Bumpy eggs? Complete beginner. Please help!

Luko · 13-04-2013, 10:24 PM

Hi I'm new here! I've had no experience with tortoises before but a friend of mine owns a male and female. I'm pretty sure the female is a hermanns, but not sure about the male. He looks a duller colour (I will post pics later).

They inherited them from a relative and believe they are approx 60 years old.

The female has laid eggs several times before and when she laid two recently, I suggested trying to incubate them.

I have them in an incubator at 31 degrees and 60 percent humidity but I'm not sure if they are fertile.

Apparently the male mounts the female allot, but the eggs have a bumpy shell and when I candled them earlier (been in incubator 4 days) they light up an orangey colour with no sign of a yolk. Does this mean they are not fertile?

Sorry for the long winded story

Any advise very welcome. thank you.

**egyptiandan64** · 13-04-2013, 11:50 PM

It would help to know what species each one of the pair is. From your description it sounds like they aren't fertile. Can you have someone take a picture of the eggs while you shine a torch in?

Danny

Luko · 14-04-2013, 09:10 AM

Atempting to upload pics of both torts. pic 1 should be the female, pic 2, the male

**egyptiandan64** · 14-04-2013, 02:12 PM

They are both Hermanns tortoises, Testudo hermanni boettgeri.
So the eggs could be fertile. Can you post pictures of the eggs (in a dark room) with a torch shining in?

Danny

Luko · 14-04-2013, 09:51 PM

egg 1

egg 2

**egyptiandan64** · 14-04-2013, 10:49 PM

I'm afraid nether one looks fertile

It looks like the female kept the eggs to long inside her and put to much calcium on them. Do you know if she dug a proper nest in the ground or just laid the eggs on the surface?

Danny

Luko · 15-04-2013, 06:56 AM

They hibernate in a box in my friends conservatory. When she woke up she layed the eggs in the conservatory. It's a hard tiled floor so she wouldn't of been able to dig.

Catwoman63 · 15-04-2013, 08:32 AM

they are both very beautiful, and look quite old? x

**egyptiandan64** · 15-04-2013, 01:30 PM

For her health, she really needs a place to dig a proper nest and lay her eggs that way. That would hopefully prevent her from holding the eggs to long.

Danny

Luko · 15-04-2013, 08:04 PM

Hi Catwoman63, yes they are around 60 years old.

Thanks for the info egyptiandan64, I will let the owners know. Just out of interest, what is the dark spot to the right of egg number 1? and also for the future, what are we looking for in the early stages to know if the egg is fertile?

Oh and one other thing. If they want to keep them indoors, what would be the best thing for her to dig in?

13-04-2013, 10:24 PM	#1
Luko Junior Member Egg Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 5	Bumpy eggs? Complete beginner. Please help! Hi I'm new here! I've had no experience with tortoises before but a friend of mine owns a male and female. I'm pretty sure the female is a hermanns, but not sure about the male. He looks a duller colour (I will post pics later). They inherited them from a relative and believe they are approx 60 years old. The female has laid eggs several times before and when she laid two recently, I suggested trying to incubate them. I have them in an incubator at 31 degrees and 60 percent humidity but I'm not sure if they are fertile. Apparently the male mounts the female allot, but the eggs have a bumpy shell and when I candled them earlier (been in incubator 4 days) they light up an orangey colour with no sign of a yolk. Does this mean they are not fertile? Sorry for the long winded story Any advise very welcome. thank you.

13-04-2013, 11:50 PM	#2
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	It would help to know what species each one of the pair is. From your description it sounds like they aren't fertile. Can you have someone take a picture of the eggs while you shine a torch in? Danny __________________

14-04-2013, 09:10 AM	#3
Luko Junior Member Egg Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 5	Atempting to upload pics of both torts. pic 1 should be the female, pic 2, the male Last edited by egyptiandan64; 14-04-2013 at 02:08 PM.

14-04-2013, 02:12 PM	#4
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	They are both Hermanns tortoises, Testudo hermanni boettgeri. So the eggs could be fertile. Can you post pictures of the eggs (in a dark room) with a torch shining in? Danny __________________

14-04-2013, 09:51 PM	#5
Luko Junior Member Egg Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 5	egg 1 egg 2 Last edited by egyptiandan64; 14-04-2013 at 11:21 PM.

14-04-2013, 10:49 PM	#6
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	I'm afraid nether one looks fertile It looks like the female kept the eggs to long inside her and put to much calcium on them. Do you know if she dug a proper nest in the ground or just laid the eggs on the surface? Danny __________________

15-04-2013, 06:56 AM	#7
Luko Junior Member Egg Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 5	They hibernate in a box in my friends conservatory. When she woke up she layed the eggs in the conservatory. It's a hard tiled floor so she wouldn't of been able to dig.

15-04-2013, 08:32 AM	#8
Catwoman63 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South East England Posts: 6,739	they are both very beautiful, and look quite old? x __________________ BEV XXX 0.3.0 - T Horsfieldii (Xena, Zelda & Lilly) 2.2.0 - TG Terrestris (Zeus, Astreus / Zagreus & Alexia) 1.2.0 - Zebra Finches (Gunner / Bonnie & May) 0.1.0 - SBT (Hazel) 1.0.0 - FBD (Ted)

15-04-2013, 01:30 PM	#9
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	For her health, she really needs a place to dig a proper nest and lay her eggs that way. That would hopefully prevent her from holding the eggs to long. Danny __________________

15-04-2013, 08:04 PM	#10
Luko Junior Member Egg Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 5	Hi Catwoman63, yes they are around 60 years old. Thanks for the info egyptiandan64, I will let the owners know. Just out of interest, what is the dark spot to the right of egg number 1? and also for the future, what are we looking for in the early stages to know if the egg is fertile? Oh and one other thing. If they want to keep them indoors, what would be the best thing for her to dig in?

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