Incubation method of Chinese soft-shelled turtle eggs

Abstract

The application relates to a Chinese soft-shelled turtle egg hatching method and relates to the technical field of aquaculture. The hatching method comprises the following steps: wrapping collected turtle eggs with yellow sand and storing the turtle eggs; temporarily storing the stored turtle eggs and removing unfertilized eggs after development; wrapping the fertilized eggs with a hatching medium, wherein the hatching medium comprises the following raw materials in parts by weight: 5-10 parts of yellow sand, 2-5 parts of vermiculite and 1-3 parts of organic modified montmorillonite; arranging the fertilized eggs into a hatching layer; and hatching the hatching layer in a hatching environment with a temperature of 28-32 DEG C and a humidity of 60-80%, to obtain juvenile turtles. The application uses the adsorption of organic modified montmorillonite to preserve the moisture in the yellow sand. The organic modified montmorillonite has good air permeability, and even if the moisture is preserved, there will be no odor or mildew, so that the oxygen required for the hatching of the fertilized eggs can be ensured, the fertilized eggs can develop healthily, the physical quality of the hatched juvenile turtles is better, and the juvenile turtles are more likely to survive when released.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of aquaculture technology, and in particular to a method for hatching Chinese soft-shelled turtle eggs. Background Technology

[0002] Soft-shelled turtles, also known as turtles, are taxonomous reptiles belonging to the phylum Chordata, class Reptilia, order Testudines, family Trionychidae, genus *Trionyx*, and species *Trionyx sinensis*. They are oviparous, amphibious reptiles. The majority of a soft-shelled turtle's life cycle is spent in water, including inhabiting, foraging, mating, and hibernating. They occasionally or briefly venture onto land for activities such as spawning and migration. The main species found in China include the Chinese soft-shelled turtle, the mountain soft-shelled turtle, the spotted soft-shelled turtle, and the giant soft-shelled turtle, with the Chinese soft-shelled turtle being the most common.

[0003] Soft-shelled turtle farms generally use two methods for purchasing seedlings: one is to purchase seedlings from external sources, and the other is to breed and raise seedlings themselves. Purchasing seedlings from external sources has the following drawbacks: firstly, purchased seedlings are less safe and can easily introduce diseases into the farm; secondly, the purchase price of seedlings is often high, increasing the farm's production costs. Therefore, soft-shelled turtle farms generally prefer to breed and raise their own seedlings.

[0004] The existing self-breeding and self-raising methods mainly employ a two-stage incubation method. The first stage involves wrapping the turtle eggs in river sand or vermiculite, incubating them, and then selecting the best quality eggs. The second stage involves placing the selected eggs in an incubation room. To maintain humidity during incubation, plastic wrap or a sponge is typically used to wrap the eggs along with the river sand and vermiculite. The specific method is as follows: first, lay down river sand, then place the turtle eggs on the sand, cover the eggs with plastic wrap, and then cover the plastic wrap with vermiculite; alternatively, several grooves can be cut into a sponge, the turtle eggs can be placed in the grooves, and then covered with river sand and vermiculite.

[0005] However, plastic wrap has poor air permeability. When wrapping turtle eggs in plastic wrap, it hinders ventilation, and the lack of oxygen concentration will affect the development of the embryos. Meanwhile, sponges have poor hydrophobicity, and after a period of incubation, they are prone to becoming smelly or moldy, which also affects the development of the eggs. Both of these situations will result in hatchlings with poor health, making them less likely to survive when released into the wild. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To hatch juvenile turtles with better physical condition and higher survival rate, this application provides a method for hatching Chinese soft-shelled turtle eggs. Juvenile turtles hatched using this method are healthier, less prone to disease, have a higher hatching rate, and are more likely to survive when released into outdoor ponds.

[0007] Hatching methods include:

[0008] The collected turtle eggs are wrapped in yellow sand with a moisture content of 6-10% for storage;

[0009] The stored turtle eggs were temporarily stored and developed in an environment of 26℃-33℃, and fertilized eggs and unfertilized eggs were selected.

[0010] Prepare an incubation medium with a humidity of 6%-9%, wrap the fertilized eggs in the incubation medium, arrange the wrapped fertilized eggs in vertical layers to obtain an incubation layer, and place the incubation layer in an incubation environment with a temperature of 28℃-32℃ and a humidity of 60%-80% to obtain juvenile turtles.

[0011] The incubation medium comprises the following raw materials in parts by weight: 5-10 parts yellow sand, 2-5 parts vermiculite, and 1-3 parts organically modified montmorillonite.

