Sudan Sulcatas (This never gets old...)

Tom

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The only slight difference is that I put in an extra pile of larger leaves to ensure they can hide under the leaves. I believe that baby tortoises naturally hide beneath leaf litter when first hatched. I feel this reduces stress.
See Mark? That is exactly what I'm talking about! Starting tomorrow, I'm going to pile in the leaves for them. I have plenty, so no reason not to. This is the kind of tid bit that I will incorporate into my routine, and in a few years, I probably won't remember who taught me this.
 

Tom

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All but 4 are out of their eggs now. Only one isn't going to hatch. 23/24 for her first clutch isn't bad. I'm pretty happy with that. The one egg had never showed any development when candled previously, so that wasn't a surprise. The first 8 from yesterday are in the upper tub in this photo:
IMG_1004.jpg

Here are some Yolk sac photos on day 2 to compare to yesterday's photos:
IMG_1006.jpg
IMG_1007.jpg
IMG_1009.jpg

It happens fast if they are soaked daily and kept in the correct environment. Here is the next tid bit of info: Once they all hatch, I soak them together and I sort them into their tubs by the size and condition of their yolk sacs. I put like with like. See how the one in the last picture above is much farther along? I'll put him and 5 siblings that are in similar shape in a box, and I'll put the other ones with more sac still showing together in their own brooder box.
 

BrookeB

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All but 4 are out of their eggs now. Only one isn't going to hatch. 23/24 for her first clutch isn't bad. I'm pretty happy with that. The one egg had never showed any development when candled previously, so that wasn't a surprise. The first 8 from yesterday are in the upper tub in this photo:
View attachment 302308

Here are some Yolk sac photos on day 2 to compare to yesterday's photos:
View attachment 302309
View attachment 302310
View attachment 302311

It happens fast if they are soaked daily and kept in the correct environment. Here is the next tid bit of info: Once they all hatch, I soak them together and I sort them into their tubs by the size and condition of their yolk sacs. I put like with like. See how the one in the last picture above is much farther along? I'll put him and 5 siblings that are in similar shape in a box, and I'll put the other ones with more sac still showing together in their own brooder box.

???? We need one more split scute/extra scute Tom! I’m already in love with the two I see in your group.. They are all sooo beautiful. ?

wow that belly button closes fast with your care, I was looking at a post on Facebook and it was taking like a week to get to that point.
 

pennimo

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My very first clutch of true 100% pure Sudan sulcatas is now hatching. I don't care how many times I see this, it just never gets old. I dig up the eggs carefully place them in my prepared shoe boxes, watch the temperature in the incubator and tend to them for months, and then...
View attachment 302098

When that first pip comes, I swear I'm more excited than I was when I was a little boy on Christmas morning. After all those years of raising the parents from hatchlings, soaking, feeding, watering, cleaning, building night boxes, tending to their enclosures, locking them up every night and letting them out every morning, and then months of watching the eggs and wondering what your gonna get... When they finally hatch it is just the most amazing thing ever. Little mini versions of their parents. Walking around and ready to join the world. I recall the fun and pure joy I had raising the parents of these babies and knowing that their new owners will experience that same joy and happiness and it brings a smile to my face every time I think about it. These babies will be ready for their new homes in about a month.

For any one who doesn't know what the difference between a Sudan sulcata and a "regular" sulcata is: Sudan males get literally twice the size of regular males, and have a much higher dome. Females of both are similar in size, but Sudan females also tend to have the higher domes. Care, diet, housing and every thing else is the same. Send me a PM if you are interested.
I find this so interesting. Thank you for sharing and giving so much love to these little guys. I just joined this group and so happy I did.
 

Gijoux

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So very excited for you Tom! What a first clutch. You are definitely going to be a busy man. How old are the adult Sudans? The babies are just beautiful. Congratulations once again.
 

