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Posted by nathana on April 14, 2003 at 08:58:38:
In Reply to: Re: surprise hatchlings!! HELP!! posted by guamturtle on April 13, 2003 at 16:56:40:
In the future, avoid helping a turtle hatch. As I understand it from more scientific folk than myself, they have tiny blood vessels that run around the egg, and their slow hatching allows them to free themselves of connections to it and heal over time, rather than one large shock. In my own experience (since I know little of eggs or hatchling physiology) many hatchlings I've "helped" hatch have gotten ill or died soon after my assistance (before I was told not to by someone I trusted of course).
Congrats on the youngsters. I would highly recommend you start them off NOW with feeding in a separate container. It's so easy at this age, and you can use a very small container for it. Starting with it daily now, will also let them get comfortable with being moved, and knowing that food is available in the feeding bins. This helps when they begin to get hungry. I'm not sure for muds, but for basking aquatics and boxies usually a few days to a week after the disappearance of the yolk they will begin eating with gusto, instead of the few timid bites they take before that.
Good luck! (also, I find while they are getting their "sea legs" that using a cat litter pan with shallow water and a rock that I can clean every day is easier than setting up a tank with a filter and such suited to their weak bodies and ungainly swimming ability)
