Has anyone here used the "no substrate" method (eggs sit on grid over water) for incubation of box turtle eggs? It is used successfully with so many other reptiles, I was wondering...
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Sloop John B
MORELIA TROPHY CLUB
moreliapython.googlepages.com/
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"no-substrate" method for BT incubation
terrapene
Jun 12, 2008 12:57 PM
Replies (4)
PHBoxTurtle
Jun 12, 2008 06:56 PM
>>Has anyone here used the "no substrate" method (eggs sit on grid over water) for incubation of box turtle eggs? It is used successfully with so many other reptiles, I was wondering...
Good question-I suppose if a person used one of those very expensive zoo incubators where temp and humdity can be maintained within a few degrees and percentage points-they could try. I'll ask some zoo people I know. But I don't think it would be a viable option for the typical keeper to incubate box turtle eggs due to the egg's thin, flexible shells. They would lose a lot of moisture without the surrounding bedding to keep moisture close-in. The eggs that I have seen incubated without a medium are usually hard shelled and from arid species.
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Tess Cook
www.boxturtlesite.info
golfdiva
Jun 13, 2008 10:45 AM
Along a similar line, can one use a chicken incubator to hatch turtle eggs? I recently got a chicken incubator (for my chicken eggs of course! lol!) and was wondering if it could be used in the unlikely event I got some turtle eggs.
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0.1.0 ornate box turtle
1.0.0 eastern box turtle
1.0.0 Yellow belly slider
0.1.0 Red belly cooter
0.1.0 Australian shepard
1.11.0 chickens
1.0.0 Dutch(rabbit)
3.2.0 children (do I still count the married ones?)
1.0.0 husband
StephF
Jun 13, 2008 12:08 PM
Here's something to consider: hatchlings frequently exit the egg with a sizable yolk. Would that yolk tear easily on the wire mesh that is found in some incubators? A torn yolk can spell doom for a brand new turtle, so I don't think that I'd risk it.
golfdiva
Jun 13, 2008 08:20 PM
That's a good point. It would be possible to put a cloth or paper towel or something between the egg and wire. Or does that count as a substrate? lol!
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0.1.0 ornate box turtle
1.0.0 eastern box turtle
1.0.0 Yellow belly slider
0.1.0 Red belly cooter
0.1.0 Australian shepard
1.11.0 chickens
1.0.0 Dutch(rabbit)
3.2.0 children (do I still count the married ones?)
1.0.0 husband
