Soft eggs

[Ray--Opo]

Ms.Sully in the last few months has dug 3 holes and laid 12 eggs, 5 eggs and 6 eggs in that order. In between the laying of those eggs. I have found at least a dozen eggs. 1 or 2 eggs each time. It has been chilly so Ms.Sully doesn't come outside until around 3pm. Yesterday I found 1 egg in her enclosure. Today I found 3 with one of the eggs smashed. All the eggs I have picked up are soft and rubbery. You can see how the egg has a dent. I can press on the egg anywhere and make a dent. Without breaking the egg. Since her first time laying eggs. Since they were all soft I upped her calcium intake.
Any ideas what's going on. Do I need to be aware of the situation. I upped her mazuri and are feeding her more cactus. But not to much cactus to give her the runs out the back end.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Ms.Sully in the last few months has dug 3 holes and laid 12 eggs, 5 eggs and 6 eggs in that order. In between the laying of those eggs. I have found at least a dozen eggs. 1 or 2 eggs each time. It has been chilly so Ms.Sully doesn't come outside until around 3pm. Yesterday I found 1 egg in her enclosure. Today I found 3 with one of the eggs smashed. All the eggs I have picked up are soft and rubbery. You can see how the egg has a dent. I can press on the egg anywhere and make a dent. Without breaking the egg. Since her first time laying eggs. Since they were all soft I upped her calcium intake.
Any ideas what's going on. Do I need to be aware of the situation. I upped her mazuri and are feeding her more cactus. But not to much cactus to give her the runs out the back end.
View attachment 387735

My first thought: insufficient calcium and or UVB.

 

[Tom]

Ms.Sully in the last few months has dug 3 holes and laid 12 eggs, 5 eggs and 6 eggs in that order. In between the laying of those eggs. I have found at least a dozen eggs. 1 or 2 eggs each time. It has been chilly so Ms.Sully doesn't come outside until around 3pm. Yesterday I found 1 egg in her enclosure. Today I found 3 with one of the eggs smashed. All the eggs I have picked up are soft and rubbery. You can see how the egg has a dent. I can press on the egg anywhere and make a dent. Without breaking the egg. Since her first time laying eggs. Since they were all soft I upped her calcium intake.
Any ideas what's going on. Do I need to be aware of the situation. I upped her mazuri and are feeding her more cactus. But not to much cactus to give her the runs out the back end.
View attachment 387735

Is there a male present?
Is this her first time laying?

 

[Ray--Opo]

My first thought: insufficient calcium and or UVB.

She is a outside tortoise. She hasn't missed to many days. Where she gets outside and grazes at least for a hr. I know UVB is not as strong in the winter months. Do you think a UVB light is needed in the enclosure. I upped her calcium intake. I have plenty of cactus available to feed both of the tortoises.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Yes to both those questions. I know we have discussed UVB in the enclosure. Your suggestion was since my tortoise are outside that a UVB light wasn't needed. When we discussed the need for UVB before. We were talking about a male sulcata. Since then I have added a female sulcata. Do you think a UVB light might be needed for my female?

 

[Tim Carlisle]

She is a outside tortoise. She hasn't missed to many days. Where she gets outside and grazes at least for a hr. I know UVB is not as strong in the winter months. Do you think a UVB light is needed in the enclosure. I upped her calcium intake. I have plenty of cactus available to feed both of the tortoises.

Yeah, the calcium/UVB thing was just my initial thought. Curious... are the eggs viable?

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Yeah, the calcium/UVB thing was just my initial thought. Curious... are the eggs viable?

Yes to both those questions. I know we have discussed UVB in the enclosure. Your suggestion was since my tortoise are outside that a UVB light wasn't needed. When we discussed the need for UVB before. We were talking about a male sulcata. Since then I have added a female sulcata. Do you think a UVB light might be needed for my female?

Oh, and how much calcium are you feeding her? Too much can be as bad as not enough. I know opuntia is pretty rich in calcium.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Yeah, the calcium/UVB thing was just my initial thought. Curious... are the eggs viable?

Not sure if the eggs are viable. She has only been with a male one time for about a 1/2 hr. I had just received her and they met briefly with a chain link fence between them. That's all it took, my male was trying to go through the fence. After I got the barrier between them built so they couldn't see each other. I went into the house to take a break. About 45min later I went outside to check on things. My male found a weak spot in the barrier. Needless to say he was on top doing his thing. So I don't know if these eggs are fertile.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Not sure if the eggs are viable. She has only been with a male one time for about a 1/2 hr. I had just received her and they met briefly with a chain link fence between them. That's all it took, my male was trying to go through the fence. After I got the barrier between them built so they couldn't see each other. I went into the house to take a break. About 45min later I went outside to check on things. My male found a weak spot in the barrier. Needless to say he was on top doing his thing. So I don't know if these eggs are fertile.

Oh wow. U know how to "candle test" them? I'd be really curious.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Oh, and how much calcium are you feeding her? Too much can be as bad as not enough. I know opuntia is pretty rich in calcium.

I was just doing the cuttlefish bone. She would nibble sometimes. Other times she would eat the whole thing till it was gone. So I tried to average one cuttlefish every 2 weeks. The cactus was given to her 3 times a week. About 5 pads each time. Sometimes I will have a bunch of cactus flowers. So I will give each tortoise a paper plate full of the flowers. That probably happens once a month. I have now switched from cuttlefish to dusting the food every other day. I use the calcium with no D3.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Oh wow. U know how to "candle test" them? I'd be really curious.

I have seen threads on how to do it. I will read up and check the eggs. For some reason my wife wanted to keep them. So I have both eggs.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

I have seen threads on how to do it. I will read up and check the eggs. For some reason my wife wanted to keep them. So I have both eggs.

Sounds like a plan. Lemme know what you find out!

 

[Ray--Opo]

Sounds like a plan. Lemme know what you find out!

Completely clear, no shadows or blood vessels. Having no knowledge about the development of a embryo. Would there be some development this soon?

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Completely clear, no shadows or blood vessels. Having no knowledge about the development of a embryo. Would there be some development this soon?

Sounds like they're not viable then.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Sounds like they're not viable then.

That's a good thing. I have 2 sulcata's over 100lbs each. I don't want anymore and don't want to become a breeder. I just have to make sure Opo (male) and Ms.Sully (female) stay away from each other.

 

[zovick]

Completely clear, no shadows or blood vessels. Having no knowledge about the development of a embryo. Would there be some development this soon?

Normally the blood vessels would not be visible until about 21 days or so after incubation is started.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Normally the blood vessels would not be visible until about 21 days or so after incubation is started.

Would there be something you could see this early?

 

[Ray--Opo]

Is there a male present?
Is this her first time laying?

I will explain a little more info. I was trying to do 3 things at the same time. That's why the response was brief.
Ms.Sully is a 10yr old sulcata. I started caring for her in Sept. Before that she had never been around a male or laid eggs. The male Opo 7 yrs old and Ms.Sully had two physical encounters. The first encounter was just about fighting. The second was about mating. Neither encounter was planned. Hopefully it doesn't happen again.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Would there be something you could see this early?

In your opening post you stated she layed several eggs in the last few months. What about the eggs you found early? I'd assume you'd be able to see something by now if they're viable.

 

[zovick]

Would there be something you could see this early?

You would not be able to tell anything regarding fertility until 21 days after the eggs start being incubated as I mentioned previously.

No more baby sulcatas are really needed by anyone, so my ideal recommendation would be NOT to incubate the eggs, hard though that may be to do.