[0012] By employing the above-mentioned technical solution, wrapping turtle eggs in yellow sand during collection reduces the likelihood of them being crushed, thus protecting them. After temporary storage and development, fertilized turtle eggs will exhibit distinct animal and plant-like characteristics. The optimal storage time is one day. Eggs that do not exhibit either animal or plant-like characteristics are considered unfertilized. The organically modified montmorillonite added to the incubation medium has certain adsorption properties, which can lock in moisture in the yellow sand, maintaining its humidity and slowing down dehydration, thus aiding in the development of fertilized eggs. Furthermore, the organically modified montmorillonite has good air permeability, locking in moisture without affecting the respiration of fertilized eggs, and is less prone to odor or mold growth, reducing adverse effects on egg development, effectively improving hatching rates, resulting in healthier hatchlings that are less susceptible to disease and have a higher survival rate when released into the wild.

[0013] The aforementioned yellow sand is freshwater sand with a particle size of 0.4-0.7 mm, and the organically modified montmorillonite has a particle size of 0.1-0.4 mm.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, the freshwater sand has a very low salt content, which is more conducive to the development of fertilized eggs. Furthermore, the freshwater sand is less expensive, saving production costs. Since yellow sand and organically modified montmorillonite have a certain degree of hardness, the preferred particle size of the yellow sand is 0.5-0.6 mm, and the preferred particle size of the organically modified montmorillonite is 0.3-0.4 mm. This ensures that the sand fully coats the fertilized eggs without loosening, providing a tight seal without damaging the eggs, thus helping to protect them during incubation.

[0015] The steps described above for wrapping fertilized eggs with incubation medium are as follows:

[0016] Yellow sand with a moisture content of 6%-9% was mixed with organically modified montmorillonite and then evenly spread to form a support layer. The mass ratio of yellow sand to all organically modified montmorillonite was 1:(0.2-0.5).

[0017] The fertilized eggs are placed on a substrate, and then vermiculite with a moisture content of 6%-9% is placed on top of the fertilized eggs to obtain a covering layer and complete the packaging.

[0018] By employing the above-mentioned technical solution, yellow sand and organically modified montmorillonite are combined and used together. The organically modified montmorillonite is evenly mixed into the yellow sand, which helps to retain the moisture in the yellow sand. Moreover, the organically modified montmorillonite has good air permeability, which facilitates ventilation of the fertilized eggs during incubation, maintains a sufficient oxygen concentration, and helps the fertilized eggs develop normally.

[0019] The thickness of the supporting layer is 1.5-3.1cm, and the thickness of the covering layer is 0.6-1.3cm.

[0020] The preferred thickness of the support layer is 2cm, and the thickness of the cover layer is 1cm.

[0021] The above-mentioned organic modified montmorillonite is prepared by modifying the following raw materials in parts by weight: 5-10 parts montmorillonite, 1-3 parts modifier, 0.5-1 part organic surfactant and 50-100 parts water;

[0022] The modifier is a primary amine or glyceraldehyde, and the organic surfactant is an alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ether or a sorbitan fatty acid ester.

[0023] Preferably, the modifier is glyceraldehyde, which is non-toxic, and the organically modified montmorillonite prepared by modification with glyceraldehyde is also non-toxic, thus avoiding damage to fertilized eggs. The organic surfactant is preferably sorbitan fatty acid ester, which has milder properties and can be used in combination with glyceraldehyde to modify montmorillonite, thereby improving the efficiency of preparing organically modified montmorillonite.

[0024] The above modification process includes the following steps:

[0025] Montmorillonite was dissolved in water to prepare a suspension with a concentration of 10%-15%.

[0026] Modifiers and surfactants were added to a suspension and modified at 75℃-95℃. After drying and grinding, organic modified montmorillonite was obtained.

[0027] When incubating turtle eggs, there should be at least two incubation layers. The bottom incubation layer should be set at a height of 25-35cm from the ground, and the longitudinal spacing between adjacent incubation layers should be 70-80cm.

[0028] The incubation methods mentioned above also include:

[0029] The juvenile turtles were temporarily kept in an environment identical to the hatching environment for 48-72 hours.

[0030] Then release the juvenile turtles that have been temporarily raised into the wild.

[0031] By adopting the above technical solution, since the newly hatched turtles have different physical conditions, a small number of them are still immature and a very small number have not even lost their umbilical cords. Their crawling and swimming abilities are also relatively weak. After being temporarily raised in an environment similar to the hatching environment, most of the turtles become stronger and their activity level is significantly improved. When they are then released into the wild, the survival rate of the turtles is higher.

