What do pygmy eggs look like before they hatch

[Sarah B]

So I still have my pygmy eggs incubating. The last clutch of four, which Stella layed, turns out may not be fertile. Three of the four are smaller and turned yellow after 1 day. The 3rd stayed larger and white however it is developing some yellow spots.

I am not sure if any of the eggs were damaged this past Monday because I had to move. I brought the pygmys and the eggs home first and made sure each container was secured snug in a box. I drove slow, but still..there were turns and bumps that I couldn't avoid.

The very first clutch that Momma layed (three) still were hard and looked ok after the car ride. They are all close to hatching. Anyway, its been five days since my move and I just checked the eggs. two of this clutch are still hard and looking as they were before the move, one is a little shrunken and had a tiny bit of whitish stuff coming out one side.

From what I understand the eggs do get soft and some fluid will leak before the eggs hatch.Or could it be that the egg was damaged and that's why it's now soft and smaller? The leaking from the shell tells me no, it is actually hatching. But I'm not sure. I don't think that the egg would break like that if the baby inside didn't survive. I don't know whether to be excited or disappointed. I'm inexperienced at breeding pygmys so I wouldn't know what a failed egg looked like or what a hatching egg looked like. Any help?

What are your opinions?

 

[Sarah B]

Still no hatchlings yet..is there anyone who can answer my questions?

When you candle the full sized egg should you see a solid mass? (The baby inside). Because the two that I have left that are full size now I still only see the veins. Maybe Im not candling them properly :/

The other small ones from 2 weeks ago are still yellowish. The clutch from Wednesday morning are yellow as well, I threw away one because it was getting moldy, but the others aren't.

Im so confused,.. can anybody explain to me what a healthy egg should look like when candled. Also why did one of the full grown eggs turn soft and shrink? The other two haven't done this but I still don't see a mass inside. Any rsponse or advice would be appreciated. Thx

Sarah

 

[hbskeet]

Unless they are moldy leave them alone. You don't need to candle them. They are too small and the more you handle the eggs the more potential of ruining them. I have witnessed eggs shrink and still babies hatch. Ive seen my eggs yellowish and white both hatch healthy babies. Just let them be and you should be fine. They will hatch when the time is right. It can take up to 3 months depending on temps an humidty. Just sit back and relax

 

[kinyonga]

Liquid shouldn't seep out of the eggs until the baby pips (breaks the shell open)...but they usually sweat (beads of water form on the outside of the eggs).

I always say never throw an egg out until you are absolutely certain that its no good. Some pretty bad looking eggs can hatch.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I couldn't see anything but a single vein when I candled mine the day before they hatched! I thought it was odd because I was expecting to see a dark mass too but apparently that's normal for them. I never saw mine sweat and I had eyes on them the day before and the day of hatching. So if they haven't gone bad then they're good is the rule!

When they hatch they split on one end and the nose pops out and then they pull themselves out. I didn't see any fluid leak out so not sure what white fluid that would be that you saw.

Sad story about "bad eggs": Had a box turtle egg completely collapse, so much that I didn't even think there was any fluid left in it. Gave up and cut it open and there was a thriving, nearly full term baby turtle in there. Broke my heart and made me sick for months!!! Lesson learned - don't give up on eggs unless they break open themselves or it's way past hatch date and they look like crap.

 

[Sarah B]

Thank you ferretinmyshoes. The one that's leaking hasn't opened at all yet and its still got the white stuff (which is starting to dry up). Im thinking....maybe I should cut it open for the little guy or girl. Because in 3 days, nothing has changed. And I did read somewhere that while hatching, the egg may ooze a bit. It was a search on this forum. I'll try to find the link, but Im off to work now.

I guess we'll see what happens.....I'll update after I open the egg. Until then, is there a special way I need to do this? Or just basically poke a tiny hole and open carefully?

Thanks again

Sarah

 

[Sarah B]

BTW...the pic you posted is so cute! Looks like they both hatched in sync!!

 

[chameleongirl2]

Soooooooooooo cute!!!!!

tey should be small (about as small as a dime) and they look like well mini chocolate eggs and what not, the pic that ferretinmyshoes posted was a good pic i guess that pic says it all..... and that its SOOOOOO CUTE!!!!
but i doubt that will get you anywhere srry

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I would not open the egg! Not unless the others have hatched already. You don't know how far along it is because they can take anywhere from 50-90 days to hatch. That's a really wide range so that baby may not be able to survive if you cut it open too soon (the turtle I cut out of the egg did not survive). Just be patient and leave it alone. It's the hardest part about incubating eggs.

 

[Sarah B]

The only thing is its been sitting for 3 days looking pathetic with that oozy stuff and its alll soft but hasn't changed color or anything...Im afraid it may die in there if I don't! Won't it drown or something?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Drown? Eggs start off as all fluid and the fetus grows in that fluid, their lungs don't breathe air until they come out of the egg when they hatch. Cutting it open may do more harm than good. You can if you want, but I wouldn't if it was one of my eggs.

 

[Sarah B]

Um, I think I'll take the advice you've given me, considering what little I know. Not that it's not killing me waiting to see what happens, but I by no means am an expert at this so yeah, I'll let nature run it's course!!! Thanks again.