help i think my ibera layed an egg

[lozzy2k1]

while i was at work today my mum came home about 4pm to find what looks like an egg in my turkish spur thighs house under the heat lamp and her sat next to it? this is something i have not researched as i didn't plan on breeding or not just yet i think my tortoise is about 5 which i thought was too young? she (i think its a she) has seemed no different to usual apart from been eating more but we changed her heat bulb so put it down to that. Can i touch it if its an egg do i need to remove it? will there be more? do i need to go to vets? She has been in contact with another tortoise but not in last month or so. they play in garden together ( same breed i bought 3 together and one died and the other started butting her so i seperated them but they usually ok in garden.
I would be greatful if someone can give me advice and any links to get advice my local reptile shop is closed till thursday so cant even ask them for advice
Thank you so much

[sandy]

Originally Posted by lozzy2k1

while i was at work today my mum came home about 4pm to find what looks like an egg in my turkish spur thighs house under the heat lamp and her sat next to it? this is something i have not researched as i didn't plan on breeding or not just yet i think my tortoise is about 5 which i thought was too young? she (i think its a she) has seemed no different to usual apart from been eating more but we changed her heat bulb so put it down to that. Can i touch it if its an egg do i need to remove it? will there be more? do i need to go to vets? She has been in contact with another tortoise but not in last month or so. they play in garden together ( same breed i bought 3 together and one died and the other started butting her so i seperated them but they usually ok in garden.
I would be greatful if someone can give me advice and any links to get advice my local reptile shop is closed till thursday so cant even ask them for advice
Thank you so much

I would make sure its an egg before doing anything:0)
It could be a bladder stone passed.
If it is an egg, you need to remove it, as otherwise the torts will smash it moving around. Which makes a mess:0)
Laying eggs goes by size not age:0)
Most keepers in the UK grow their tortoises quickly, so they reach laying age quicker.
Tortoises can retain sperm for up to three years:0)

[lozzy2k1]

how do i know? it looks like a chicken egg but a little smaller lol :/ and its a similar colour but lighter

[sandy]

Originally Posted by lozzy2k1

how do i know? it looks like a chicken egg but a little smaller lol :/ and its a similar colour but lighter

Pick it up, and if its a bladder stone it will be sort of crumbly to touch, and egg feels like an egg:0)

[sandy]

Originally Posted by sandy

Pick it up, and if its a bladder stone it will be sort of crumbly to touch, and egg feels like an egg:0)

If an egg and you want to incubate, then you need an airing cupboard or a heated propagator temporarily until you can get an incubator or make one.

[lozzy2k1]

it feels like a normal egg. i have an airing cupboard i was tyold to put it in soil so shall i put the tub in my airing cupboard

[suttysue]

How egg siting (sorry couldn't resist) hope it works out for you. Please keep us upto date
Gud luk
Sue

[lozzy2k1]

i put it in some soil and kept it how i found it and put in airing cupboard in a tuppaware box for a day or so while i locate a home for it i really wanted to give it a go its just not something i researched as yet as i didn't plan on it happening anytime soon lol. I wondered could i leave it in my torts home if its in a box or something near heat lamp? or stick to airing cupboard. I'm still in shock i just got a phone call at work to say i think ur tortoise laid an egg i wasn't even gonna be home till 9pm

[emma_mcraf]

I got caught out in April when my female laid a surprise egg. Luckily I was suspicious about her gravid behaviour and was able to get hold of an incubator a few hours before she started digging and laid her egg, so it was able to go straight into the incubator. She deposited a further two on the substrate, neither of which were fertile, but the egg that she buried was and it hatched 63 days later.
Good luck with your egg. I hope you can get hold of an incubator soon. Try phoning around all the exotic shops in your area, try Ebay, and if all else fails, you can make your own.
http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...made+incubator

[sandy]

Originally Posted by lozzy2k1

i put it in some soil and kept it how i found it and put in airing cupboard in a tuppaware box for a day or so while i locate a home for it i really wanted to give it a go its just not something i researched as yet as i didn't plan on it happening anytime soon lol. I wondered could i leave it in my torts home if its in a box or something near heat lamp? or stick to airing cupboard. I'm still in shock i just got a phone call at work to say i think ur tortoise laid an egg i wasn't even gonna be home till 9pm

My first ever egg was hatched in an airing cupboard (I then used to have the boiler on from 7oclock in the morning until 9pm, when my children were younger) and seemed enough to incubate the eggs. A female was my first ever hatchling. I then used the cupboard again the next year, and two eggs hatched. After that I got my husband to build an incubator, which I have been using for the last 18yrs. Its still going strong, and Treacle is my first ever boxie hatchling using said incubator:0)