Second Successful hatching of Chersina Angulata - Sterantino CAWG

[Sterant]

Hi all,
I am very happy to announce that I have hatched a second Chersina angulata in the US and have 4 fertile, developing eggs that should hatch over the next 4 months. My incubation strategy was largely the same as the first one.
The egg was placed in a closed Tupperware container buried in the same dirt the female nested in. I kept the humidity in the container at 100% for the full term of incubation. I set the container on a high shelf in my tortoise room so it was exposed to the same daily temperature swing as the room and the adult tortoises. 87F during the day and drops to 70F at night.
At 90 days of incubation, I brush the dirt off the top of the egg and I did sand the top of the egg just a bit with some 150 grit paper. I mist the egg every couple days with water to keep the humidity up.
First egg hatched at 135 days, this one hatched at 124. I am using this same method for the other four developing eggs and they all seem to be doing well. I will let you know when they hatch.




Dan

 

[turtlesteve]

Dan, this is fantastic! Congratulations! So as I understand it, you did not diapause these eggs? And from talking to others I am hearing that maybe they do need a diapause sometimes?

I assume the CAWG has plans for these little guys but I definitely want to be on the waiting list...

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Congrats man! At first i thought i read u hatched Christina Aguilera..haha

 

[Sterant]

Dan, this is fantastic! Congratulations! So as I understand it, you did not diapause these eggs? And from talking to others I am hearing that maybe they do need a diapause sometimes?

I assume the CAWG has plans for these little guys but I definitely want to be on the waiting list...

Steve - Thanks for the kind words. I don't do an initial diapause, no. It seems that the 17 degree night drops are enough. I have studied this species in great detail (and still don't know much ;-) and there is no clear method to the natural development of eggs that would dictate any particular diapause timeframe. In my experience, the night drop is a contributor to incubation success. The night drops, RH and the high/low temperatures I use are chosen based off temperature/RH readings taken in-situ in South Africa, in an area with natural nests - where we buried temperature and humidity sensors next to an actual nest site. @CarolM was the field agent doing all of the sensor work in South Africa.
I will keep you on my list of those interested in babies when available!

 

[Sterant]

Congrats man! At first i thought i read u hatched Christina Aguilera..haha

That would be more interesting !

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Id buy one

 

[Sterant]

Id buy one

I might get two!

 

[turtlesteve]

Steve - Thanks for the kind words. I don't do an initial diapause, no. It seems that the 17 degree night drops are enough. I have studied this species in great detail (and still don't know much ;-) and there is no clear method to the natural development of eggs that would dictate any particular diapause timeframe. In my experience, the night drop is a contributor to incubation success. The night drops, RH and the high/low temperatures I use are chosen based off temperature/RH readings taken in-situ in South Africa, in an area with natural nests - where we buried temperature and humidity sensors next to an actual nest site. @CarolM was the field agent doing all of the sensor work in South Africa.
I will keep you on my list of those interested in babies when available!

Very interesting..... My first thought is that they overlap in range with PP leopard tortoises, which are difficult to incubate but supposedly do need a diapause. So much we still don’t understand...

 

[turtlesteve]

That would be more interesting !

My wife definitely wouldn’t let me get one of those, nor could I afford one.

 

[Sterant]

Very interesting..... My first thought is that they overlap in range with PP leopard tortoises, which are difficult to incubate but supposedly do need a diapause. So much we still don’t understand...

I was having that same conversation with @Tom yesterday. Agreed we have a lot to learn / discover!

 

[Markw84]

Great news, Dan. Congratulations! I had been wondering about the status of these eggs. Sounds like they are all doing well.

 

[Tom]

High Five Dan!!!

You set out to do it, and you are doing it. Amazing work.

Id buy one

But would it be the original version from years ago, or the current version? Does she come with a mute button for when politics come up?

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

High Five Dan!!!

You set out to do it, and you are doing it. Amazing work.



But would it be the original version from years ago, or the current version? Does she come with a mute button for when politics come up?

Mute button= duct tape

 

[Suzyszoo]

Congrats!! Absolutely wonderful news!!???

 

[CarolM]

High Five Dan!!!

You set out to do it, and you are doing it. Amazing work.



But would it be the original version from years ago, or the current version? Does she come with a mute button for when politics come up?

On behalf of all women I take offense to the mute button.

 

[CarolM]

Mute button= duct tape

Now you have gone and done it.

 

[CarolM]

That is really great news Dan. Well done. I am really happy for you. I know how much hard work you have done and am glad it is all coming together.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Good to see good news, thanks for sharing.

 

[zovick]

Hi all,
I am very happy to announce that I have hatched a second Chersina angulata in the US and have 4 fertile, developing eggs that should hatch over the next 4 months. My incubation strategy was largely the same as the first one.
The egg was placed in a closed Tupperware container buried in the same dirt the female nested in. I kept the humidity in the container at 100% for the full term of incubation. I set the container on a high shelf in my tortoise room so it was exposed to the same daily temperature swing as the room and the adult tortoises. 87F during the day and drops to 70F at night.
At 90 days of incubation, I brush the dirt off the top of the egg and I did sand the top of the egg just a bit with some 150 grit paper. I mist the egg every couple days with water to keep the humidity up.
First egg hatched at 135 days, this one hatched at 124. I am using this same method for the other four developing eggs and they all seem to be doing well. I will let you know when they hatch.

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Dan

Excellent work, Dan. Congratulations on a difficult job well done.

Bill

 

[Tom]

On behalf of all women I take offense to the mute button.

I wouldn't do that to a real woman. Just a Christina A. look-a-like that someone hatched from an egg, and I bought.