injection? Please help!!

It is normal for them to dig several "test holes" before laying. I recently had a first time mom star tortoise dig 8 test holes over 4 months before finally dropping 7 eggs for me.

I would make sure she has access to several suitable laying sites in an area with plenty of plants, and I would soak her daily or every other day to keep her well hydrated and keep things moving. I would not induce just yet, and oxytocin isn't the best thing to induce egg laying in tortoises anyway.

@zovick is a man with A LOT of experience in this realm. Let's see if we can get him to chime in.
 

Kinjal Thacker

New Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2017
Messages
16
Location (City and/or State)
Bhuj
Thank you so much! I was so worried about her... Yes it would be good idea to have experienced advice. But though your advice meant a lot... I was worried sick..
It is normal for them to dig several "test holes" before laying. I recently had a first time mom star tortoise dig 8 test holes over 4 months before finally dropping 7 eggs for me.

I would make sure she has access to several suitable laying sites in an area with plenty of plants, and I would soak her daily or every other day to keep her well hydrated and keep things moving. I would not induce just yet, and oxytocin isn't the best thing to induce egg laying in tortoises anyway.

@zovick is a man with A LOT of experience in this realm. Let's see if we can get him to chime in.
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,388
It is normal for them to dig several "test holes" before laying. I recently had a first time mom star tortoise dig 8 test holes over 4 months before finally dropping 7 eggs for me.

I would make sure she has access to several suitable laying sites in an area with plenty of plants, and I would soak her daily or every other day to keep her well hydrated and keep things moving. I would not induce just yet, and oxytocin isn't the best thing to induce egg laying in tortoises anyway.

@zovick is a man with A LOT of experience in this realm. Let's see if we can get him to chime in.

If there is some medication better than oxytocin for inducing egg laying in tortoises, I am not aware of it. I know that is what the Bronx Zoo vets always used when I worked with them for over 30 years.

Tom, you stated there is a better means of getting the job done. What medication are you saying is the best for inducing egg laying in tortoises?
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,388
I have a star tortoise named darling. She dug holes two times in last month. First time was around 25 days ago and second time was day before yesterday. She dug hole at the same spot. But she didn't lay any eggs. I also tried to provide her artificial environment but she didn't liked the enclosure. I m worried she might get egg bound. There are no specialist vets near me, and the x-ray machine of the veterinary hospital is broke. What should I do? Do I induce her eggs by oxytocin injection? Please help!!

It would always be best to know for a fact that your tortoise actually has eggs in her before trying to induce her to lay eggs. There was another owner on here a couple of weeks ago whose tortoise dug 8 or so nests before he finally had her X-rayed. Lo and behold, she had no eggs in her when the radiograph was taken. Either he missed the one time she actually laid eggs or she dug all those nests and never had any eggs in her in the first place.

The same could be the case for your tortoise. If you are unable to get a X-ray picture and you are terribly worried, you could still use oxytocin. It is virtually impossible to overdose a tortoise with it and it really does the tortoise no harm if there aren't any eggs to be laid. Is there any time frame given for when the X-ray machine at the vet clinic might be fixed?

Can you get your hands on the oxytocin and a syringe/needle with which to administer it?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,268
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
If there is some medication better than oxytocin for inducing egg laying in tortoises, I am not aware of it. I know that is what the Bronx Zoo vets always used when I worked with them for over 30 years.

Tom, you stated there is a better means of getting the job done. What medication are you saying is the best for inducing egg laying in tortoises?
Just saw a presentation on this last week at TTPG. It was a turtle breeding presentation, and I can't remember the name of the other drug. He said that oxtytocin in combination with this other drug worked better, or just this other drug by itself worked better and there was no need for the oxytocin.

@Markw84 Do you recall the name of the other drug? It was in the presentation on eggs laid in water where he advocated for peat moss as incubation media. I didn't write it down since I don't seem to have any need for it.
 

