Eggs.....?

Question

My grandma's Herman tortoise layed eggs, and they've cracked yesterday. If anyone here can tell me things we should know, e-mail me at [e-mail] . I can e-mail you pics. Thanks!!

DO NOT DELETE!!

Answer 1

Hatchlings: Hatchling Hermann’s tortoises are quite small immediately following hatching and need time to straighten out. During the time they have been inside the egg they have basically been folded in half. When the babies leave the egg their movements are awkward until they achieve normal formation. The yolk sac is still visible for roughly a week and is the animal’s source of food for the first few days to a week of its life. Once the remainder of the yolk sac has been absorbed the babies usually begin feeding voraciously. They require the same diet as adults do but it may be necessary to cut their food in to tiny pieces to aid them in swallowing. A calcium supplement is very important in raising tortoises and should be provided at feeding time. A proper enclosure for hatchlings and juveniles should closely replicate that of the adults’ but on a smaller scale. I recommend keeping babies indoors until they are four inches in length to avoid losing them to over heating and predators such as birds and rats. Hermann’s tortoises in captivity can achieve sexual maturity in as little as five years for females and two years for males. It is suggested that you grow the babies slow like they would in nature to avoid pyramiding and other deformities. Be sure to give your hatchlings weekly warm baths.

Answer 2

hatchlings will begin to eat 2 to 3 days after leaving the eggs, and will take the same kinds of food as the adults. Hermann's tortoises are particularly prone to pyramiding and other shell deformities. Careful attention should be paid to the provision of a varied fiber-rich natural diet with adequate amounts of minerals (particularly calcium) and vitamins. Hatchlings should be allowed access to unfiltered sunlight and grazing whenever possible, here is a site that will help you with reaing healthy hatchlings   http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/he...  the tortoise trust is a good site for information and you can find all you need to care for these baby tortoises, you also need to be aware that hermans are covered under CITES which means you need to register and get paper work for allthe hatchlings befoe you can sell them or they will be illegal, if in britain get in touch with DEFRA http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalhealth/CIT... if you are in america then get in touch with your local licencing  and they will explain what you need to sell any tortoises. bes tof luck with the babies.