I only have two eggs left, out of 8 laid by my female Hermann's Tortoise in two clutches of 4 eggs each. The clutches were laid about 2 weeks apart and I expected the egg from the first clutch to hatch next week or the week after. Surprisingly, the only one that was actually fertile from the first clutch hatched this evening. I am pretty happy to see it made it all the way to hatching since that particular egg had a crack running around it for about 3/4 of its widest circumference. Luckily the inner membrane was apparently never torn and the baby seems to have developed okay.
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| Hermann's Tortoise, hatching on July 29, 2011. Click image to enlarge it. |
With the tortoise back in the incubator, it is time to make sure we have everything ready for the Appleseed Shoot tomorrow.
All the best,
Glenn B
4 comments:
Okay that is absolutely amazing!!
We practically do the same things...as the eggs in the nest I mark with an x to make sure the mama hen is rotating it!
I am impressed with your little hatchling!
Jen
Different reason for the X wih reptiles though; it is to make sure they always stay the same way up. Turning the eggs can kill the embryo. This is not as critical in tortoise eggs as it is in snake eggs but I was not taking chances because at a certain stage of development, as I understand, turning the egg over can also kill a tortoise embryo.
All the best,
GB
I had no idea! Wow, the more I learn, the less I know! Funny how that works!
Are you going to raise them and or sell them or ?
Jen
Jn,
Legally, under federal law, they cannot be sold until 4" in length. The FDA, the agency that controls that law,bdoes mention an exception for hobbyist breeders. The thing is, NY State has a similar law and I am none too sure they have the same exception. So, I may have it for a year or more before being able to sell it legally. Of course, that does not mean I cannot trade it or gift it. I think though, since it is the first one, I may have to keep it. Maybe the 2nd one will be sold, if it hatches but like with chickens, you cannot count em until the eggs hatch, so I cannot say yet!
All the best,
GB
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