The two eggs incubated at 25ºC in a home made incubator (see older posts) hatched in August de 14th. The incubation lasted 64 days. So, the first clutch of eggs have hatched in both types of incubator. I have the loggers data but I will post it when I have all the data, for comparison.
The cheap home made incubator works quite well. The temperatures have been always kept between 25-26ºC and the humidity is very high (this could be a problem in non aquatic species).
There are still three eggs incubating . One in a Jaeguer incubator at 25ºC, a second one in a home made incubator at 30ºC and the third eggs is incubating outdoors in the nest.
The one in the home made incubator at 30ºC has been there for 52 days. At the same temperature in a Jaeguer incubator, the eggs of the first clutch hatched in 46 days.
What is happening with the egg outdoors is a mystery. This summer is being quite hot, with several days with maximum air temperatures in the shadow close to the 40ºC. It is not temperature but humidity what is worrying me. For what I have seen in the incubators, a high humidity is important. I don't know what is happening regarding humidity at some depth surrounded by earth, but the surface looks dry. For this reason I water the nest area every other day and every day in especially hot periods.
The first pictures of the hatchlings have not been good. This is one of them, already in the tank
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| The hatchling is in the middle of the picture |
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| A mesh protects them from cats and corvids |
None of the hatchlings has eaten anything of what I have offered them. The male born last summer did the same. He entered hibernation and only this spring he started eating earthworms and pudding. In spite of this he grew a little bit before hibernation. I imagine it is explained for the viteline reserves plus some mosquito larvae he could eat. I have seen him doing it this summer, stretching the neck as fast as he can.
I will keep offering them food, they will do what they like.
