Hi All,

Ive finally joined after reading all your posts for so long!

Here is my dilemma. After my dear old hermann tortoise lay 2 eggs on the 14th of June one finally hatched yesterday (over the moon!). He/she is gorgous but when i cleaned the little guy up to put it in its new home i noticed the belly wasnt fully covered by shell and has some soft skin exposed. The only time it moves is when its handled (hopefully this is due to being tired from breaking from its egg and will perk up soon). i went to bed last night and when i came down this morning was in the same place so im slightly worried now.

It likes a drink and had a go at some weeds i gave so not all bad.

If anyone can put my mind at rest or point me in the right direction, especially about its 'belly' that would be great!

Hope all your torts and reps are well

Gary.

I'm no expert on tortoises, but this sounds very much like where the yolk sack was attached, hatchling turtles have this soft area which soon hardens up and I believe torts are the same?

The soft area underneath as graham has said is nothing to worry about. I'm not sure how active they are supposed to be though at this stage? Tams has her own babies so she would probably be the beest one to ask on this.

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1.0.0 Bengal Cat (Leon) - nut case
0.1.0 Siamese Cat (Sasha)
0.0.2 Marginated Tortoises (Chunk & Bean)

Hi

You need to try and keep this baby as inactive as possible until the yolk sac has been absored or there is a danger it could rupture. If you put damp kitchen roll on the bottom and around the sides of an egg cup and put the tortoise in it, you need to restrict the movement as much as you can, then put it back in the incubator until it is absorbed.
The kitchen roll doesnt need to be wet, just moist and spray it if its drying out.......it normally only takes a few days for it to be absorbed, just keep checking. Once its fully absorbed you can let it out of the incubator.

Hope this helps

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Phoebe

Keeping: Hermanns and Whitei's

Fantastic advise Phoebe. Depending on the substrate you have had him on please make sure, before you put him onto the moist kitchen roll that the area is thoroughly clean - no hemp, soil/sand near the opening, because as it closes it could take the foreign body in and this could cause an infection.

The tortoise will be living off the yolk sac so do not worry that the tortoise is not eating but please do as Phoebe has advise immediately, ensuring that the area is thoroughly clean beforehand.

Good luck with the little one.

Tamie

Thanks Tams, Phoebe, Ben and Graham for your replies. My mind is now at ease as i couldnt find a thing about it anywhere on the internet so wasnt sure if it was supposed to be there or not! Ill be sure to take your advice as soon as i get in from work, i have a smaller home i can put it in for now and will cover with kitchen roll as you say.

As for being inactive he really hasnt moved alot at all so hopefully no damage has been done already.

Thanks again.

Gary