DIAPAUSE....

WELL, I THOUGHT I WOULD DO SOME REASEARCH ON GERTIE AND HER EGGS AND CAME ACROSS DIAPAUSE...I HAVE HEARD OF IT IN INSECTS BUT NOT MUCH ON TORTOISES BUT IT SEEMS GERTIES BABIES WERE IN "DIAPAUSE" MEANING THEY WERE IN A KIND OF SLEEP MODE UNTIL IT WAS THOUGHT READY TO LAY THEM AND THEN THE DIAPAUSE CONTINUED IN THE INCUBATOR UNTIL NORMAL GROWTH RESUMED. THAT IS OBVIOUSLY WHY A FEW WERE NO GOOD BUT THESE SURVIVED AND WENT ON TO GROW AND  HATCH.ALSO I WAS READY TO  LET THESE EGGS GO AND TURN THE INCUBATOR OFF BUT AS THERE WERE LITTLE BLACK DOTS IN THEM I DIDN'T !!!! THANK GOODNESS. ALSO, INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL 55 DAYS THESE WERE WELL INTO THE 86 DAYS!!SO WERE IN DIAPAUSE FOR A LONG TIME.  FOR MORE INFORMATION LOOK ON THE NET A "DIAPAUSE" AND YOU WILL FIND LOTS OF INTERESTING FACTS.I  FIND IT SO FASCINATING THAT THESE CREATURES CAN HOLD SPERM FOR YEARS AND THEN HAVE EGGS IN DIAPAUSE UNTIL EVERYTHING IS CORRECT TO LAY.SO,ALTHOUGH THESE MOTHERS DO NOT SEE THEIR BABIES ONCE LAID (OBVIOUSLY MINE DO BUT NOT IN THE WILD)  THEY DO REALLY CARE FOR THEM AND WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE SURE THEY WILL BE GIVEN THE BEST CHANCE OF SURVIVAL...