[0032] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0033] 1. The organically modified montmorillonite prepared in this application is used in conjunction with yellow sand. The adsorption properties of the organically modified montmorillonite help retain moisture in the yellow sand, while also absorbing moisture from the air, maintaining the sand's humidity at 6%-10% to meet the moisture requirements for fertilized egg incubation. Furthermore, the organically modified montmorillonite has good air permeability, preventing it from developing a foul odor or mold even when retaining moisture, ensuring proper ventilation and meeting the oxygen requirements for fertilized egg incubation. This promotes healthy egg development, resulting in hatchlings with better physical condition and a higher survival rate when released into the wild.

[0034] 2. The steps for preparing organically modified montmorillonite in this application are simple, the reaction conditions are simple, and the preparation is more convenient;

[0035] 3. This application uses temporary rearing of juvenile turtles to assist them in their transition, allowing some less robust juvenile turtles to develop further. When they are released into the wild, the juvenile turtles are more likely to survive and less susceptible to disease, thus improving their survival rate. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments. It should be noted that: unless otherwise specified in the following embodiments, the conditions are carried out according to conventional conditions or the conditions recommended by the manufacturer; unless otherwise specified, the raw materials used in the following embodiments can be obtained from commercially available sources.

[0037] This application provides a method for hatching Chinese soft-shelled turtle eggs, the hatching method comprising:

[0038] Step S1: Collect the hatched turtle eggs. The turtle eggs are laid by the parent turtles. The early stage of spawning is in mid-to-late May, the late stage of spawning is in early June, and the number of eggs laid is relatively small from mid-August to early September. Eggs are collected every 2-3 days. The peak period of spawning is from mid-June to early August. Eggs are collected once a day in the afternoon.

[0039] Step S2: Lay a layer of yellow sand with a thickness of 1.5-3.5cm and a moisture content of 6-10%. Place the turtle eggs on the yellow sand one by one. After the turtle eggs are collected, lay another layer of yellow sand with a thickness of 0.5cm-1.5cm on top of the turtle eggs. Wrap the turtle eggs with the upper and lower layers of yellow sand and store the wrapped turtle eggs.

[0040] Among them, yellow sand is freshwater sand. Freshwater sand has smooth, clean particles, is widely available, and is inexpensive. Furthermore, freshwater sand has no taste and does not contain salt.

[0041] The particle size of the yellow sand is 0.4-0.7 mm; preferably, the particle size of the yellow sand is 0.5-0.6 mm.

[0042] Step S3: Place the stored turtle eggs in an environment of 26℃-33℃ for temporary storage and development. After the fertilized turtle eggs show animal and plant grades, distinguish between fertilized and unfertilized eggs according to the animal and plant grades, and then remove the unfertilized eggs.

[0043] Among them, the end of the turtle egg with round white spots is the animal pole; the end with pale yellow spots is the plant pole. Turtle eggs with both animal and plant poles are fertilized eggs; unfertilized eggs have neither animal nor plant poles, and their overall appearance is either without white spots or with large, irregular white markings.

[0044] Step S4: Prepare an incubation medium with a humidity of 6%-9%, which includes 5-10 parts yellow sand, 2-5 parts vermiculite, and 1-3 parts organically modified montmorillonite.

[0045] Organically modified montmorillonite is prepared by modifying 5-10 parts montmorillonite, 1-3 parts modifier, 0.5-1 part organic surfactant, and 50-100 parts water. The modifier is selected from any one of primary amines, quaternary ammonium salts, or glyceraldehyde, and the organic surfactant is selected from any one of alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ethers, sorbitan fatty acid esters, or fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ethers.

[0046] The preparation steps of organically modified montmorillonite include: first, dissolving montmorillonite in water to obtain a suspension with a concentration of 10%-15%; then, adding surfactant and modifier to the suspension and performing modification treatment at 75℃-95℃ to obtain an organically modified montmorillonite suspension; and finally, drying and grinding the organically modified montmorillonite suspension to obtain organically modified montmorillonite with a particle size of 0.1-0.4 mm.

[0047] Organically modified montmorillonite has good adsorption properties, which can adsorb the moisture of yellow sand and its own moisture, reduce moisture loss, and help maintain the humidity of the incubation medium at 6%-9%.

[0048] Organically modified montmorillonite has a layered structure with a permeability of 2.50-3.30 nm, which gives it better air permeability. Even if water is stored in it, it will not smell bad or mold. Fertilized eggs can be ventilated through organically modified montmorillonite during incubation.

