The first successful egg was a freshly laid Russian tortoise egg.  It was laid on 9/7/16, and shipped on the same day.

The egg was safely delivered to Garden State Tortoise and placed in an incubator.  The incubator was set for 89F with humidity around 65-70%.

Two days later, on 9/10/16, the egg started to chalk. You can see the white circle appear in the center of the egg.  Chalking is the first sign of a viable egg.  It does not mean the egg will go on to be fertile, but it is a very good chance that it will.  I have never seen a fertile egg that didn’t chalk, but I have seen non-fertile eggs that have chalked.  Regardless, the odds of an egg being fertile are much higher when it chalks.

65 days later, on 9/11/16, the egg started to hatch.  Tortstork’s very first successful egg incubated into a gorgeous, healthy, perfect Russian tortoise.  Its name is Tortstork!

Tortstork is a stunning 3 year old female, who is only a couple years away from continuing on her legacy.