Help my tortoise has laid eggs

Star · 05-07-2015, 10:41 PM

Hello everyone
My tortoise has just laid 8eggs and is currently in a propagator with a reptile heater mat underneath.

I have a mini digital egg incubator, this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Digit...item2802421cbc

But no idea if it would be any good to use for tortoise eggs. It doesn't rotate which is good but I have no clue how to set it up for tortoise eggs, for example do I put the eggs in with no soil or soil etc. has anyone used this type before?

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance
Marie

Pussygalore · 06-07-2015, 07:45 AM

firstly could they be fertile? ie has the female been mated with, secondly the egg incubation temp may vary slightley from species to species but if the propergater will hold steady at say 30c and you can get some humidity into it with a dish of water the eggs might hatch. I'd place the eggs on soil or even put them into a small plastic tub sitting on tissue that what I used to do with mine and it didn't seem to matter whether the tissue was damp or dry as long as there's humidity in the incubater. I'm sure the photo of the one you have as well would work but you'd need to take the egg holder out and place your own container in it but any thing what will hold a certain temp and some humidity will hatch eggs with Ibera (what I kept) the temps are between 29 and 32c anything below or above and they won't hatch but I don't know what you keep so it might be slightely different. If you think yoyr eggs might be fertile then keep them the same way up and candle them at about 2 weeks to see if there's any veins.

Star · 06-07-2015, 09:24 AM

Hello and thank you for your response

Yes they are fertile, they've mated.
I don't have a true indication of the temp as the propagator doesn't read well. I need to get a soil temp reader.
Currently it has soil and theirs condensation. I also need to get a humidity reader.
At the moment mine are covered in soil. Should I place them on top of the soil? Worried they might mould if it's to moist?
Thanks again

Pussygalore · 06-07-2015, 03:03 PM

I'd place them on top of the soil and you only need a digital thermometer with a probe that can be placed in the propergater and a simple hygrometer for humidity, both can be bought for pennies on ebay. You only need the temp taken from the surface which should be the air temp not below. If the soil gets to moist or mouldy then you could put the eggs on tissue on the soil.

Star · 07-07-2015, 01:32 PM

Thank you so much for all your advice, you've been a star

I went and bought a herp nursery 2 which is running so just waiting for the temps to regulate.

I'm hoping to put the temps at 31c and humidity at around 75/80 I hope that's all ok?
Can you candle with a decent torch?

Can anyone recommend a reliable hygrometer thermometer as a good reliable buy?

emma_mcraf · 07-07-2015, 03:39 PM

I successfully incubated an egg in a Herp Nursery II. I had a digital hygrometer and thermometer in there too. There were slight fluctuations between the readings on the incubator display and my digital probes, but not by too much.
I candled using a silverline torch. I'm sure others who incubate and candle regularly could recommend a good torch and hygrometer and thermometer.
Good luck with the eggs!!

burnt toast · 07-07-2015, 09:15 PM

I have had good success using a Herp nursery too

There might be a slight temperature differance from what the Herp says. I use a hair hygrometer (seen them last week on ebay 9.99 incl p and p. I have a variety of thermometers! All say something different! My friend reckons the "alcohol" thermometers are very accurate and pennies.. (they are the glass tube looking type used in fish tanks)

Star · 07-07-2015, 09:24 PM

Thanks guys, much appreciated.
This is the first time incubating and I'm hoping it all goes well.

I have an alcohol thermometer in the shed somewhere I'll have to pull it out. Hopefully I'll place a few different ones in their but which one do you go with if they all read differently lol

Shall post up some pictures when I get some time, hopefully it'll be a journey from eggs to haching

vikki · 07-07-2015, 10:53 PM

Good luck I hope all goes well and there will be lots of lovely babies before long

Pussygalore · 08-07-2015, 08:05 AM

I think it says about the temp difference in the booklet so I always used another thermometer which you could read through the front and went by that rather than the reading from the inc. I think the inc thermometer isn't in where the eggs go which is silly especially as they know about the problem, I had good results using one though once you'd got the temp ok, I always used two thermometers as they aren't costly as you don't want to go over 32c. Humidity was always fine with a dish of water on the floor and I wouldn't worry if the humidity varies a bit as the eggs seem to hatch as long as there's some.

05-07-2015, 10:41 PM	#1
Star Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: With My Tortoises Posts: 1,495	Help my tortoise has laid eggs Hello everyone My tortoise has just laid 8eggs and is currently in a propagator with a reptile heater mat underneath. I have a mini digital egg incubator, this one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Digit...item2802421cbc But no idea if it would be any good to use for tortoise eggs. It doesn't rotate which is good but I have no clue how to set it up for tortoise eggs, for example do I put the eggs in with no soil or soil etc. has anyone used this type before? Can anyone help? Thanks in advance Marie __________________ 1.1./. Amazing kids 0.1./. Gorgeous Malamute 0.1./. Beautiful Cat 0.5.0. Playful T.H.H / T.H.B 11 Tropical Fish 1 Bearded Lizard Lots of Aspirin Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. ~Zen Buddhist Proverb

06-07-2015, 09:24 AM	#3
Star Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: With My Tortoises Posts: 1,495	Hello and thank you for your response Yes they are fertile, they've mated. I don't have a true indication of the temp as the propagator doesn't read well. I need to get a soil temp reader. Currently it has soil and theirs condensation. I also need to get a humidity reader. At the moment mine are covered in soil. Should I place them on top of the soil? Worried they might mould if it's to moist? Thanks again __________________ 1.1./. Amazing kids 0.1./. Gorgeous Malamute 0.1./. Beautiful Cat 0.5.0. Playful T.H.H / T.H.B 11 Tropical Fish 1 Bearded Lizard Lots of Aspirin Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. ~Zen Buddhist Proverb Last edited by Star; 06-07-2015 at 09:26 AM.