[0049] Organically modified montmorillonite also has a certain adsorption and antibacterial effect. It can adsorb bacteria around the fertilized egg. The loose and interwoven layered structure and non-uniform charge distribution of organically modified montmorillonite show a strong affinity for bacteria. The bacteria cannot attach to the fertilized egg, which helps protect the fertilized egg and allows it to develop more healthily.

[0050] The method for preparing an incubation medium with a humidity of 6%-9% is as follows: Spray disinfectant onto yellow sand, vermiculite, and organically modified montmorillonite, turning them over while spraying to ensure even disinfection; then spread the yellow sand, vermiculite, and organically modified montmorillonite on a clean cement floor to dry. Next, spray water onto the yellow sand, vermiculite, and organically modified montmorillonite to achieve a humidity of 6-8% for the yellow sand, 6-9% for the vermiculite, and 2-4% for the organically modified montmorillonite. Finally, evenly mix the yellow sand (6-8% humidity) and the organically modified montmorillonite (2-4% humidity), maintaining the final humidity at 6-9%. The mass ratio of yellow sand to all organically modified montmorillonite in the mixture should be 1:(0.2-0.5).

[0051] The disinfectant mentioned above is selected from any one of bromochlorohydantoin, bleaching powder, quicklime, sodium hydroxide, and potassium permanganate. Bromochlorohydantoin is preferred as the disinfectant, with a concentration of 0.3–0.5 PPM.

[0052] Step S5: Prepare a 1.5cm-3.1cm thick layer by mixing the yellow sand and organically modified montmorillonite. Place the fertilized eggs on the layer. Then cover the fertilized eggs with vermiculite with a moisture content of 6%-9%, forming a 0.6-1.3cm thick covering layer. The layer and the covering layer completely enclose the fertilized eggs.

[0053] Step S6: Arrange the wrapped fertilized eggs vertically in layers to obtain at least two incubation layers. The bottom incubation layer is positioned 25-35cm above the ground, and the longitudinal spacing between adjacent incubation layers is 70-80cm. Place these incubation layers in an incubation environment with a temperature of 28℃-32℃ and a humidity of 60%-80%. After approximately 45-50 days of incubation, when the total accumulated temperature reaches approximately 36000℃, the hatchlings will molt, yielding baby turtles.

[0054] Before placing the incubation layer in the incubation environment, the environment needs to be disinfected. The disinfection method is formalin fumigation.

[0055] The disinfection process is as follows: use 20-30 ml of formalin (4% concentration) and 11.5-13.5 g of potassium permanganate per 20 square meters of incubation environment;

[0056] During sterilization, first add formalin solution to a heat-resistant ceramic basin or other evaporating vessel, then add potassium permanganate, and then quickly seal the incubation environment.

[0057] When formalin reacts with potassium permanganate, it produces a gas with a strong, pungent odor that can kill various bacteria and viruses in the incubation environment.

[0058] After 22-26 hours, open the incubation space and exhaust the disinfectant gas. After 2-4 days, the incubator can be sent to the incubation layer to enter the incubation environment for incubation.

[0059] The gas produced by the reaction of formalin and potassium permanganate is formaldehyde gas.

[0060] When incubating fertilized eggs, water needs to be added to the incubation environment. The water temperature should be controlled at 24-26℃ and the water depth should be 7-9cm.

[0061] During incubation, if the water depth is below 5cm, water needs to be added to a depth of 7-9cm. The temperature difference between the added water and the water temperature in the incubation environment should not exceed ±2℃. The air temperature in the incubation environment should increase by 3-5℃ per day, reaching 28-32℃ within 4-5 days, and then stabilize at 28-32℃. Additionally, when the humidity in the incubation environment exceeds 80% and there is heavy fog, ventilation is necessary to reduce the humidity; if the incubation environment is dry and free of fog, it should be sealed to maintain warmth and humidity.

[0062] When incubating fertilized eggs, observe the humidity of the incubation medium. When the humidity is below 6-9%, water needs to be sprayed. The temperature of the sprayed water should be the same as the temperature of the incubation environment, i.e., 28-32℃.

[0063] During the incubation of fertilized eggs, the incubation space needs to be opened for ventilation every day. The ventilation time should be 0.7-1.2 hours, based on a 2-3℃ drop in the temperature of the incubation medium. 8-12 days before the hatchlings emerge, the ventilation time should be increased to 1.6-2.2 hours.

[0064] Step S7: Place the hatchlings in an environment identical to the hatching environment (temperature 28℃-32℃, humidity 60%-80%) for 48-72 hours before releasing them into the wild.

