The Wait

While Dr. Rimkus’s group is tracking down turtles in Belize, 221 painted turtle eggs sit in the incubators in the Marymount biology lab.

Boxes in the incubator.

After an egg has been incubated for two days, a color change from the original faint pink to a white patch over the surface of the shell indicates a live embryo. An egg that has changed color is known to have “started.”

It seems eggs AC6 and AD7 (lower left-hand corner) have started.

After confirming that most of the eggs in a box have started, I cover them up with a layer of sand. Every Saturday, I open all the lids to make sure the eggs get a decent exchange of oxygen. I also add water with a spray bottle to restore the moisture to its original level (the eggs absorb water as they develop).

All I can do now is wait.