Geri K

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All but 4 are out of their eggs now. Only one isn't going to hatch. 23/24 for her first clutch isn't bad. I'm pretty happy with that. The one egg had never showed any development when candled previously, so that wasn't a surprise. The first 8 from yesterday are in the upper tub in this photo:
View attachment 302308

Here are some Yolk sac photos on day 2 to compare to yesterday's photos:
View attachment 302309
View attachment 302310
View attachment 302311

It happens fast if they are soaked daily and kept in the correct environment. Here is the next tid bit of info: Once they all hatch, I soak them together and I sort them into their tubs by the size and condition of their yolk sacs. I put like with like. See how the one in the last picture above is much farther along? I'll put him and 5 siblings that are in similar shape in a box, and I'll put the other ones with more sac still showing together in their own brooder box.
Thank you for the beautiful pics and the detailed explanation. This is wonderful for me, and I feel like these are my babies too!
 

Tom

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So very excited for you Tom! What a first clutch. You are definitely going to be a busy man. How old are the adult Sudans? The babies are just beautiful. Congratulations once again.
Dean and I drove out to the desert in May of 2012 and bought 20 hatchlings directly from the breeder. We've sold off the rest, but I kept these two because they were my favorites. The male is named Gargantua. I call the female Digger. Can you guess how she got that name? :)
 

Nash

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I have a 10 year old girl visiting me and my husband. We have been reading through the Tortoiseforum messages as they come into my email. She really enjoys my sulcata and is today TOTALLY enjoying looking and reading all about your new hatchlings. She has learned so very much while she has been here and now this! Thank you Tom for these educational, beautiful and happy moments. She has a smile on her face and can't stop saying, "AWWWW! How cute, they're so cute!" She has learned that they aren't for everyone and that it takes a whole lot of time and money just for one.
 
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Really interesting, they’re beautiful, the Carapace, is it hard to distinguish it from a normal sulcata?
My very first clutch of true 100% pure Sudan sulcatas is now hatching. I don't care how many times I see this, it just never gets old. I dig up the eggs carefully place them in my prepared shoe boxes, watch the temperature in the incubator and tend to them for months, and then...
View attachment 302098

When that first pip comes, I swear I'm more excited than I was when I was a little boy on Christmas morning. After all those years of raising the parents from hatchlings, soaking, feeding, watering, cleaning, building night boxes, tending to their enclosures, locking them up every night and letting them out every morning, and then months of watching the eggs and wondering what your gonna get... When they finally hatch it is just the most amazing thing ever. Little mini versions of their parents. Walking around and ready to join the world. I recall the fun and pure joy I had raising the parents of these babies and knowing that their new owners will experience that same joy and happiness and it brings a smile to my face every time I think about it. These babies will be ready for their new homes in about a month.

For any one who doesn't know what the difference between a Sudan sulcata and a "regular" sulcata is: Sudan males get literally twice the size of regular males, and have a much higher dome. Females of both are similar in size, but Sudan females also tend to have the higher domes. Care, diet, housing and every thing else is the same. Send me a PM if you are interested.

Wow, That’s absolutely amazing! Congrats on being a brand new tort daddy! ?
 

Ink

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About how big are the babies? They are so cute
 

Tom

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???? We need one more split scute/extra scute Tom! I’m already in love with the two I see in your group..
Its your lucky day. I seldom get split scutes, but one of the remaining four from yesterday that hadn't left their egg yet turned out to be number split scute number 3.
IMG_1022.jpg

Right now they are separated into brooding boxes according to when they hatched and the state of their umbilical scar. In a few days I will put them all together and get you a pic of your three all together.
 

Ink

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So beautiful!
 

Gijoux

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Dean and I drove out to the desert in May of 2012 and bought 20 hatchlings directly from the breeder. We've sold off the rest, but I kept these two because they were my favorites. The male is named Gargantua. I call the female Digger. Can you guess how she got that name? :)
I'm sure you are glad you've got the amount of property that you do. For sure Digger is happy.;)
 
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