Hi everyone. Just wanted to report that we have one baby fully emerged but still sitting on her shell and another that has pipped and taking her time! Just wondered exactly what we do next as this is our first clutch and we have another 5 eggs to pip! At what point do we remove our new baby and put her into the tortoise table. Do we need to do anything straight away such as offer food or water? The lamp is on and happy to report the temperature is 32.4 degrees in the hot spot and currently 24.7 in the cooler end. Any advice at this very eggciting time would be very gratefully received. Many thanks TPG...this forum in invaluable.
Nicole

Hi Nicole,

Congratulations!!!
That's excellent news:-)

Wait until the tortoise is completely out of the egg and then bathe him/her to ensure good hydration. You can then place your new addition in the tortoise table. Babies often don't eat for the first couple of days (so don't worry), but offer food just in case.

HTH & Congratulations again

TC
Darren

Thats eggcellent news Nicole.  I had my first eggs hatch in June and have four more in the in incubator due to hatch in Aug.

Dont be tempted to help them out, some of mine took about three days to hatch, it gives the egg sack time to be fully absorbed.  I weighed them first and then as Darren said I bathed and offered some food.

Cant wait to see some pictures

Vivienne

Hi Vivienne
Thanks for your tips. 'Miffy' has been trundling around her rabbit cage tortoise table. She has enjoyed being under the lamp for the majority of the time. We bathed her and she drank which was good to see. We have offered food but no interest yet. She weighs 12g..tiny but a perfect minature and amazingly strong..it really is such a miracle to witness. We have 'July' due to fully emerge next and then another 5 to go. I am already tired from a sleepless night last night with all the excitement! Will upload some pictures soon.
Nicole

Thanks Darren...I thought I had lost her...when I next checked the incubator there was an empty shell and no baby! After a good look I found her buried under the vermiculite! We took her to the table...where she looked soooo minature and popped her in a warm shallow bath and she dipped her head and drank which was pleasing to see. It is soo exciting...she is so strong. I hope the others have a good experience in their hatchling like Miffy. Fingers crossed and will keep you updated.
Nicole

Fingers crossed for the other eggs:-)

Hi Vivienne
I am surprised by the different experiences I have been having in the egg hatching rates. What were the time differences between your eggs pipping and fully emerging. Also how were your hatchlings during thier first hours/days in their new environment. Our new little baby buried herself in the substrate and has not emerged since...it is now 10.30am and the lamp has been on for 4 hours. Did you experience any of this behaviour?
Nicole

Hi Nicole,

I found that when I first noticed the egg pip it took 3 days before the baby emerged.  One of them did it in less than two days but the egg sack was quite big so I put it in a little pot with moist kitchen tissue and kept it in the incubator over night and the next morning the egg sack had been absorbed, if I had left it on the vermiculate it could have ruptured and got infected.

Like you I put them straight in the tortoise table on soil/playsand and I couldnt believe how strong their natural instinct to bury or hide themselves was.  In the mornings I had to look for them, their favourite spot was dug right under the slate, I used to get them up and bathed, but after a couple of weeks they are out before the lamps come on!

I have just checked the four eggs in the incubator and found one pipping, typical I am going on hols tomorrow, so I bet the other three will start while I'm away, I have something else to brief my son on!!

Vivienne

Hi Vivienne
I am really interested to read your experiences, and am I right in believing that it was your first clutch of eggs too? What an experience and amazing that you were able to deal with the attached egg sack. A silly question but what part of the hatchling is the egg sack actually attached to? So you think it would be OK for me to dig Miffy up and bath her? I feel bad doing this...what would happen if we left her? Isen't that typical that one of your eggs have pipped...lets hope your son is well trained! I would be a nervous wreck :o) I am sure after we have got this lot through, if we are luck to have any future clutches we will sail through! Do you put your babies outside? What point do you tend to do this....assuming we have one of those rare sunny days!
Many thanks for your experiences and have a happy holiday and hope you come back to lots of healthy new hatchlings.
Nicole

Hi Nicole, yes this was my first clutch that have hatched, Rose did lay before but they werent fertile.  I had 5 hatch at the beginning of June, and another four from her that she layed 2months after!

The egg sack is attached underneath they sit on them in the egg and is attached where we have our belly button!! If you look at your babies plastron (underside) you will see where it has been and has closed up.

I think it would be perfectly safe to dig Miffy up, bathe her and put her under the basking lamp, she probably instinctively that the weather isnt too good and is sleeping through, plus she is a new born she needs her sleep!! Lol

I put the babies out at as soon as the sun comes out, but only when I am in and can watch the weather.  Their outdoor enclosure is a smaller plastic indoor rabbit cage with bars over, I have put in slate to bask and lots of hides for them to escape the sun not forgetting a shallow dish of water.  I leave them out for as long as I can, they are like different torts charging around, as one hour of natural sun is worth a whole day under a lamp!!

I hope to come back to at least 3 new babies, I think the fourth egg is infertile.  I will try and post some pics of all the baby Margies when I come back.

Regards Vivienne

Hi Vivienne
Wow, another 4 eggs only two months after your original 5...I bet that was unexpected or did you know Rose was still gravid? I am also interested to hear you say you think one of the current eggs may be infertile...how do you suspect that? I have looked at our remaining eggs and another two have pipped so only three to go after that and I have wondered if any are infertile. I am also very interested about what you have said in regards to the location of the egg sack. The baby that has been trying to hatch since Friday morning actually has the shell attached to her back! I have picked her up and her full plastron and legs etc is clear and visable yet the shell remains suck on her back...do you think I should put her in the tortoise table and offer food and a bath...maybe that would help shed the shell. I am worried it is stuck on her and she will die of starvation or something. I am really keen to know how to react. I will send a message to Darren also as I am not sure when you are going off on your hols. Good luck with the new clutch..I look forward to hearing from you when you get back with some good news and piccies.
Thanks for all your advice,
Nicole

Hi Nicole, no I didnt know Rose was still gravid, but interestingly with this last four she actually dug her first hole and buried them, all the other eggs she has laid on the ground in her heated wooden hut!

Regarding the infertile egg, I have candled it, that is to shine one of those small 'maglite' tortches on the egg and with the fertile eggs you can see red veins and sometimes the baby moving, but the infertile eggs just looks empty, with the yolk settled at the bottom.  But I will leave for a while, it will either explode (yuk!) or a baby might emerge, I will see how it goes.

With your baby that has the shell stuck to her back, it is best to bathe the baby and letting the shell on top get moist, you should then be able to gently ease the egg shell off. She sounds fine and ready to put into the tortoise table.

I travel today so luck forward to hearing about your babies and other eggs next Tues.  Regards Vivienne

Hi Vivienne
Thats interesting regarding the candling, I have heard of that. Good luck and fingers crossed a baby emerges rather than a nasty explosion!
I did as you suggested and soaked off the shell that had become stuck on the hatchlings back. I think I could have got away with doing it a day ago really, her shell is deformed at the front, it is indented where the shell has stuck into the softness of the shell. Do you think it will puff back out? I put her on the table and she had a bath and a good drink and even ate-which was unexpected but I think she was more than overdue, she is only 9g!! Anyway regardless of that she is lovely and has quite a character and enjoying the company of her sibbling which is a joy to see. Well I look forward to touching base with you when you get back and hopefully we can both report successful hatchings. Enjoy your holiday...bet you are in need after all this! Have fun
Nicole