About Our Tortoises, Part III
In December 2007, Sabby laid 3 eggs. We placed the eggs in small Really Useful Boxes on a bed of moist vermiculite and then put the small boxes inside another plastic box of moist vermiculite. Ventilation holes were punched in the outer plastic box to ensure air flow for the eggs. The egg box was placed on a heating pad for 6 days. When the Hovabator incubator arrived, we put the egg box inside at a temperature of approximately 85°F.
Egg #1 was extremely large and it was obvious that it probably would not hatch. But, we incubated it anyway to see what might happen. We candled the eggs with a small flashlight every few days to see if the eggs were developing. Egg #2 and #3 developed normally, as shown in the photos on the RussianTortoise.net website. Egg #1 did develop at all.
Egg #3 (Herbie) pipped after 62 days. It took 2 additional days for Herbie to fully hatch.
Egg #2 (Dorie) pipped after 66 days. Dorie hatched by 10pm the day he pipped.
Herbie was offered water from a tennis can lid the day he hatched. He took a nice long drink. He nipped at a piece of dandelion the day after hatching, but did not eat for another day.
Dorie took a long drink of water the moring after hatching. He also began eating a mixture of zucchini, carrot, dandelion, and lettuce immediately.
Herbie and Dorie have been extremely healthy babies. Both babies were confirmed to be males at approximaly 1.5 years of age.
Sabby went on to lay 5 more eggs in June & July of 2008. All 5 hatched successfully.