She laid 2 eggs ;)

[joe1597]

My Russian tortoise laid 2 eggs. I've got them in the incubator now at 28.5 degrees C. How long should they take to hatch if they are fertile?
Thanks.

 

[joe1597]

I've read online that lower temps can reduce hatch rates, so should I move them to the warmer spot of the incubator, around 32 degrees

 

[Yvonne G]

I've hatched them in about 3 months at around 85F degrees.

 

[bouaboua]

Congrats and Good luck.

 

[joe1597]

Thanks, the temp is now 30.2 C or 86.36 F so should I be expecting them in just under 3 months then

 

[biochemnerd808]

Here's a good link to some pics of a developing egg. http://www.russiantortoise.net/egg_development.htm

The first indicator that they are developing is that they 'chalk over' - meaning they become less translucent. Folks recommend not handling the eggs at all, just letting them be. That way the embryo doesn't get knocked around, possibly hurting it or killing it. You can very carefully candle the egg without touching it with an LED pen light. Nothing much to see until about 4 or so weeks, at which point little red veins become visible in a fertile egg.