07-07-2015, 01:32 PM	#5
Star Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: With My Tortoises Posts: 1,495	Thank you so much for all your advice, you've been a star I went and bought a herp nursery 2 which is running so just waiting for the temps to regulate. I'm hoping to put the temps at 31c and humidity at around 75/80 I hope that's all ok? Can you candle with a decent torch? Can anyone recommend a reliable hygrometer thermometer as a good reliable buy? __________________ 1.1./. Amazing kids 0.1./. Gorgeous Malamute 0.1./. Beautiful Cat 0.5.0. Playful T.H.H / T.H.B 11 Tropical Fish 1 Bearded Lizard Lots of Aspirin Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. ~Zen Buddhist Proverb

07-07-2015, 03:39 PM	#6
emma_mcraf Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 11,365	I successfully incubated an egg in a Herp Nursery II. I had a digital hygrometer and thermometer in there too. There were slight fluctuations between the readings on the incubator display and my digital probes, but not by too much. I candled using a silverline torch. I'm sure others who incubate and candle regularly could recommend a good torch and hygrometer and thermometer. Good luck with the eggs!! __________________ Emma Testudo Hermanni 5.12.2:Theo, Tamara, Tabitha, Harriet, Isabelle, Clara, Oscar, Hugo, Oliver, Florence, Arabella, Esmé, Aurelia, Felicia, Claudia, Atticus, Celestia, Amaris, Tristan and Clementine Budgies: Jasper, Ivo, Otis, Henry, Louie and Luca Doggies: 1.1.0 Chester and Lottie

07-07-2015, 09:24 PM	#8
Star Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: With My Tortoises Posts: 1,495	Thanks guys, much appreciated. This is the first time incubating and I'm hoping it all goes well. I have an alcohol thermometer in the shed somewhere I'll have to pull it out. Hopefully I'll place a few different ones in their but which one do you go with if they all read differently lol Shall post up some pictures when I get some time, hopefully it'll be a journey from eggs to haching __________________ 1.1./. Amazing kids 0.1./. Gorgeous Malamute 0.1./. Beautiful Cat 0.5.0. Playful T.H.H / T.H.B 11 Tropical Fish 1 Bearded Lizard Lots of Aspirin Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. ~Zen Buddhist Proverb

06-07-2015, 07:45 AM	#2
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	firstly could they be fertile? ie has the female been mated with, secondly the egg incubation temp may vary slightley from species to species but if the propergater will hold steady at say 30c and you can get some humidity into it with a dish of water the eggs might hatch. I'd place the eggs on soil or even put them into a small plastic tub sitting on tissue that what I used to do with mine and it didn't seem to matter whether the tissue was damp or dry as long as there's humidity in the incubater. I'm sure the photo of the one you have as well would work but you'd need to take the egg holder out and place your own container in it but any thing what will hold a certain temp and some humidity will hatch eggs with Ibera (what I kept) the temps are between 29 and 32c anything below or above and they won't hatch but I don't know what you keep so it might be slightely different. If you think yoyr eggs might be fertile then keep them the same way up and candle them at about 2 weeks to see if there's any veins.

06-07-2015, 03:03 PM	#4
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	I'd place them on top of the soil and you only need a digital thermometer with a probe that can be placed in the propergater and a simple hygrometer for humidity, both can be bought for pennies on ebay. You only need the temp taken from the surface which should be the air temp not below. If the soil gets to moist or mouldy then you could put the eggs on tissue on the soil.

07-07-2015, 09:15 PM	#7
burnt toast Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5,245	I have had good success using a Herp nursery too There might be a slight temperature differance from what the Herp says. I use a hair hygrometer (seen them last week on ebay 9.99 incl p and p. I have a variety of thermometers! All say something different! My friend reckons the "alcohol" thermometers are very accurate and pennies.. (they are the glass tube looking type used in fish tanks)

07-07-2015, 10:53 PM	#9
vikki Member Hatched Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Gloucestershire Posts: 456	Good luck I hope all goes well and there will be lots of lovely babies before long

08-07-2015, 08:05 AM	#10
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	I think it says about the temp difference in the booklet so I always used another thermometer which you could read through the front and went by that rather than the reading from the inc. I think the inc thermometer isn't in where the eggs go which is silly especially as they know about the problem, I had good results using one though once you'd got the temp ok, I always used two thermometers as they aren't costly as you don't want to go over 32c. Humidity was always fine with a dish of water on the floor and I wouldn't worry if the humidity varies a bit as the eggs seem to hatch as long as there's some.

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