Reptile & Amphibian Forums

If anyone knows anything about box turtle hatchlings please help. I have now lost 2 babies trying to get out of their shells. What do I do? I have 1 left that is still alive. His head and two front feet are out of the shell. But he is not moving much anymore. I put him in a container ontop of a heating pad on low - in case it was not warm enough for them while trying to get out of their shells. Any advise would be very much appreciated.
Gerri

Do you mean that they are hatching out of shells? What you need to do is leave them alone!! It may take them a few days to completely emerge from the shell, do not intervene.

I am sorry, I just now read your other message. I am confused about why they are dying. First you let nature take its course and a baby died? That doesn't seem right at all. Can you take some pictures of them? Maybe they are premature or something.

Josta,
Thank you for replying to my message. The first two babies just got their heads out of the shell (taking a day of two just for that). Then they died before they got any further out of the shells. I had one left and someone told me it is time to assist in getting him out. So I did - I now have the cutest little thing I have ever seen!!! I honestly believe that if I didnt help him out he too would not have made it. I was told that the humidity in my incubator might not have been high enough because the egg shell was drying out and curling into the babies shell - one actually had his shell crushed by the curling egg shell, I believe this is what killed him. So yes, I understand that the best thing to do is let nature take its course - but in my case I wish I would have acted sooner or I might have had 3 babies instead of just the one. So hopefully the three eggs I have incubating now will not go through the same thing. I will keep you informed.
Thank you Josta,
Gerri