How to increase the hatching rate of turtle eggs? Six key points to master
It is well known that turtles are highly resilient, rarely suffer from disease, and are easy to keep and manage, but this applies to adult turtles. Throughout the entire process of @#@238@#@, carelessness in certain steps and details is not acceptable, and the incubation of turtle eggs is a highly technical step that will fail if not done properly. The following 6 methods for increasing the hatching rate of turtle eggs are introduced below.
1. Scientifically breed the parent turtles
Selecting good breeds is the primary condition for increasing the hatching rate of turtle eggs. Parent turtles should be large, robust, free of injuries or deformities, and of appropriate age. Female turtles should be 6 years old or older, with wrinkled and slightly hard leathery skin along the rear margin; male turtles should be 3 to 4 years old, with a stocking density of 7 per sq m and a female-to-male ratio of 3:1.
2. Pay attention to the timing of egg collection
Only 8 to 30 hours after the turtle lays eggs do the embryos become fixed, so egg collection should be done after 3 p.m. During hot seasons with heavy rainstorms, collect them in advance.
3. Carefully inspect the fertilized eggs
A well-developed fertilized egg has a white spot on top of the shell, with clear and smooth edges, and the egg is bright in color, pink or white. If no white spot can be seen on top of the shell and the color is basically uniform, it is an unfertilized egg. If the white spot on top of the shell appears as a large, irregular white patch, it is a poorly developed egg. Neither of these two types of eggs can be placed in the incubator box for incubation.
4. Use pine wood to make the incubation box
There are many materials for making an incubation box, but pine wood is preferred, and poplar or willow wood must absolutely not be used. The sand bed in the incubation box should maintain a certain humidity. Poplar and willow wood are highly prone to growing white mold hyphae after absorbing moisture. These hyphae penetrate among the sand grains, causing the sand grains to harden and become impermeable to air, and the eggs will suffocate and die.
5. Use river sand for incubation
River sand has good air permeability and water retention, so the hatching rate is high.
6. Control the incubation conditions well
The most important incubation conditions are the temperature and humidity of the sand in contact with the turtle eggs. The temperature should be controlled at 28°C to 32°C, with a maximum not exceeding 34°C and a minimum not lower than 25°C. The water content should preferably be 5% to 15%, that is, when grasped by hand the sand forms a ball and then naturally falls apart when released. Check the temperature and humidity frequently, and adjust them promptly if they are unsuitable.