Naturally Hatching Tortoises

Outline

Natural hatching tortoises can be an amazing experience as a keeper if you have the correct environmental parameters. Certain tortoises require certain environments to be able to naturally incubate and hatch healthy and happy baby tortoises within their parents enclosures.

It is our believe, if you can naturally hatch a species of tortoise, you are providing the correct environmental conditions for the animal in question. This demonstrates a solid foundation of care which should be the goal of keeping any of these animals. Your specific environment and climate will guide how easy or difficult it will be to cause the conditions for naturally hatching babies to occur regularly. Naturally hatching babies directly represents a success in keeping these animals.

As stated, this is not always the easiest to accomplish dependent on what species of tortoise or turtle you have.

This is only an outline to make sure you take a moment and appreciate and recognize the little successes of keeping and breeding reptiles.

Our Success

We have successfully and consistently naturally hatched the following species:

Testudo hermanni hercegovinensis

Testudo hermanni boettgeri

Testudo graeca terrestris

Testudo graeca ibera

Testudo horsfieldii

Testudo marginata

Chelonoidis carbonarius

Clemmys guttata

Stigmochelys pardalis babcockii

Centrochelys sulcata

Considerations

Naturally, our environment replicates that of the Mediterranean species of tortoise (the testudo species).

The enclosures are outdoors, with minimal oversight and intervention from us.

Externally, to make the environment more appropriate for these animals, we provide multiple water dishes per enclosure of breeding groups. The abundance of water dishes provides guaranteed overflow areas with secure and structured areas we commonly will find our tortoises lay their eggs nearby.

We provide a mister system which goes on during the summer months when temperatures are over 90F. Since our location is classed as a Mediterranean foothill climate, we have to provide additional water and rainfall for our tropical and aquatic species of tortoises and turtles.

Generally, all of our tortoises will receive a healthy misting in the morning. It keeps both the plants and the grass alive for every species of tortoise and turtle we keep. For example, our red foot species of tortoise require more than a misting. During the hotter parts of the year, we will have an ‘afternoon rainfall’ with sprinklers. The UV is not as intense, so the water on the plants won’t burn or kill the plant. This afternoon rainfall happens between 3 to 5 hours before the sun goes down. This gives the animals a chance to cool off and enjoy the rain, dry enough to comfortable go to bed, and the ground can retain enough water to assist in ground incubation of the eggs. These tropical species of tortoises can take much more humidity during the incubation period when compared to testudo.

We have natural California plants inside of the enclosures. Natural California plants which are water-wise and can take the 12-14 hours of sunlight we commonly experience are a great addition for the enclosures. If I was in another state, I would choose plants that do well in whichever state I was in. These plants provide protection to your tortoises, both adults and hatchlings alike. They provide an intricate and deep root system which gathers moisture.

Commonly, we will find hatchlings buried in the root systems of plans. When choosing plants to add to your enclosures, always chose something which is non-toxic and organic. Provide a tortoise barrier after planting any new plants in the enclosure. Commonly, these tortoises will eat the plants and climb up the sides of the plant. You have to give your plants time to take root into the area prior to the tortoises excitedly climbing on it of else the plant itself will fail to thrive.

We don’t have to provide external heat sources for all of our animals.

Testudo species of tortoises are known to brumate to a specific degree (each species has a different threshold and level of cooling they can actually take). Our area stays ambient even throughout the year, with winter months having minimal rainfall and nearly no consistent frost levels.

There is an issue if your tortoise during brumation gets wet, has an enclosure flood, or has direct chill on their shell.

This can be remedied by the design of your enclosure.

Rely heavily on the initial setup. Add gradual slopes and flood ways. Maximize overall property drainage. Secure and provide ample weatherproof cover for sleeping areas. Even consider to design of your property any how the sun will hit the enclosure throughout the day.

For those instances, you just have to do a little more. For example, if you are more northern located, and dependent on how far north, you may have to provide external heat. This can be accomplished through hot house greenhouses, sheds, and radiant heat panels. With external heat sources, the only counter you have to do is make sure the tortoise does not dry out.

It is a balance of adding heat also requires the addition of humidity.

No external heat means no addition of humidity.

Our way is not and should not be referenced as a universal standard. Our setup, water rotations, seasonal supplementations and enclosure requirement is very specific to our climate and soil composition.

Predation

This is one of the largest hurdles when naturally hatching eggs in the ground. This is also completely dependent on your specific environment. For our area, predators like raccoons, possums, rats, gophers, and squirrels are the most common we come into contact with.

These animals can smell nests and developing eggs. They will dig up nests and eat babies and eggs if you allow them the chance to. Subsequently, they will also eat baby tortoises and baby Uromastyx after they have hatched if allowed the chance.

We have found luck in making screened in brick covers for nests when possible.

When a nest is observed it is very obvious.

It cannot be mistaken for a gopher hole or a squirrel hole. It begins as a 'pip' which is a slight caving in of the top layer of soil. These pips will be visible for us up to two days before the first baby tortoise comes out of the ground. This is where intervention comes into play. Covering and securing the pip immediately is the best way to keep these babies safe. [Pictured right]

Rely on hunting dogs. But make sure they are tortoise safe and tortoise friendly. Dogs are a difficult topic when safeguarding your tortoises in the garden. They can be your biggest allies or they are the biggest cause for loss an destruction. Not all dog breeds will do what you need them to go. And every dog has their specific personalities and drives.

Lastly, the easiest way to keep predation away for your animals is a fully enclosed pen. We have concrete walls with fully screened it walls and roof. The concrete pen is laid on top of a wire flooring, so nothing can dig in either. The wire flooring is minimally 2-feet deep in the ground. Certain enclosures also have a gradual gradient slope causing the actual area the animals to sleep in to be deeper than the initially stated measures. Some species of tortoises may go deeper than 2-feet down and allowing them the opportunity keeps them healthy.

All of these nuances take time to understand and play a key importance on the animal you have thriving in a naturalistic environment.

The thing with keeping any reptile is to be aware of what is happening in your enclosures. Be on top of small changes and nuances. Animals speak their own language and it is up to us to understand what requirements these animals are asking for.