Day 66 embryo dead in shell?

[Eddie]

Hi,

I posted recently about my 3 eggs and concerns over them not developing, two of them had changed colour.

The one egg that remained white at day 46 is still white now at day 66, but when candled still seemed empty...

I decided to slight turn the egg to get a closer look at the darker base. This is what it looked like..



To me, it looked like this was possibly fertile but has since died in the egg and stopped developing?

[Gordon]

[Gordon]

Yes it has died sorry

[Gordon]

The picture has come up now I copied it.

[emma_mcraf]

That's so sad. I'm really sorry you've lost the little one.

[Eddie]

I thought so unfortunately. I am now kicking myself thinking it is likely something I have done or not done. These are my first eggs.

Could it be that they were my girls first clutch?

I wasn't quite prepared for eggs and I was away. My dad put them in the airing cupboard with a lamp shining on them. I'm worried this may have over heated them.

After 24 hours they were in the incubator on dry vermiculite with temps constantly between 30-32.

I struggled with humidity to begin with and it was very up and down. At times rising to 90 odd briefly and then as low as 50, but mostly kept between 60-80. I only had a small shot glass of water as any more meant the humidity shot up.

I have been using Herp Nursery 2 reptile incubator.

Any help needed please...

[Gordon]

I wouldn't beat yourself up over it unfortunately it happens I have had a very bad year with eggs and I know quite a few other people who have had similar problems It won't of been anything you or your father did at the start as it has started to grow.

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Eddie

I thought so unfortunately. I am now kicking myself thinking it is likely something I have done or not done. These are my first eggs.

Could it be that they were my girls first clutch?

I wasn't quite prepared for eggs and I was away. My dad put them in the airing cupboard with a lamp shining on them. I'm worried this may have over heated them.

After 24 hours they were in the incubator on dry vermiculite with temps constantly between 30-32.

I struggled with humidity to begin with and it was very up and down. At times rising to 90 odd briefly and then as low as 50, but mostly kept between 60-80. I only had a small shot glass of water as any more meant the humidity shot up.

I have been using Herp Nursery 2 reptile incubator.

Any help needed please...

Just use this experience as a learning curve, non of us get it right all the time. Personally I never worry about humidity when incubating tortoise eggs, as long as you have a container of water in with them, they will hatch if everything else is good. What you need is a wide topped container for the water, it does not have to bee that deep, but the wider it is the better the humidity.
At least you now know not what to do:0)
I have had more problems with boxie eggs, as they need a high humidity to hatch:0)

[Eddie]

Thank you Sandy and Gordon. I'll try not to blame myself too much then. Keeping my fingers crossed she lays a second clutch this year so I can give it another go.