Bee laid eggs today :-)

[Meer Kat]

Hi there, I'm new to this forum. Ive got two spur thighed tortoises about 4 years old, Bumblebee AKA Bee a female and Houdini a male (called that because he is a great escape artist!!!!).
I've been closely following your forum and have found it very helpful over the last few weeks, as my female has been very agitated and virtually constantly digging, I separated Houdini and provided a nesting area. I was beginning to worry I might have to get a vet involved as she kept abandoning holes but today bless her she spent hours digging a fantastic hole and laid 7 eggs, luckily I was there and caught it all on camera

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h7afxanh93...2014.59.11.jpg

I ordered an incubator at the weekend as I knew she was trying to lay but she was one step ahead and it won't arrive until thurs or fri. So in the meantime I brought a small popogator, put vermiculite in along with an egg cup of water. It is sat on a small heat mat with a light directed on top. The temp probe is laid on the vermiculite next to the eggs and I've set a parameter alarm but the average temp is 30. Will this be sufficient for a few days I don't have a humidity detector at this point.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ajn8ufaa8f...19.37.01-1.jpg

My other concern that Bee is only 4 and she weighs 760g, as I carefully took the eggs out I weighed each one...there was 1 @ 5g, 1 @ 6g, 3 @ 7g and 2 @ 8g, are these weights far too low to hatch successfully?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I hope the pictures work

[Meer Kat]

Ooooh just seen a post right from the beginning saying that tortoises shouldn't breed until they are at least 6 yrs old and bigger in size
I have had them for 3 years and I am only making an assumption they are 4, they were about the size of a hens egg when I brought them. I was naive at this point and I do not know their full history or when they were hatched. I didn't even know what sex they were till last year and their size and characteristics has highlighted a male and female. They have happily been living together, but separated when he is a bit boisterous. I had no idea about breeding and eggs till she got restless and started digging holes two weeks ago.
Now I feel bad for her, will it do her any harm?

[burnt toast]

Hi welcome & congratulations on the eggs Your set up sounds fine for them. As for weights I cant advise im afraid ( as never weighed any of my eggs + don't keep spurs) but I think the eggs & hatchlings tend to get bigger the more they lay. One of my THHerc females laid for the first time this summer & the resulting baby only weighed 6 grams. Good luck & keep us posted.

[lonelylayla]

Originally Posted by Meer Kat

Hi there, I'm new to this forum. Ive got two spur thighed tortoises about 4 years old, Bumblebee AKA Bee a female and Houdini a male (called that because he is a great escape artist!!!!).
I've been closely following your forum and have found it very helpful over the last few weeks, as my female has been very agitated and virtually constantly digging, I separated Houdini and provided a nesting area. I was beginning to worry I might have to get a vet involved as she kept abandoning holes but today bless her she spent hours digging a fantastic hole and laid 7 eggs, luckily I was there and caught it all on camera



I ordered an incubator at the weekend as I knew she was trying to lay but she was one step ahead and it won't arrive until thurs or fri. So in the meantime I brought a small popogator, put vermiculite in along with an egg cup of water. It is sat on a small heat mat with a light directed on top. The temp probe is laid on the vermiculite next to the eggs and I've set a parameter alarm but the average temp is 30. Will this be sufficient for a few days I don't have a humidity detector at this point.



My other concern that Bee is only 4 and she weighs 760g, as I carefully took the eggs out I weighed each one...there was 1 @ 5g, 1 @ 6g, 3 @ 7g and 2 @ 8g, are these weights far too low to hatch successfully?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I hope the pictures work

Hello and welcome to the forum!! Unfortunately your pictures did not come through - there is a sticky in the "pictures" forum which helps to do it (voice of experience ) What species of spur thigh do you have? Seven eggs - wow Sure someone more experienced should be along soon, but would have thought that the eggs are worth a go. Until the incubator arrives, sure I have read of someone using a propagator - humidity is important so make sure you keep the water in there - possibly a larger quantity, maybe a marg tub? What sort of temperature are you achieving? Not sure about the light above - not heard of that one before - hope it won't cook the eggies Looking forward to photos

[burnt toast]

Unfortunately your pictures didn't show up This link should hopefully help you:
http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...ad.php?t=29355

[egyptiandan64]

They work now

Danny

[alley cat]

Originally Posted by egyptiandan64

They work now

Danny

I would rather have not seen that

[Suze65]

Can I ask what is that attached to the back of the torts shell and why is it there, is it screwed in ? When you say you don't know when they were hatched, did you not get an A10 certificate when you bought them?

[Meer Kat]

Hi, I took the light off and wrapped a towel around it and the temp is sitting at around 31. They are TGG.
The little D ring is glued to their back but is easily removed causing no damage. It is definitely not screwed as I would never do that to my tortoises. They have an indoor and out door pen, but I use the D ring to tether them so they can free reign when I go down to my allotment, so they can eat more of a variety of weeds and flowers I plant for them down there. It is not suitable to build a proper pen, I lost my male for two days down there last year which really upset me, so the ring is to ensure they are safely kept on my allotment and don't wonder off.
I brought them from an article in preloved 3 years ago, did not realise I needed appropriate certificates at the time. The lady was very nice and I completely fell in love with them I never thought anything of it. She said she had brought them but didn't have the time to look after them properly, so I rightly or wrongly brought them. Stupid now I know! I obviously do know now to sell any off spring I need paperwork for them both. I have got the forms to send off, I'm just in the process of finding a local reptile vet who will nano microchip them each and then I will get the forms sent off. I have no intention of getting rid of my two tortoises or selling them on, so that's not a problem for me with the type of certificate I can obtain. But I can't bring myself not to incubate the eggs either and give them a fitting chance at life if they work.
Sorry my picture upset you

[Suze65]

I might be wrong but your tort looks like a testudo graeca ibera, may be dan or some one else will come along to confirm the subspecies . Like I've said I might be wrong.