Posted by:
kensopher
at Sat Jun 10 12:44:59 2006 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by kensopher ]
Thanks Steph. This smell is pretty powerful, so I'm going to use this stuff in the garden and go buy a new bag for the eggs...just in case.
My success rate for eggs removed from road kills is about 50/50. It's a little higher with box turtles simply because of the time of day when I typically find road killed box turtles. Other species seem to cross the roads more often when it's hotter and the sun is direct. The eggs from this situation don't last but a few minutes in the hot sun. That is the key! The eggs must remain relatively cool. It really doesn't matter if the turtle has been dead for a while. Amazingly, I've hatched babies from rigored turtles, especially if the cavity is open and the eggs received some air. The tools I recommend...GLOVES, scalpal or razor blade, eyelash scissors, container, sphagnum moss(good for a bouncy car ride), and a bottle of water. You'd be amazed at how many eggs you can accumulate doing this, and further by how many you hatch.
I feel fairly comfortable sharing this info. on the forum...honestly, I wish more people would try to salvage these little victims. Think about it, one adult female with 5 eggs. The eggs may be perfectly good. It would be a shame to have potentially 6 dead turtles. Just record the roadway, a mile marker, road sign, or some identifier and release the babies in the general vicinity when they hatch. Hopefully, there is suitable habitat several hundred yards from the road. If not, you'll have to use your best judgement. You may want to contact your local wildlife agency to ask them how they'd like you to handle releasing. I know you work with your local agency regularly Steph, this is just a general statement for anyone else desiring to do this.
One potential problem with this activity is the release of pathogens acquired at your home into the wild. I do what I can. I maintain my eggs in nearly aseptic conditions. Then, I release the babies directly from the incubation container into the wild. I do not headstart. Although, if I ever get some turtles that are a species of special concern I will contact an authority to find out if they'd like to headstart. I wouldn't even touch a Bog turtles' eggs, even if I found one d.o.r. I'd know who to call about that.
If there is no suitable habitat in which to release the babies, they are adopted out.
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RE: Egg incubation? i.e. vermiculite - kensopher, Sat Jun 10 12:44:59 2006
