That is all we can fit in this incubator! LUCKY, our friend John donated a great styrofoam chicken egg incubator. Which works great and is exactly what we currently use!
We hope you enjoy the video!
The red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis [Geochelone] carbonaria) is found throughout much of northern South America. It inhabits savannas and dry forests and, to some degree, humid forests. Sizes vary widely depending on geographic location. Although many adults average around 14 inches straight carapace length, one reaching nearly 20 inches has been recorded. There are also dwarf geographic variants, some of which sport red or orange heads.
Red-footed tortoises dig huge nesting holes. A foothold on either side is established; they’ll place one foot on one while they scoop out the dirt with the other foot. Then they’ll switch feet, scooping with the other one. The nest is often large enough for a substantial portion of the rear of a female’s shell to drop into. She will dig beneath herself as far as her rear feet will reach, so when she begins to lay her eggs she can push the eggs forward to allow room for others.
Once the hole is complete, the female redfoot will begin dropping the eggs, repositioning them as they are laid. During the egg-laying, she will be in a “trance,” staring straight ahead.
According to Reptile Magazine, because red-footed tortoises and yellow-footed tortoises are capable of producing eggs at any time during the year, a nesting area or chamber should always be available. A restless female wandering around the enclosure looking for a nesting site is the most obvious sign that eggs are on the way.
Most females seem to nest in the evening and prefer areas with moist substrate. Sometimes they dig a hole and walk away from the nest without depositing eggs. Fill this test hole back in, and the female will most likely nest in that area in the next day or so. Red-footed and yellow-footed tortoise nests appear to be shallower than other species’ nests. Occasionally eggs are barely covered. Females can produce several clutches a year. Clutch sizes vary from one to 13 eggs, but three to eight is the norm.
Before digging up the eggs, set your incubator to maintain a temperature between 84 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit. Purchase a digital minimum-maximum thermometer with a probe, which you should place in the incubator next to the eggs so you can monitor the temperature. Just like with other tortoise species, temperatures at the lower end of the acceptable range produce males, and temperatures at the higher end produce females. Temperatures in the middle produce a mix of the sexes.
When your incubator is set, prepare the tortoise egg container. Fill it halfway with moist vermiculite, and use equal weights of vermiculite and water to obtain the optimum moisture content. Carefully dig up the eggs, and be sure not to rotate or flip them because this can suffocate the embryo. Use a soft-lead pencil to mark the date and an “X” on the top to help you remember the correct orientation. Bury tortoise eggs halfway in the vermiculite.
A lid on the tortoise egg container is not necessary if you can keep humidity in the incubator between 70 and 80 percent. You can accomplish this by occasionally misting the vermiculite, and keeping a deli cup of water and/or a moist sponge in the incubator. Open the incubator daily to give the eggs fresh air. Incubation times vary for both red-footed tortoises and yellow-footed tortoises, but 120 to 190 days is typical, and 145 days is average.
Old-hand gardeners know for best success indoor cactus and succulent plants require a certain amount of neglect.
We Adopt ~ Breed ~ Rescue ~ Transport ~ Rehabilitate
Crazy Critters Inc. is a Private Non-Profit, 501(c)3, Exotic Animal Rescue and Sanctuary. Our Wildlife Facility is located in Eustis, Florida. We provide permanent homes to over 200 animals including lizards, turtles, skinks, geckos, birds, and assorted wildlife. Crazy Critters Inc. was established to provide non-domestic, non-releasable animals with a safe and permanent home.
Mostly Tortoises and Turtles call Crazy Critters Inc. home. What makes us unique is that after adoption, Crazy Critters Inc. continues to share the lives of the pets on social media. Providing an additional continued connection. When an animal finds its way to Crazy Critters, it has found a forever home.
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