What is this?

Rynan

Active Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2022
Messages
128
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hey guys, I got a picture from 1 of the breeders and 1 baby sulcata had this thing on his/her plastron. He/she is about a week old. Is this shell rot? Looks like a piece of dirt.
 

Rynan

Active Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2022
Messages
128
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hey guys, I got a picture from 1 of the breeders qnd 1 baby sulcata had this thing on his plastron. He/she is about a week old. Is this shell rot? Looks like a piece of dirt.
 

Attachments

  • 20220218_213421.jpg
    20220218_213421.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 29

TheLastGreen

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2021
Messages
929
Location (City and/or State)
Johannesburg
Is this the yolk sack being absorbed back?
As far as I know, the first few days after hatching they absorb the yolk sack, but this looks kinda off, perhaps it looks like that, but I'm not sure?
So let's ask @Tom @Markw84 @Yvonne G
Are you looking to buy him now? Most people recommend that babies should be kept by the breeder for a little bit more than a month.
Has the breeder told you how they were started?
Hopefuly other members chime in soon
 

Rynan

Active Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2022
Messages
128
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
As far as I know, the first few days after hatching they absorb the yolk sack, but this looks kinda off, perhaps it looks like that, but I'm not sure?
So let's ask @Tom @Markw84 @Yvonne G
Are you looking to buy him now? Most people recommend that babies should be kept by the breeder for a little bit more than a month.
Has the breeder told you how they were started?
Hopefuly other members chime in soon
Not yet, just doing some research
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Not yet, just doing some research
That is the plastron of a baby that has not been started correctly. The yolk sac has dried out, and looks infected. It is likely that baby will not survive, both because of the yolk sac problem, and because the yolk sac problem indicates that it wasn't started correctly.

For comparison and more explanation, read this thread:
 

Rynan

Active Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2022
Messages
128
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
What about this one? Or should I just give up on this clutch and look elsewhere
.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20220218-235455_Messages.jpg
    Screenshot_20220218-235455_Messages.jpg
    128.7 KB · Views: 17
Last edited:

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
What about this one? Or should I just give up on this clutch and look elsewhere
.
That one doesn't look as bad, but if the breeder started one incorrectly, then they were all started incorrectly. I wouldn't buy any of them. Read this for more info on what happens when they are started wrong:

If you are in the market for a sulcata, contact @NorCal tortoise guy here on the forum. He starts his babies perfectly. You will get a healthy well started baby that will thrive.
 

Rynan

Active Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2022
Messages
128
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hypothetically speaking, if I receive an egg that just hatched or is in the process of hatching. How could I personally start it right @Tom ? Let's say the baby came out with the pink egg sack, how do I care for it to ensure it's health?
 

Rynan

Active Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2022
Messages
128
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hypothetically speaking, if I receive an egg that just hatched or is in the process of hatching. How could I personally start it right @Tom ? Let's say the baby came out with the pink egg sack, how do I care for it to ensure it's health?
I realize this question goes a bit into incubating so I'll expand it further. I've been doing some research and it seems breeders really do emphasize humidity. If an egg hatched in a semi-dry environment, is it already been started badly? Would soaking once to twice a day, 15 min or so each session help? Or would the first thing to do is just to leave the baby sulcata in the substrate (and which kind would it be? the eggs seem to be placed in almost like tiny pebbles or sand?) until their egg sack absorbs then start soaking them?
 

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,041
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
I realize this question goes a bit into incubating so I'll expand it further. I've been doing some research and it seems breeders really do emphasize humidity. If an egg hatched in a semi-dry environment, is it already been started badly? Would soaking once to twice a day, 15 min or so each session help? Or would the first thing to do is just to leave the baby sulcata in the substrate (and which kind would it be? the eggs seem to be placed in almost like tiny pebbles or sand?) until their egg sack absorbs then start soaking them?
Go back and read that first post @Tom linked for you in post #6 above. That is his post on Sudan Sulcatas. Then go to post #12 in that thread. It is all explained there.

The biggest issue in regards to your posts here is the first 2 weeks after pipping. In the wild tortoise babies hatch into an open chamber that is well packed on all sides and sitting on top of fellow clutch mates and eggs. It is 100% humidity in there, dark, and they normally are forced to stay in the egg at 100% humidity while the yolk sac is absorbed. Not dragging it around in substrate/vermiculite where things get stuck to it and it can get damaged.

So when a baby tortoise first emerges from the egg, we need to get it to a protected environment while it starts it first several days out of the egg. Don't let it drag around in substrate. Allow it to drink and soak in clean water, and allow it access to good foods to start eating the right things and good variety. Immediately out of the egg a tortoise will drink as soon as its placed in a tub to soak. Essential hydration. Putting it in a clean container with moist paper towel or fresh leaves to sit on keeps everything clean and at 100& humidity. They will start to eat immediately as well - while absorbing the yolk sac. The container is placed back in a controlled brooder chamber or the incubator to keep at perfect hatching temperature. I keep them in the brooder box until the yolk sac scar has completely disappeared and they have gained at least 10% over their hatch weight. This is normally 7-10 days.

This all creates a perfect baby. Well started. Healthy and eating anything!
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
As usual, Mark said it best.

In addition to the Sudan thread, here is more incubation and hatching info:
 
Top