..shall we have a tot up of eggs/hatchlings this past year? Just to pass the time whilst our shelled ones are asleep If you have been lucky enough to have eggs laid in 2011, please let us know how many eggs were laid and how many live hatchlings you managed to hatch.

I had 14 eggs with two live hatchlings

I incubated 16 eggs for somebody from work, and had one beautiful hatchling. I put this down to the fact that the eggs had been in the ground for a while before i collected them.

Gail
xx

I had fifty eggs laid, and forty one hatched:0) I will be retiring from breeding once the nano chips are inforced, as this will put the cost of breeding up so much, the chance of selling at a sensible price to reinvest in my tortoises will be impossible. Petshops and farms will be laughing all the way to the bank. As they will be able to chip in bulk, which will keep their costs to a minimum.

Hi everyone, Ive had 10 eggs this year, 8 of them hatched. I was so pleased as my wish had been for just one baby.

Sandy, Can i ask what nano chips are? I have'nt heard of them before........tiggy

Nano chips are supposed to be much smaller than the exsisting chips used. And DEFRA is looking into making all hatchlings (not sure what size, probably you wouldnt be able to get certs for them, without being nano chipped) so they in theory keep check on what tortoises are out there.
This would mean breeders, having to nano chip tortoises before they could get certs. Which means quite a hefty bill from your vet. Then DEFRA will be putting up the cost of indivdual certs applied for. Which could be anything from £25- £100 per tortoise. Apparently DEFRA has to become self sufficiant, not getting grants etc from the state. The amounts I have quoted are just guesses, but what is going to happen with chips is true.
You can add up the costs yourself, chip, vet chipping them, cert costs. Then trying to compete with large reptile shops/sites who can have chips bought in bulk, at a cheaper price, and a vet chipping them in bulk.
Not sure what the cost of certs are to shops/sites are.

I had 6 eggs laid . 5 hatched

Hi all

Cola laid 10 eggs and had 9 gorgeous hatchlings.. xx

Sandy, Thank you for the info, do you know when this is going to happen????......tiggy

Sorry I dont know when, but in the next few years. Nano chips are supposedly now available, but whether vets have them, I have no idea.