Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just caught one of my female red foots laying her first clutch of 3 eggs. Just curious how I go about determining fertility. I know I'm just going to incubate them no matter what but I'd be nice to know that they are fertile. Thanks!

You will need to incubate the eggs for 3-4 weeks first, then candle them to see if you can see blood vessels developing. If there are, then the eggs are fertile. If not, they are infertile. You can candle the eggs without even moving them or picking them up by using a mini maglite. Place the light at one side of the egg and look at the other side. Gradually move the light around the circumference of the egg. In a fertile egg, you will see a red spot (the blood spot) first. In a more developed egg, you will see a circular red vessel (the halo), and in a more developed egg, you will see a number of blood vessels. It is important not to move the eggs vigorously, because if the blood vessels become detached from the embryo by the motion, it will die.

After a few days into incubation say 5 days to a week a white band will appear on the eggs Thats the first sign that the eggs is / are fertile

Refer to link to see what I meant

Blood vessels only show clearly or big enough to see much later like what Dr Zovick say in the previous thread 3 wks into incubation
Enclose is a pic of a tortoise embyro at 23 days into incubation

Link

Thanks to both of you! This will be my first clutch of "hard shelled" eggs. I've hatched lizard and python eggs but never tortoise eggs so I wasn't sure how different it was. I will be anxiously waiting to see what turns up! Thanks!

Since my Cherry Head are still too young to breed and give me eggs I cant help you on the necessary temp , humidity ...etc on that species for incubating the eggs

Hope all turn out OK

Those are very nice! I found some good info on humidity and temp (84F for mixed sex). I have a trio that I bought about 6 years ago as hatchlings. I attached a pic of my female that laid the eggs. I love these guys! So much spunk. They attack my shoelaces when I bring in their food if I don't lay it down fast enough! I also have a leopard and I will be getting a large 100lb male sulcata in the near future. I have 2 acres of land that I am fencing it off into different habitats for each species.

I got mine at 3 inch SCL about 2 years back So would be a few more years before they lay any eggs

I have 5 of them and a few other species of chelonian as well

All the best with those eggs

This is what you want to see later.