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I thought some of you might be interested to see this.
The picture of the tortoise starting to emerge from the shell was taken yesterday. This is to demonstrate that the tortoise emerges from the widest part of the oval shaped egg.
The other two pictures are of the tortoise taken just five minutes after hatching. The tortoise is still moist and the vermiculite that the eggshell has been resting on is still stuck to the hatchling. It will come off as soon as the tortoise has a nice soak in the bath later on today. Note the mishapen carapace. The shell is soft at this stage and the tortoise will soon stretch to give the correct shape, which is either round or slightly oval. Also note the demarkation across the width of the plastron. This shows how the growing fetus fit inside the oval shaped egg and as it literally double itself in half head to tail. This little tortoise weighs just 19 gr.
Newly Hatched Horsfield Tortoise
Re: Newly Hatched Horsfield Tortoise
Those are great photos, Helen -- and such interesting information too (it's amazing how they are all folded up inside that shell by the time they are ready to hatch)! Thanks for posting!
Nina
Nina
Re: Newly Hatched Horsfield Tortoise
So exciting to see how it happens.
Lin
Lin
Re: Newly Hatched Horsfield Tortoise
Seriously amazing...thank you for showing us, can't believe my 2 started like that!!
Re: Newly Hatched Horsfield Tortoise
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif)
Wow....absolutely WOW!!! I had no idea, &, to be honest, had never thought about how a hard-shelled beastie fitted in an egg!
Thank you so much for this insight, Bex.
Again...WOW....
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
Heather
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