Does anyone have experience hatching box turtles?
Last weekend an eastern box turtle decided to dig a nest in my yard. Because the yard is in the middle of being landscaped, it is not a safe place at all for little turtle eggs. After some research about eastern box turtles, I decided to dig up the eggs (8 of them!) and hatch them in a homemade incubator. After they hatch I plan to release them back into the woods behind my house so they can get ready for the winter and hibernation.
I have them buried in peat moss with a little of the dirt they were originally in. The temperature ranges from 75 to 80 degrees, and I'm keeping the soil lightly moist and I check temperature and moisture levels daily.
So I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions that will help me have success hatching these eggs, so I can release as many healthy turtles as possible back into the woods later this year.
Last weekend an eastern box turtle decided to dig a nest in my yard. Because the yard is in the middle of being landscaped, it is not a safe place at all for little turtle eggs. After some research about eastern box turtles, I decided to dig up the eggs (8 of them!) and hatch them in a homemade incubator. After they hatch I plan to release them back into the woods behind my house so they can get ready for the winter and hibernation.
I have them buried in peat moss with a little of the dirt they were originally in. The temperature ranges from 75 to 80 degrees, and I'm keeping the soil lightly moist and I check temperature and moisture levels daily.
So I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions that will help me have success hatching these eggs, so I can release as many healthy turtles as possible back into the woods later this year.