Tortoises can have Twins?

Yes! Tortoises can have twins.  When a female tortoise is ready to make an egg, the egg yolk is released from the ovaries and travels through the fallopian tubes to be fertilized.  The egg then gets coated with a thick layer protein, minerals and water, which is the albumen (egg whites). The egg continues down the tube where the calcium carbonate forms around the albumen to make the shell.  Some times, on rare occasions the ovaries release two yolks that get stuck together.  As the yolks travel through the fallopian tubes, they are both coated with albumen and formed inside one egg.  Calcium carbonate converts into the egg shell around both yolks and the female lays an egg.  Sometimes the egg is larger than others in the same clutch, and sometimes you can tell the difference.  When the tortoises hatch, they will be still be attached by the yolk sac as this is where they were connected when released by the ovary.  You have to separate the twins by carefully cutting the yolk sac, without breaking it open. The most common way to do this is with floss.  You tie floss through the middle of the yolk sac, separating and sealing the open wound.  After a few days, the yolk sac gets absorbed and you have a healthy little tortoise. Tortstork has some cherry head tortoise twins!  These gorgeous little tortoises are thriving.  They hatched on September 3rd, 2020.