Diapause in Tortoise Eggs

**egyptiandan64** · 13-02-2007, 03:26 PM

Diapause is a period of time that a tortoise embryo isn't doing any developing inside the egg. Some eggs diapause at the beginning of development, as in Pancake, Spider and Flat-tailed tortoises. Pancake tortoises don't need a trigger to start developing, but can take up to 3 months to start to do so. Spider and Flat-tailed tortoises on the other hand do need a trigger to start to develop. They need cooling down for a month or so and then incubating normally. This can take up to 4 cooling down period, a friend had to do this, to start development on some eggs.
Other eggs diapause during development and at the end of development. Some southern hemisphere tortoises, Leopards, Radiateds and Chacos, stop development during cold weather. All other tortoises that have eggs that diapause, Leopards, sulcatas, Radiateds, Chacos, hingebacks and all South African tortoises, Redfoots and Yellowfoots diapause at the end of development waiting for favorable conditions to hatch, usually the start of the rainy season. Leopard tortoise eggs in captivity seem to all hatch with the coming of a low pressure system at the end of incubation. Leopard tortoises eggs are also the one's with the longest incubation period of any tortoise, 540 days

. It's just amazing a tortoise can live that long inside the egg!
Here is a picture of my pancake egg that has only just started to develop, so ignore the little red bit for now

. The first thing a fertile pancake egg will do is get an air pocket as shown in the picture and be just yellow inside. Then the little one will start to develop after 1 to 3 months of diapause.

Danny

piglet · 13-02-2007, 05:09 PM

Thanks for putting that together Dan.

Just like to add as Dan has said red and yellows need a humidity boost to about 80 % for reds and a touch higher for yellows to trigger the hatching process if this is denied they will often stay dormant for several weeks longer than the due date ,if humidity is denied for a great length of time especially in yellow eggs they will die.

Darren

sandy · 13-02-2007, 07:27 PM

A great thread, I knew that eggs can start to develope at different stages. Also that some
later than others. But didnt know the name, or that there was a lot of info about it. So this
is my learn for the day<g>.
I suppose I knew temps started eggs going, but not the other conditions. We live and learn.

Henry-flash · 13-02-2007, 07:29 PM

Great information Dan, thanks for doing it.
Can this be a sticky please?

piglet · 13-02-2007, 07:40 PM

Done Pete.

D

Henry-flash · 13-02-2007, 07:47 PM

Thanks Darren, these are the sort of threads I like to see as stickys, we need more like this

13-02-2007, 08:04 PM

thank you dan

a very interesting thread

learning is for life

**egyptiandan64** · 13-02-2007, 09:46 PM

I was very glad to do it

and everyone is very welcome

Danny

14-02-2007, 11:59 AM

This is facinating - thank you Danny

**Eire_Ade** · 14-02-2007, 10:28 PM

Brilliant information Dan.

Its great to see even people with years and years of experience housing tortoises and breeding still being able to learn. Goes to show we never know everything eh!

Ade

13-02-2007, 03:26 PM	#1
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	Diapause in Tortoise Eggs Diapause is a period of time that a tortoise embryo isn't doing any developing inside the egg. Some eggs diapause at the beginning of development, as in Pancake, Spider and Flat-tailed tortoises. Pancake tortoises don't need a trigger to start developing, but can take up to 3 months to start to do so. Spider and Flat-tailed tortoises on the other hand do need a trigger to start to develop. They need cooling down for a month or so and then incubating normally. This can take up to 4 cooling down period, a friend had to do this, to start development on some eggs. Other eggs diapause during development and at the end of development. Some southern hemisphere tortoises, Leopards, Radiateds and Chacos, stop development during cold weather. All other tortoises that have eggs that diapause, Leopards, sulcatas, Radiateds, Chacos, hingebacks and all South African tortoises, Redfoots and Yellowfoots diapause at the end of development waiting for favorable conditions to hatch, usually the start of the rainy season. Leopard tortoise eggs in captivity seem to all hatch with the coming of a low pressure system at the end of incubation. Leopard tortoises eggs are also the one's with the longest incubation period of any tortoise, 540 days . It's just amazing a tortoise can live that long inside the egg! Here is a picture of my pancake egg that has only just started to develop, so ignore the little red bit for now . The first thing a fertile pancake egg will do is get an air pocket as shown in the picture and be just yellow inside. Then the little one will start to develop after 1 to 3 months of diapause. Danny __________________

13-02-2007, 05:09 PM	#2
piglet Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,976	Thanks for putting that together Dan. Just like to add as Dan has said red and yellows need a humidity boost to about 80 % for reds and a touch higher for yellows to trigger the hatching process if this is denied they will often stay dormant for several weeks longer than the due date ,if humidity is denied for a great length of time especially in yellow eggs they will die. Darren __________________ 17 years old 25 years ago

13-02-2007, 07:27 PM	#3
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	A great thread, I knew that eggs can start to develope at different stages. Also that some later than others. But didnt know the name, or that there was a lot of info about it. So this is my learn for the day<g>. I suppose I knew temps started eggs going, but not the other conditions. We live and learn. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

13-02-2007, 07:29 PM	#4
Henry-flash Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cheshire Posts: 9,304	Great information Dan, thanks for doing it. Can this be a sticky please? __________________ Peter Keeping: Testudo hermanni, Testudo graeca (graeca & ibera ), Testudo horsfieldi, Astrochelys radiata, Malacochersus tornieri and Kinixys belliana. The North West Tortoise Group

13-02-2007, 07:40 PM	#5
piglet Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,976	Done Pete. D __________________ 17 years old 25 years ago

13-02-2007, 07:47 PM	#6
Henry-flash Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cheshire Posts: 9,304	Thanks Darren, these are the sort of threads I like to see as stickys, we need more like this __________________ Peter Keeping: Testudo hermanni, Testudo graeca (graeca & ibera ), Testudo horsfieldi, Astrochelys radiata, Malacochersus tornieri and Kinixys belliana. The North West Tortoise Group

13-02-2007, 08:04 PM	#7
aprillinda Guest Posts: n/a	thank you dan a very interesting thread learning is for life

13-02-2007, 09:46 PM	#8
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	I was very glad to do it and everyone is very welcome Danny __________________

14-02-2007, 11:59 AM	#9
Glitter Guest Posts: n/a	This is facinating - thank you Danny

14-02-2007, 10:28 PM	#10
Eire_Ade Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 8,422	Brilliant information Dan. Its great to see even people with years and years of experience housing tortoises and breeding still being able to learn. Goes to show we never know everything eh! Ade __________________ Ade ----------------------------------------------- Y.O.B 1971 (40 years young! ) My Tortoises :- Dug (Testudo Graeca Ibera Terrestris (Syrian), Penny, JJ (JennyJack), Buttons and Gem (Testudo Graeca Ibera)

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)