Successful breeding of Cuora (Pyxidea) mouhotii

jonathan gray

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Interesting, I did some digging in the nesting box to get it ready for Big Mama, and I found a sixth egg, which was banded and developing without benefit of being in the incubator. The temp in the nesting box was probably 68 - 72F. I put the egg with the others.

Fast forward to Nov. 12th, 2020: the first egg pipped, by Nov. 15, three eggs hatched. As of Nov. 16th, three eggs hatched, one exploded and I'm waiting on the remaining two. I'm not real optimistic, because these remaining eggs look kind of nasty, but I've had nasty-looking eggs hatch in the past so we'll be 'sober and vigilant', as St Peter advises, and see what happens.001.PNG
 

jonathan gray

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As an aside, I did not have the bumper crop of eggs that I have grown accustomed to in the past. The smaller female deposited six eggs (last year she dropped eight), Big Mama decided to boycott and dropped none. Not sure why she didn't lay; all conditions were identical to what they have been used to in the past with one possible exception: Spring and Summer in USNY were glorious this year -warm, lots of sun and not a lot of rain. Glorious for me because I got a lot of outside time, maybe not so glorious for Big Mama who had grown used to the rainy, cooler Springs of past years. That's the only difference I can identify.
 

jonathan gray

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So this morning I checked the incubator and sure enough, the grossest egg of all was beginning to pip! This egg had split longitudinally and had been leaking albumin so I was 99.99% certain it was bad and, in less enlightened days, I would have tossed it. Well, patience is a virtue (so I'm told), and today egg #4 was hatching. Four hatched, one exploded, one TBD. Fingers crossed.
 

jonathan gray

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As an aside, you may recall I mentioned previously I had found an errant egg in the nesting box when I went to prepare it for Big Mama. This egg was kept at a significantly cooler temp than its clutchmates ( 68F-72F vs 82F-84F). I'm hoping it's simply delayed because of the cooler temps and hasn't yet caught up to its sibs. If five out of these six eggs hatch I'll feel...vindicated for only getting six eggs. My mojo will remain intact.
 

PJay

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As an aside, you may recall I mentioned previously I had found an errant egg in the nesting box when I went to prepare it for Big Mama. This egg was kept at a significantly cooler temp than its clutchmates ( 68F-72F vs 82F-84F). I'm hoping it's simply delayed because of the cooler temps and hasn't yet caught up to its sibs. If five out of these six eggs hatch I'll feel...vindicated for only getting six eggs. My mojo will remain intact.
You have mojo to spare my friend.
 

jonathan gray

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Four happy hatchlings and still waiting for the fifth egg to either hatch or explode.
 

Sarah2020

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Look amazing and really interesting to see. Thanks for sharing. Please keep us posted on their progress.
 

Hutsie B

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Congratulations, beautiful babies.
 

jonathan gray

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Six Cuora (Pyxida) mohoutii obsti eggs deposited, five (well, four and a half), live hatchlings. Babies are growing well on bloodworms, mealworms, earthworms and Omega One Turtle pellets. This last baby peeping out of its egg is about two weeks behind its siblings: the egg was lost in the nest box and was only placed in the incubator after I found it
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jonathan gray

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The fifth hatchling decided it was time to leave the egg and has done so...finally. Its two sibs which have remained with me are significantly larger and are already showing growth annuli (they have HUGE appetites!). Babies are feeding on bloodworms, minced earthworms, floating Omega One turtle pellets. The photographs I'm posting were taken by the first two hatchlings' new owner, R. D. Bartlett. Yes, that R. D. Bartlett! (and if you detect a hint of hero worship in that last statement, I'm glad it wasn't lost on you).129498278_3438842449498626_3481586602308552555_o.jpg127632792_3416436925072512_193195201024024374_o.jpg129391299_3438842459498625_8931351829940497876_o.jpg
 

jonathan gray

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This little guy is my favorite of all the clutch. Bold, robust, personality for days at such a young age. While the others timidly wait for their food to fall, this guy is practically on his hind legs, begging. Actually it's more demanding. 129722247_214522813527276_4356676043183607428_n.png
 

Hutsie B

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Very nice babies Jonathan, eating great too and growing already, super.
 
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