My redfoot laid an EGG! H*LP!

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Posted by Elizabeth on October 25, 2000 at 13:21:07:

Persephone, my big redfoot, laid an EGG last night!!! I had no warning of this -- she's
been eating like a pig, acting normally. I went out to her pen to
fetch her in at about 5:30 (it's been in the 80s here, so she's still outside during the day) to find that she had assumed the position over a hole she
had dug! I nearly freaked. I hung around for a while, but nothing
was happening, so I left her there.

An hour later I returned with a flashlight to find that still, nothing
had happened. I picked her up, and there was mucus all over her tail.
I took her inside, added fresh topsoil to her big digging box, dug
her a hole, and positioned her over it just as she had been outside.
She seemed distracted by my presence (she's really friendly, and she
usually comes over to me for petting -- she seemed to half want to do
that, and half stay over the hole) so I left.

An hour later I came back in, and lo and behold -- AN EGG!! Nearly 2"
across, perfectly white, nearly round, nice and hard, and looking
great! So far, no others, but we're on alert.

I couldn't quite bring myself to throw it out, so I put it in a
styrofoam box in moist topsoil on a heating pad. I have a remote
sensor in there and it's 84-86 F. I was careful not to turn it --
it's in the same orientation as it was laid.

So . . How long can tortoises store sperm? Is there ANY chance this is fertile? I don't know a
lot about Persephone's history (she's a rescue), but I know this:

She's been with me 1 year -- no contact with male torts.

Before that she lived with a male gopher tort for 3-6 years at a local children's museum (whose recordkeeping was
non-existent) and also spent time at the Zoo during that period (similarly poor records), where they may or may not have
had a male redfoot -- no one seems to know. Her care during this period was not great -- 2x5 foot stock tank, adequate but not great
diet, etc.

Anyway, I feel great, b/c this means she's HAPPY! :-) I knew she
was (it's hard to miss with her), but it really makes me feel good
about her environment. The zoo/museum said she never laid ONCE when she was there.

But I need to know if I should go on incubating this. Is there a chance that it's fertile?

Elizabeth, Beasley and Persephone

Beasley and Persephone's Redfoot Pages

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Re: My redfoot laid an EGG! H*LP! Annie Lancaster-TortoiseAId 10/25/00 (0)

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: Persephone, my big redfoot, laid an EGG last night!!! I had no warning of this -- she's : been eating like a pig, acting normally. I went out to her pen to : fetch her in at about 5:30 (it's been in the 80s here, so she's still outside during the day) to find that she had assumed the position over a hole she : had dug! I nearly freaked. I hung around for a while, but nothing : was happening, so I left her there. : An hour later I returned with a flashlight to find that still, nothing : had happened. I picked her up, and there was mucus all over her tail. : I took her inside, added fresh topsoil to her big digging box, dug : her a hole, and positioned her over it just as she had been outside. : She seemed distracted by my presence (she's really friendly, and she : usually comes over to me for petting -- she seemed to half want to do : that, and half stay over the hole) so I left. : An hour later I came back in, and lo and behold -- AN EGG!! Nearly 2" : across, perfectly white, nearly round, nice and hard, and looking : great! So far, no others, but we're on alert. : I couldn't quite bring myself to throw it out, so I put it in a : styrofoam box in moist topsoil on a heating pad. I have a remote : sensor in there and it's 84-86 F. I was careful not to turn it -- : it's in the same orientation as it was laid. : So . . How long can tortoises store sperm? Is there ANY chance this is fertile? I don't know a : lot about Persephone's history (she's a rescue), but I know this: : She's been with me 1 year -- no contact with male torts. : Before that she lived with a male gopher tort for 3-6 years at a local children's museum (whose recordkeeping was : non-existent) and also spent time at the Zoo during that period (similarly poor records), where they may or may not have : had a male redfoot -- no one seems to know. Her care during this period was not great -- 2x5 foot stock tank, adequate but not great : diet, etc. : : Anyway, I feel great, b/c this means she's HAPPY! :-) I knew she : was (it's hard to miss with her), but it really makes me feel good : about her environment. The zoo/museum said she never laid ONCE when she was there. : But I need to know if I should go on incubating this. Is there a chance that it's fertile? : Elizabeth, Beasley and Persephone

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