Help!!! Turtle eggs with mold!!!

[Jonathan]

I have four clutches of Diamondback terrapins eggs in a incubator. My first clutch is hatching as I type. All of the clutches are in separate containers. I found that one egg in one of the containers just collapsed from mold. All of the containers have a light layer of mold on top of the vermiculite. I am not sure what to do. As for the one that had the rotten egg; I removed the bad egg and took out all the other eggs and put them in fresh vermiculite. Should I replace all the other soil in the other containers and transfer all the eggs? For now I just removed all the mold from the top of the soil. Is there anything that I should add to the old or new vermiculite? Please Help Jonathan P.S. What do I do with the turtles that are hatching tonight? Should I remove them from the soil? Should I help them out of there egg?

[Scott]

jonathan, If they collapsed early in incubation then they were infertile or they died. You should try removing the dead eggs when you notice that they are dead or they may mold and spread the fungus depending on the type. The surface of the soil above the eggs should not be sealed. Fresh air should be allowed to circulate but not dry them out. This will usually prevent an extensive fungus out break. For now, in your situation at least, remove the dead eggs and do not disturb the others. Try also spot removing the vermiculite with the most fungus and replace it with fresh, oh and did I mention to try not to disturb the good eggs. If you have access to an autoclave then you might try sterilizing the vermiculite and sphagnum moss before use. I have heard of people “washing” all or just a layer of their soil with a VERY dilute solution of Betadine or Nolvasan as a preventative (1:500-1000). Live eggs can presumably prevent fungus in situ to an extent. But there is also a thing in nature called sunlight for most of a day, periodic distilled water dripped over the nest, and about 4″ of a mother earth buffer. Kind of hard to beat. But at least you don’t have to deal with the coons. Right Chun? hope this helps, Scott P.S. Almost forgot, try not to disturb the good eggs. 🙂 — In diamondbackterrapins@y…, “Jonathan”

[modelgrafx@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/28/01 1:51:52 AM Pacific Standard Time, jonathanhelms@… writes: I agree with Scott but would also add that you should make sure your vermiculite isn’t too moist. When I mix mine I make it 1:1 with water by weight. I also do not use damp spagnum moss on top of the eggs. I haven’t any problem incubating mine this way. I do tend to intervene when the eggs hatch in as much that I peel away the shell from their faces so they don’t have any trouble breathing. But only after they have pipped the egg. Good luck and congrats on the new babies. Vickie

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