# Tortoise Hatching



## Ian

Hey,

Thought I would share a couple of pics of one of my tort eggs hatching! I have 12, and 3 have now started to crack, but this lil one in particular is on his way out, finally  

This was the egg just starting to crack







This was the lil chap almost out






I will post some more pix when the rest have fully hatched, and all will be for sale in the UK in a few months!

Cheers,

Ian


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## chun

just out of interest what species are they?

Well done!! and congratulation! I'd love to breed my redfoot torts at the moment, but they are too young :-(


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## Ian

I think they are spur thighed. We got given the eggs by this pensioner living my one of my dads mates. She has like, 12 adult torts, and gets about 12 clutches a year, and we can have every clutch! Not bad really, considering each grown on ababy can fetch £100. We will also keep some back for lawn trimming :lol: 

Cheers,

Ian


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## PseudoDave

Great pics. You probably know but remember not to sell them without paperwork to say they're captive bred, rspca etc are always around when they get wind of someone selling tortoises and they love to catch people without the papers...

Dave


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## Ian

yep, im in the process of sorting those out with defra  

Cheers,

Ian


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## PseudoDave

Cool, in that case let me know when you've got all required stuff :wink:

Dave


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## Samzo

Ah cool Ian, I've never had a tortoise but my mum wants one :shock: Let me know how they get on!

Regards,

Sam


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## Leah

We keep Spur Thighed, they are more likely to dig holes in your yard, tear up anything they can reach, eat all the flowers and rocks instead of being proper lawnmowers, but we all have our fantasies. Watch your toes, they are quite fond of biting them.


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## Andrew

Congrats! Baby tortoises are so cool.


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## yen_saw

Nice Ian!! I would really like to visit your "zoo" one day  

How old can this tortoise go? That was like watching a T-rex egg hatch in Jurrasic Park! :shock:


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## Ian

Came back from going bowling, and 2 more had hatched! Here are pix of all three of the lil cuties :
















Yeah, I will let you know dave, no doubt I will have trouble in the process though, lol.

Zoo, slightly exagerting yen, lol, maybe I should open it up as a tourist attraction  I am not to sure how long they go on for, I think it really does depend on their health. I think I am right in saying that they can exceed 100 years. So if I keep any of these babbys, they will be seeing me off, LOL

Cheers,

Ian


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## PseudoDave

I currently make weekly visits to an elderly lady who has an 83 year old spur thighed male. He needs treatment for his eyes, but other than that he's very healthy considering his age. The lady made a joke that she'll have to donate him to me soon because she won't last as long as him.

Dave


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## Rick

Great pics! Turtles are one of my favs. Currently I have an eastern box turtle. When I get a house I plan on getting some tortoises.


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## dino

I use to have a Box turtle...but it died a couple of years later when I bought it


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## Rick

They have specific needs that must be met. Lighting, temperature, humidity etc etc


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## Ian

lol dave, I bet you sure laughed at that joke  Yeah, they are great rick. Can you house them perm outside in the US?

Cheers,

Ian


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## Rick

> lol dave, I bet you sure laughed at that joke  Yeah, they are great rick. Can you house them perm outside in the US?Cheers,
> 
> Ian


In some areas you can. For instance my box turtle is native to a large area of the US. He is captive bred though. Some people do keep tortoises outdoors at least in the warm months.


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## Ian

yeah, now, when you say turtle, is that as in, a turtle, or a tortoise? As I know in different countries they are called turtles. Many eayrs ago so many peopel in the UK used to keep tortoises outside, and just bring them in to hibernate. But I think that is unheard of now, nearly all are housed indoors.

Cheers,

Ian


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## Rick

Well I know people who keep turtles and tortoises outdoors. My box turlte is called a turtle however they do live on land and look like small tortoises.


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## Ian

just thought Id say that UI have 9 of the lil babies now, got another 3 egs to hatch. Considering we were given the eggs, its pretty good going, although, haveing a few probs with the licencing side of things....

Cheers,

Ian


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## PseudoDave

There'll always be problems when it comes to the licensing, they like to make things difficult for you  

Glad to hear they're hatching, remember, when they're old enough, lemme know 8)


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## Ian

yeah, I mean, we need a ltter writeen by the owner of the adults, and wrritten info on where the adults were bred, and where they were obtained from (if possible) so they say. However, the owner of the adults, was not to keen on the idea of us selling, so didnt really want to push her into siging a form and writing a letter. Although, according to one bloke at defra, there are always "ways around" these problems. So, I will see what I can do :wink:

Cheers,

Ian


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## PseudoDave

One thing to do if all else fails is to say you took them off of someones hands due to them not wanting them anymore and they had the intention of killing or releasing them, thus why you were provided with no paper work. They'd be classed as rescues and providing they dont suddenly offer to house all of them for you (not likely, these people are trying to prevent them being kept in the first place) then all should be well and Bob's your mothers brother so to speak  

By the way though, the person who supplied them doesnt need to know you're selling them anyway. I got to say it Ian you're already in need of those papers because you own them and they need to be proven as captive bred in this country, regardless of whether or not you're going to sell them. Also, are you keeping them for the 2 year 'hardening off' period or just selling them 'as is' when the time comes?

Dave


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## Ian

well, all of the torts are still heatly! Had no deaths...which I think is quite good with reptiles when rearing from hatching them, as quite often you do get some deathages.

Here is a pic of them at munch out:







Just need to talk the lady we got the eggs off, to do the whole lisence thing. But she is like 89, so I doubt if she even will remember who I am..

Cheers,

Ian


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## Samzo

lol Good luck with them Ian, cute lil guys


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## Ian

ty  

Cheers,

Ian


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