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,042
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
Just saw a presentation on this last week at TTPG. It was a turtle breeding presentation, and I can't remember the name of the other drug. He said that oxtytocin in combination with this other drug worked better, or just this other drug by itself worked better and there was no need for the oxytocin.

@Markw84 Do you recall the name of the other drug? It was in the presentation on eggs laid in water where he advocated for peat moss as incubation media. I didn't write it down since I don't seem to have any need for it.

Yes, Dave did a lot of research for turtle farmers and the best way to harvest eggs. He started using oxytocin with Lutalyse with good results, but found just using the Lutalyse alone did the job. They now simply inject with Lutalyse and within 20 minutes = eggs.
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,388
Yes, Dave did a lot of research for turtle farmers and the best way to harvest eggs. He started using oxytocin with Lutalyse with good results, but found just using the Lutalyse alone did the job. They now simply inject with Lutalyse and within 20 minutes = eggs.

OK, then. It seems that is a short cut to yielding the same result. Oxytocin stimulates the natural production of lutalyse by the animal to which it is given.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,268
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
OK, then. It seems that is a short cut to yielding the same result. Oxytocin stimulates the natural production of lutalyse by the animal to which it is given.

I thought these were two different drugs. He explained that oxytocin was not something naturally produced by Chelonians. I got the impression that the other "drug" was simply better. I was not aware of how the two fit together and related to each other.

Thank you for the education. Again! So glad that you are here and take the time to share your knowledge with us.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Kinjal Thacker

New Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2017
Messages
16
Location (City and/or State)
Bhuj
It would always be best to know for a fact that your tortoise actually has eggs in her before trying to induce her to lay eggs. There was another owner on here a couple of weeks ago whose tortoise dug 8 or so nests before he finally had her X-rayed. Lo and behold, she had no eggs in her when the radiograph was taken. Either he missed the one time she actually laid eggs or she dug all those nests and never had any eggs in her in the first place.

The same could be the case for your tortoise. If you are unable to get a X-ray picture and you are terribly worried, you could still use oxytocin. It is virtually impossible to overdose a tortoise with it and it really does the tortoise no harm if there aren't any eggs to be laid. Is there any time frame given for when the X-ray machine at the vet clinic might be fixed?

Can you get your hands on the oxytocin and a syringe/needle with which to administer it?
The vet there said he won't use oxytocin unless it's not confirmed she's gravid or not.
And the main problem is the clinic works as charity. So they said it can take upto months to fix x-ray machine.
 

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,042
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
The vet there said he won't use oxytocin unless it's not confirmed she's gravid or not.
And the main problem is the clinic works as charity. So they said it can take upto months to fix x-ray machine.
You can often palpitate and feel if there are eggs present if the female is not too small. I hold the tortoise with her head up and carapace towards me. I place a finger in the opening right in front of the hind legs, checking each side. With my finger pressing up and feeling around I will gently rock the tortoise clockwise, then counterclockwise. I can usually feel the eggs if they are there to confirm if she is gravid. You could give this a try and perhaps get confirmation without and x-ray being available.
 

Kinjal Thacker

New Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2017
Messages
16
Location (City and/or State)
Bhuj
I did that but I am not able to sense anything...
You can often palpitate and feel if there are eggs present if the female is not too small. I hold the tortoise with her head up and carapace towards me. I place a finger in the opening right in front of the hind legs, checking each side. With my finger pressing up and feeling around I will gently rock the tortoise clockwise, then counterclockwise. I can usually feel the eggs if they are there to confirm if she is gravid. You could give this a try and perhaps get confirmation without and x-ray being available.[/QUOT
 

Kinjal Thacker

New Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2017
Messages
16
Location (City and/or State)
Bhuj
Hey guys,
Thanks a lot for help I think I over panicked my darling finally laid eggs two days back!
And that was the best sight. But now I want to know if I should take them out from soil and incubate artificially or not because the soil of my garden have became very hard! Need help
 

New Posts

Top