Question About YF Nesting Practices

[Yvonne G]

I've seen pictures of your RF tortoises digging holes and laying eggs. Is it supposed to be different with YF tortoises? I have two females, one is quite old and wild caught, the other is young, having only starting laying eggs about 4 years ago.

I never see either female digging a nest. On the other hand, I find all my YF eggs in slight depressions on top of the ground and never covered. This means that sometimes they sit in the sun all day because I don't see them until evening chores. This means eggs no good.

My younger female was acting a little strange, and I thought she might be "broody," so I've been keeping an eye on their yard more often than usual. This a.m. I found this inside their "porch" off the shed:



Maybe I'm not providing the correct type of substrate for them? It's just the soil and detritus natural to their yard.

I have 7 clutches of YF eggs in incubators. Some of them have been cooking for over a year, so I know they're no good. Some of them have chalked and are looking good. And today's clutch looks good.

Why don't they dig nests?

 

[Anyfoot]

I've seen pictures of your RF tortoises digging holes and laying eggs. Is it supposed to be different with YF tortoises? I have two females, one is quite old and wild caught, the other is young, having only starting laying eggs about 4 years ago.

I never see either female digging a nest. On the other hand, I find all my YF eggs in slight depressions on top of the ground and never covered. This means that sometimes they sit in the sun all day because I don't see them until evening chores. This means eggs no good.

My younger female was acting a little strange, and I thought she might be "broody," so I've been keeping an eye on their yard more often than usual. This a.m. I found this inside their "porch" off the shed:

View attachment 186316

Maybe I'm not providing the correct type of substrate for them? It's just the soil and detritus natural to their yard.

I have 7 clutches of YF eggs in incubators. Some of them have been cooking for over a year, so I know they're no good. Some of them have chalked and are looking good. And today's clutch looks good.

Why don't they dig nests?

Just read up for you. They do dig nests sometimes. But more often than not they lay in depressions and leaf litter, and sometimes in the open.

 

[Anyfoot]

Just took a photo of the book, hope it's clear enough to read.

 

[Yvonne G]

Thank you. I thought I was doing something wrong. Sounds like my girls are right on track.

 

[Anyfoot]

Looks like yours want to lay on the surface but near an object.
Could you create a few depressions in the ground, let's say 4. Only need to be a few inches deep,. Then put leaves in 2 of them and see what happens.
I'm guessing from what we just learnt that in the rainforest the floor more often than not is too dense in roots, so they can't dig, but will have an abundance of leaf litter. Also because there close to the surface I would imagine they are always in the shade otherwise they would be cooked. This also tallies up with what ive read of lower incubation temperatures.(the shade).
Hoping someone else chips in here. It's very interesting.

 

[Yvonne G]

Yeah, I can add some leaf litter. Good suggestion.