Red Foot with multiple clutches of infertile eggs - Help

[Robski]

Greetings All

My Red Footed Tortoise Darwin is 14 years old and started laying multiple clutches of 3-4 infertile eggs last year. Lat year she laid 4 clutches and she is on her 3rd this year with about 1.5-2 months between. She is 13 inches long and the eggs are the size of chicken eggs.

I feel bad for her because she barely eats and gets really needy and restless. She went to the vet and got x-rayed a couple times to confirm and I had her induced once last December.

When she is egging I put her in her Laying box and she digs and lays them, but it takes several tries over many days. I know it is natural but I hate seeing my buddy uncomfortable.

Sometimes she leaves behind what looks like clear egg white that I though was pee (photo below).

I have been reading about multiple clutches and am wondering if there are any species specific tips as far as substrates and diet that can help her out?

Any help would be appreciated.

Best Regards
Rob

 

[Reptile Wise]

My Red Footed Tortoise Darwin is 14 years old and started laying multiple clutches of 3-4 infertile eggs last year. Lat year she laid 4 clutches and she is on her 3rd this year with about 1.5-2 months between. She is 13 inches long and the eggs are the size of chicken eggs.

I feel bad for her because she barely eats and gets really needy and restless. She went to the vet and got x-rayed a couple times to confirm and I had her induced once last December.

When she is egging I put her in her Laying box and she digs and lays them, but it takes several tries over many days. I know it is natural but I hate seeing my buddy uncomfortable.

Sometimes she leaves behind what looks like clear egg white that I though was pee (photo below).

I have been reading about multiple clutches and am wondering if there are any species specific tips as far as substrates and diet that can help her out?

Any help would be appreciated.

Hey Robski, I see you haven't gotten a response to this yet, and I can sense the concern in your words...don't worry, you're not alone. Your Red Footed Tortoise, Darwin, is indeed a champ for laying those clutch of eggs, and you, my friend, should be proud of her. But let's get the facts straight.

It's not unusual for a female tortoise to lay infertile eggs..it's nature's way. What's crucial here is how you can help her go through the process more comfortably. In terms of substrates, go for something that's moist and easy to dig into – coconut fiber or sphagnum moss are popular choices. Make sure the substrate is damp, not wet, as too much moisture can cause the eggs to spoil.

Now, about diet, calcium is a key player. It's the stuff eggs are made of, after all. Crushed cuttlebone or calcium supplements can do wonders. But remember, moderation is key. It's about maintaining the right balance. Too much calcium can be just as harmful as too little.

As for the 'clear egg white' stuff, it's likely albumen - a part of the egg formation process. It's normal, but if you're still concerned, a vet visit never hurts.

In the end, remember, you're doing great. It's tough seeing our shelled buddies in discomfort, but remember, you're offering Darwin a safe and loving environment to go through her natural processes. That certainly makes you a top-notch tortoise parent in my book.

Keep at it, and keep us posted.

Stay strong and shell on,

 

[Robski]

Thank You!!!

I really appreciate the information. She is now past the egg episode and eating like a pig again.

Highest Regards
Rob

 

[zovick]

Greetings All

My Red Footed Tortoise Darwin is 14 years old and started laying multiple clutches of 3-4 infertile eggs last year. Lat year she laid 4 clutches and she is on her 3rd this year with about 1.5-2 months between. She is 13 inches long and the eggs are the size of chicken eggs.

I feel bad for her because she barely eats and gets really needy and restless. She went to the vet and got x-rayed a couple times to confirm and I had her induced once last December.

When she is egging I put her in her Laying box and she digs and lays them, but it takes several tries over many days. I know it is natural but I hate seeing my buddy uncomfortable.

Sometimes she leaves behind what looks like clear egg white that I though was pee (photo below).

I have been reading about multiple clutches and am wondering if there are any species specific tips as far as substrates and diet that can help her out?

Any help would be appreciated.

Best Regards
Rob

The first picture shows an entire egg which was laid without a shell. The clear part is the jelly-like albumin (as Reptile Wise observed), and the yolk is the (obvious) yellow portion. For some reason, this egg did not get a shell formed around it and was laid without it.

This sometimes happens when the tortoises are induced to lay, but you didn't mention that as being the case this time. Another possible reason is malfunctioning of the shelling mechanism inside the animal for some reason. One possibility is inadequate calcium intake in the diet.

I have had a couple of female Radiated Tortoises lay entire clutches (5-7 eggs) which had no shells for no reason which I could determine. This occurred after several seasons of normal egg laying. Later in their lives, these same females laid totally normal clutches of fertile eggs again.

Do you feel that your female is getting enough calcium in her diet? Do her other eggs have normally thick shells or do they seem obviously thin? It might not hurt to increase her calcium supplementation to see if it would help the situation.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I've kept Redfoot for decades. But I try very hard not to breed them.
The few times I've gotten eggs and incubated them. I only had about a 30% hatch rate. The other 70% never showed any development and eventually rotted and cracked.
I had better luck just leaving the eggs alone. In the ground outside. I've had 6 surprise babies this way.
The laying females never really acted odd. Except then they were actually laying. But they DID ramp up the calcium intake. Eating entire cuttlebones that usually go untouched