How to Use Incubators to Hatch Turtle Eggs

Hatching turtle eggs allows you to raise your own baby turtles from the minute they are born. Whether you find the turtle eggs or have pet turtles that produced them, a homemade egg incubator is the most reliable way of successfully hatching your eggs. Remember that even when incubated in the wild, not every egg hatches and not every turtle survives. However, by following a few basic steps your turtle eggs are guaranteed a better shot at survival.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic shoe storage box
  • Sand
  • Peat moss
  • Lukewarm water
  • Drill with 1/8-inch drill bit
  • 2 bricks
  • Large plastic storage tub with lid
  • Aquarium heater
  • Aquarium thermometer and humidity gauge
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Instructions

  1. Create An Incubator

    • 1

      Fill a small plastic shoe storage box with a mixture of equal parts sand and peat moss. Wet the mixture with lukewarm water until the mixture is saturated but not soggy. (See References 1.)

    • 2

      Drill 1/8-inch holes around the entire perimeter of the top of the shoe box, allowing for airflow into the box. (See References 1.)

    • 3

      Place two bricks into the large storage tub. Rest the small shoe box on the bricks. Pour lukewarm water into the large tub so that it reaches the bottom of the plastic shoe box. (See References 1.)

    • 4

      Set an aquarium heater to 80 F and place it into the large storage tub. Turn the heater on. (See References 1.)

    • 5

      Stick an aquarium thermometer and humidity gauge into the shoe box substrate. (See References 1.)

    • 6

      Create small indentations in the substrate for placing the eggs later on. (See References 1.)

    Raising the Eggs

    • 7

      Collect the eggs. Before moving them from their original location, mark each egg's top with a felt-tip pen. This will ensure that you place the eggs with the top up in the incubator, giving them a better chance of hatching. Do not shake the eggs and handle them gently. (See References 2-3.)

    • 8

      Place each egg gently into its spot in the incubator. Bury the eggs halfway into the substrate. (See References 2-3.)

    • 9

      Place the top onto the large storage container, checking in on the eggs daily to ensure proper temperature and humidity levels. Add more water to the large tub or small shoe box as needed, but never pour water directly onto the turtle eggs. (See References 2-3.)

    • 10

      Watch your eggs for signs of hatching. If you know what type of turtle egg you have, research that specific type of turtle for an approximate incubation time. If you are not sure of the type of your eggs, begin looking for signs of hatching around 50 days into the process. But keep in mind that incubation may take as long as 90 days for some species of turtles. (See References 2-3.)