# Snapping turtle eggs found what to do?



## Enigma (Jan 30, 2006)

We were moveing dirt at work and I saw a snapping turtle in the area where we had to move the dirt I did pay alot of attantion at first but that turtle sat there a long time,So I went over to check it out and saw egg under, it was leave them to get smashed or bring them home and try to hatch them so i put them in black dirt and bought them home.now any idea on the right way to keep the egg so they will hatch it taKES ABOUT 80 DAY TO HACTH and keep them at about 78 degs.can anyone give me anymore insight.on how to hatch them.there are 25 eggs


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

I had to move a some eggs a few years ago also. I dug a short trench in my garden and put a chicken wire fence around it to keep me from walking on the trench. By Labor Day about half(4 or 5)had hatched. Any place where the ground gets some full sun should work.

L & O


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## sport72186 (Dec 20, 2007)

I breed reptiles and the best way to do it would be to use an incubator. I would use a container of filled with perlite or vermiculate (found at hardware store) or hatchrite (found at pet stores and online). put the eggs in the substrate and close the lid on the container. put the whole container inside the incubator. with the perlite/vermiculate you will have to monitor the moisture. hatchrite will do all that work for you. As for the incubator, a little giant or a hovabator are the best and cheapest still air incubators. If you dont want to spend money on an incubator, you can make your own. the links below are different variations of homemade incubators and how to build them.

http://members.aol.com/TheWyvernsLair/incubator.html

http://www.herpcam.com/incubator.htm

http://turtlestation.com/DYI-Homemade Incubator.htm

the garden thing could work but will probably decrease the hatch rate substantially. good luck.


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## Rupestris (Aug 25, 2000)

I seem to recall something about compost. Decaying vegetable matter creates heat. I wouldn't leave them in pure soil. You might want to put them in a mixture of compost, sand and dirt if you want to hatch them in a more natural environment.

You'll need to monitor the compost to make sure the moisture level is correct. Too dry and they''ll dry up. Too wet and you could get mold or fungus in the compost that could harm the eggs.

HTH,
Chris


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