Hi all
Torts are like potato chips...and now the count for me is up to 5...oh yes...i bought another one..."Bertha" as she was named by my hubby was purchased via the help of our local pet store. The owner of the private pet store knows i'm a (his words) "tortoise freak" and i've purchased 3, now 4 of the 5 torts through him. He called me about a week ago, knowing that I was looking for another tort and told me that on his order form (don't know the name of the company) this time there appeared a spot for adult female russian tortoises that have previously laid clutches or as the company put it "proven".
The pet store owner ordered me one, as his tort supplier(s) are always giving him active and healthy animals I was very confident, she arrived yesterday with his shipment of other pet story supplies and critters. WHAT A BEAUTY!!! This girl is 7.25" long and massively huge in regards to weight and size, in her head, legs and tail, compared with my other girls.
Here comes the question....really...i do have one...lol...Question now is, if she is egg bearing age, and has laid clutches before, what are the odds she'll lay one this year, considering the stress of shipment, etc...not to mention that she won't be around a male for the rest of this breeding season...
which brings up a second question, is there a way to tell the # of days between mating and egg formation and egg laying??
Either way i'm going to break down and buy a hobavator soon....but is it possible she'll lay eggs right away? i'm assuming not...due again to stress, but since the hobavator will have to wait another week or two to be purchased (as she was $120) I don't want to get caught with eggs and no incubator...is there any temporary substitute for an incubator, in case of an emergency....(like rubbermaid, a heat lamp, substrate of somekind and loads of water...?)
Thanks in advance
Gloria
