The Easter Tortoise Made a Mistake...

[Jacqui]

...he started bringing eggs a month early.

Sunday when we came home, my son spotted three eggs in Squirt's enclosure. Squirt is a Bell's Hingeback we had just amazingly been able to adopt almost a month ago. I am about 99% sure they won't hatch, but just having her lay them was a great surprise. It's been over ten years since we had any Bells eggs causing us stress and great anticipation.

Before you ask, no my male is not the father. Squirt is still in isolation and will be for months yet. She has been in this adoption program for over a year and with no other Hingeback. So chances are pretty slim for fertility, but then again still possible for a few more years with retained sperm.

Still it's a start.

 

[JustAnja]

Congrats on a great start! Good luck for future success once your male is introduced to her!

 

[Josh]

thats great news jacqui. fertile or not, laying eggs is probably a sign of how comfortable she is and how much she likes her new home.
congrats potential-surrogate-mother-to-be

 

[egyptiandan]

I'm glad she's laying eggs Jacqui They probably aren't fertile, but you have to try. What temperature do you usually incubate Bell's at?

Danny

 

[Crazy1]

Congrats, fingers crossed cuz you never know!

 

[Jentortmom]

Congrats, hopefully she will lay more.

 

[Jacqui]

I'm glad she's laying eggs Jacqui They probably aren't fertile, but you have to try. What temperature do you usually incubate Bell's at?

Danny

LOL I double checked with a couple of Hingeback breeders before setting my temps...can we say really paranoid? Was no longer positive about what temp I use to use. Everybody said go 86.6, so that is where it's sitting.

 

[egyptiandan]

I would stick with 84F Jacqui, 86.6F seems to high to me. How have these breeders done at that temperature? I cooked some Home's eggs at 86F when I had my Home's.

Danny

 

[Jacqui]

They had successful hatchings, which is why I chose to go to those particular folks. So maybe they can survive a wide range?

I know I have heard of folks with Bells who buried the eggs and kept them damp and then those who go with having the sitting on the substrate and keeping the humidity with water source nearby. Both folks having great hatching rates.

 

[egyptiandan]

It must be different than for the 2 forest hingebacks. When you do get Home's hingeback eggs I wouldn't go over 84F.

Danny

 

[Jacqui]

That day is still years in the future. My trio are not breeding size. Will keep it in mind. Hopefully by then, more successful breedings will happen and we can have a large enough sample of what does and does not work in the majority of cases to have a real standard to follow.