This is a common problem among tortoise breeders. When the humidity is too high it seems the eggs absorb too much water and eventually explode.

It is always better to keep the eggs too dry than too moist.

I've gotten into the habit of moistening the substrate to 2 : 1 by weight substrate to water and then not adding any water after the initial moistening.

On the worms... I've never had any luck with cracked eggs unless the tortoise was developed enough to survive outside the egg to begin with or the inner membrane has not been compromised.


>>I am having a problem with my redfoot eggs.They are in a hoverbator incubator where the temp is kept at 88 degrees (based on two thermometers)and the humidity is kept between 70 and 80 percent (harder to regulate). Recently several eggs have developed cracks horizontally About half way up the egg wich then weep clear fluid mixed with a little blood. To make matters worse they also attracted small white worms (Maggots)feeding on this fluid. I cracked open the first two to see what was going on and found two almost, but not quite ready to hatch tortoises sitting on large yolk sacs. They didnt appear to be alive (no odor) but no movement was seen either. I dicovered another one cracked today and removed it from the incubator and washed it well with warm water to rid it of the parasites but Im not sure what to do. This is my third year trying to incubate eggs and so far the most successful until now. Please help me with any information or advice on what I believe are my main two problems.
>>1) How do I keep the eggs from cracking?
>>2) How do I get rid of the worms without damaging the rest of the eggs?
>>I and my 5 year old daughter(partner in tortoising) thank everyone in advance for their help.
>>Paul and Marne' Quigg
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

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