Leaving hatchlings in the incubator for a few days

[Steve Graffham]

I have a clutch of eggs due to hatch about 5 days before we return from holiday. A neighbour is looking after the adult tortoises and some older hatchlings but I don't wish to complicate matters by asking her to remove hatchlings from the incubator. I would appreciate some advice as to how long it would be ok to leave hatchlings in the incubator after hatching.

Many thanks in advance

Steve

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Steve Graffham

I have a clutch of eggs due to hatch about 5 days before we return from holiday. A neighbour is looking after the adult tortoises and some older hatchlings but I don't wish to complicate matters by asking her to remove hatchlings from the incubator. I would appreciate some advice as to how long it would be ok to leave hatchlings in the incubator after hatching.

Many thanks in advance

Steve

They can stay in there a few days, but would worry about dehydration if left too long.
They might well wait until you return:0)

[Pussygalore]

its not something I would do, I know we leave them if they have a large egg sac but if they're hatched with nothing then, at least mine, used to be glad of a drink and some would eat within a day or so then you have the worry of one getting stuck in the egg and possible loosing it. I used to put them in the table if they were ok after a bath and drink, wouldn't you also have the risk of one getting out of where it hatched, falling upside down etc I would also move the hatchlings away from the unhatched eggs, if they were mine I'd try to sort something out, if one hatched it could be the full 5 days in the incubater. We rarely had holidays when we had the torts and certainly not when eggs might hatch or be laid, although I did have a couple of friends who used to look after the other animals and the other torts but expecting them to look after hatching babies would have been a bit to much as neither kept torts or had any experience other than feeding them.

[burnt toast]

I would say they would be ok, only if someone soaks them once per day.
(I left a clutch of eggs in incubator with my Dad last year & he got them out to bath then didn't understand, so put them back in incubator! for about 7 days!)

[sandy]

Originally Posted by burnt toast

I would say they would be ok, only if someone soaks them once per day.
(I left a clutch of eggs in incubator with my Dad last year & he got them out to bath then didn't understand, so put them back in incubator! for about 7 days!)

Exactly as long as they are hydrated they should be fine:0)

[Pussygalore]

any temporary keeper would still have to understand about keeping the temps and humidity ok as they'd need to open the door to bathe any hatchlings etc I think the idea was that the 'carer' would touch the incubater or any hatchlings. My worry was if one hatched with no egg sac it could be in there for up to 5 days without water or if it had shell stuck to it that in itself coud be a problem, I had a couple that could only half get out and had they been left like that it would have been very hard to remove the hardened/dried shell and I don't know how long one can be left without egg sac or water.