Box turtle eggs

[little98dime]

So today at lunch, I come home to find a box turtle laying eggs... In the middle of my driveway. So now I have them in an incubator and am going to try to hatch them out. Temp is at 84. Humidity is 70. Any tips or major things I should know about these little guys?

 

[gixxer3420]

I dont really have any tips but if they hatch i would like to buy one, two or all of them from you. Please keep me in mind if they hatch and you so decide to sell some.

 

[little98dime]

Will do. I was going to release them, but if someone such as yourself wants them, I'd rather them go to a good home. I may keep one or two for myself, so you are welcome to the rest. Should be a mix of males and females since the temp is set for that.

 

[little98dime]

I just got done reading up on the laws regarding these turtles and I cannot sell them. I will be releasing them once they are hatched and are of sufficient size to be released. In other words, I'll be "head starting" them. I collected them from my driveway, for their safety, with that intention. They will ALL be released.

 

[gixxer3420]

Thank you for letting me know. i just bought a 1.2 breeding group of ornate box turtles. so hopefully I will soon have eggs as well.

 

[little98dime]

No problem. I'll tell you one thing, keeping the temps stable on this home made incubator is god awful hard. Do yourself a favor and buy a good one if you haven't already.

 

[jumper]

It's great little98dime that you are helping those eggs out. :main_thumbsup:

 

[gitrdone0420]

No problem. I'll tell you one thing, keeping the temps stable on this home made incubator is god awful hard. Do yourself a favor and buy a good one if you haven't already.

That would be why you buy a good incubator.. I was really skeptical on your "Home made" one. I guess its a good thing that you're doing, but I just would have moved them or left them alone. Good luck...

 

[little98dime]

Thanks. Yeah its a good thing I did what I did. We had a hard freeze right after and last night.

 

[little98dime]

That would be why you buy a good incubator.. I was really skeptical on your "Home made" one. I guess its a good thing that you're doing, but I just would have moved them or left them alone. Good luck...

Well, it wouldn't be a problem if I could use one of my thermostats. I am having to use a dimmer switch. But the temps are finally stable at 84. They didn't go above 86 or below 82 though. For a home made one, its very accurate once the temps are set. Its getting them set that was hard. Wouldn't have been an issue if I had kept it running and the temps already set.

 

[Ratman667]

Read this.

Most recommend the temperature to be set between 25°C (77°F) and 28°C (82°F). There is some evidence that the lower temps produce more males and higher temps.. .more females. If the temps are too high shell deformities (such as extra scutes) will occur. In the past I have set the temperature to 26.7°C (80°F) and got a mix of males and females without deformities.

 

[little98dime]

Interesting. Everywhere I looked said 82 to 86 with 84 being a mix. I'll look into it more. Thanks.