You're in > TPG Members Forum > Breeding > Pregnant tort

Pregnant tort
Posted: 15/04/2010 by janice

Advice needed please.

One of my female horsefield tortoises is carrying two eggs at the moment and I have been told by the vet that she should lay in the next week to ten days all being well. I wondered how much weight loss she would be likely to lose when she has laid them. Was too excited and didnt think to ask the vet. I weigh her regularly but do not want to be too intrusive to her or disturb her too much but at the same time need to know when she has laid them. It will be her and our first clutch. We are excited and concerned that we do everything correctly.

Would greatly appreciate any help/information.

Re: Pregnant tort
Posted: 15/04/2010 by TPGDave

Hi there,

Congratulations!

I've just had a quick read up and average Horsfield egg weight appears to be around the 22-25 gram mark. If you take into consideration a bit of fluid loss at the same time, I'd think you should notice a loss around the 50 gram mark.

Re: Pregnant tort
Posted: 15/04/2010 by janice

Thanks for that Dave. Greatly appreciated.

We wait with baited breath for Jet to lay her eggs.

Janice

Re: Pregnant tort
Posted: 16/04/2010 by tpgAli

Hi Janice,

Great news!Click and drag me down to the editor One of my horsfields laid 5 eggs and altogether they weighed up at over 100g :-) Has she started digging yet? If not you can help her by making an area of deep sand soil for her dig in. Horsfields get very stroppy and stomp when they are gravid, they will also sniff the ground and can be very aggressive towards the males especially so watch and observe carefully, just a word of advice...if she is in with males and she is trying to dig then you need to keep them away cos mine are always rampant when the females are trying to dig and i end up shutting them in the greenhouse to keep them away Click and drag me down to the editor Please bare in mind that she could be digging for hours and abandon the nest, this is normal but once she has found the right spot she will lay. It might be an idea to dig the soil over a little bit.

Good luck and please keep us posted

Ali

over due eggs in soil
Posted: 02/08/2014 by lor

over due eggs in soil
Posted: 02/08/2014 by lor

 

web designer: www.beework.net