Tog had a long labour
Yesterday when I returned from grocery shopping Tog was busy digging a hole so I knew she wanted to lay eggs. Over the past week or so, she had tried several places around the lawn but then given up, mainly because the ground was so hard. The rain of the last couple of days had softened the soil enough for her to dig a fairly deep hole.
I kept running in and out to see how she was doing and then a friend called in for a cup of tea. After my friend left I went back out to the garden to see the tail end of the egg laying so I only got a few seconds of video and it's nothing like as clear as the video I took a couple of years back.
Unfortunately it was a very cold, windy afternoon so the eggs were cooling as soon as they were laid. Tog took several hours to pack them into the ground and then cover them, so no chance of them surviving.
What was Tom (father of the eggs) doing while poor Tog was labouring away. He was tucked in a corner paying no attention to the proceedings, as you will see from the picture below. 
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posted by ChrisB @ 12:31 pm
11 comments
11 Comments:
This is soooo cool! Maybe Tom was hiding because Tog was cursing him out during the whole proceeding? I'm fairly certain that most men would like to hide during the whole labor process and just turn up for the good part at the end.
Men.
It's amazing the species continues. I've seen sea turtles in Florida struggle to lay eggs on the beach. Once hatched, the poor little things have very little chance of making it to the water before they're picked off by birds.
Poor Tog, I wonder does she miss all those babies that have never hatched.
Rayne she probably was and she certainly run and hides from him when he tries to get amorous (she doesn't always succeed)!
Beckie yep some like to bury their heads in the sand.
WUASTC I've seen those turtles on TV and always felt sad for the ones who didn't reach the sea.
Beccy I don't think she worries once she's done her bit.
Your tortoises are something else! I find it very cool that tog laid eggs even if she will end up with no babies. I hope she doesn't get too sad over it.
Poor Tog, have you ever thought of getting her a small sand pit to dig in? Just a thought, if it were deep enough the eggs would be nice and warm. Or maybe just some softer dirt? Hey Im no expert, just watch too many documentaries, Im assuming this type would lay their eggs near a river or something not in the sand. LOL
Gosh, this is close to Nat Geo!.
Hope at least one egg hatches, can you keep them under a light bulb embedded in straw (like we do chicken eggs) ?
Can human intervention help?
Chris I have heard that the Chinese eat turtle eggs
Karisma it's funny you should say that -in our previous house Topsy our other female used to lay her eggs in the kids old sand pit that we had covered and laid with grass. I did try putting sand in this garden but clearly it was too small an area. I might give it another go.
Amrita we really need a proper vivarium the lights didn't work unable to keep a controlled temp.
You could well be correct about the turtle eggs.
oh, so sad for the eggs.
next time lets put a heat lamp on her when she's digging.
or... maybe not.
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