[0065] The above-mentioned temporary holding environment also needs to be filled with water, with a water depth of 7-9cm, and a temporary holding density of 1000-2000 juvenile turtles per square meter.

[0066] Preparation Example

[0067] Preparation Example 1

[0068] Preparation of organically modified montmorillonite:

[0069] 8 kg of montmorillonite was added to 59 kg of water and stirred to dissolve, resulting in a suspension with a concentration of 12%.

[0070] 2 kg of modifier (glyceraldehyde) and 0.8 kg of organic surfactant (sorbitan fatty acid ester) were added to the suspension and the temperature was raised to 85°C. After stirring for 2 hours, an organically modified montmorillonite suspension was obtained.

[0071] After drying the organically modified montmorillonite suspension, it was ground into organically modified montmorillonite with a particle size of 0.2 mm.

[0072] Preparation Examples 2-3

[0073] The difference between Preparation Examples 2-3 and Preparation Example 1 lies in the temperature of the modification treatment, as shown in Table 1:

[0074] Table 1 Temperature of Modification Treatment

[0075] Temperature (°C) Preparation Example 2 75 Preparation Example 3 95

[0076] Preparation Examples 4-6

[0077] The difference between Preparation Examples 4-6 and Preparation Example 1 lies in the different modifiers or organic surfactants used, as shown in Table 2:

[0078] Table 2 Types of Modifiers or Organic Surfactants

[0079]

[0080]

[0081] The performance parameters of the organically modified montmorillonite prepared in Examples 1-6 were examined, including air permeability and adsorption. The testing methods were as follows: the air permeability of the organically modified montmorillonite in Examples 1-6 was tested using an air permeability tester, and the test results were recorded; each 100g of organically modified montmorillonite was used as an experimental group for the amount of water adsorbed, and more than 10 experimental groups were set up for each of the organically modified montmorillonite in Examples 1-6. The average value of the corresponding experimental groups was calculated, and this average value is the adsorption of the organically modified montmorillonite. Specific test data are shown in Table 3.

[0082] Table 3 Performance parameters of organically modified montmorillonite

[0083]

[0084] Combining Tables 1 and 3, it can be concluded that different modification temperatures affect the adsorption and permeability of organically modified montmorillonite. When the temperature is below 80°C (as in Preparation Example 2), the modification effect of the modifier and organic surfactant on montmorillonite decreases, leading to a decline in its adsorption and permeability. When the temperature is above 90°C (as in Preparation Example 2), the activity of the organic surfactant and modifier decreases, resulting in a reduced effect on montmorillonite modification, and consequently, a decrease in the adsorption capacity and permeability of the modified organic montmorillonite. Therefore, the optimal modification temperature for preparing organically modified montmorillonite is 85°C. Although the performance of montmorillonite varies with different modification temperatures, it still represents an improvement compared to the performance of montmorillonite itself.

[0085] Combining Tables 2 and 3, it can be concluded that when primary amines and sorbitan fatty acid esters are used, the performance of the prepared organically modified montmorillonite is not as good as that of the organically modified montmorillonite prepared in Example 1. Similarly, the same problem exists in Preparations 5 and 6. Therefore, glyceraldehyde is selected as the modifier and sorbitan fatty acid ester is selected as the organic surfactant. The combination of the two can better improve the adsorption and permeability of montmorillonite, so that the prepared organically modified montmorillonite can better lock in the moisture and toxins in the yellow sand, and the better permeability can help the fertilized eggs to exchange air during incubation.

[0086] Example

[0087] Example 1

[0088] The hatching method for turtle eggs is as follows:

[0089] 1. Collect turtle eggs, then lay a layer of freshwater sand with a moisture content of 8%, place the turtle eggs on the freshwater sand, and then cover the turtle eggs with another layer of freshwater sand with a moisture content of 8%. Wrap the turtle eggs with the two layers of freshwater sand for storage.

[0090] 2. Place the stored turtle eggs in an environment of 30℃ for temporary storage and development for 24 hours to obtain fertilized eggs and unfertilized eggs. Discard the unfertilized eggs.

[0091] 3. Mix freshwater sand and the organically modified montmorillonite prepared in Preparation Example 1, wherein the freshwater sand accounts for 70% and the organically modified montmorillonite accounts for 30%, and adjust the humidity of the mixture to 8%. Then, spread the freshwater sand and organically modified montmorillonite into a 2cm thick support layer, place the fertilized eggs on the support layer, and then cover the fertilized eggs with vermiculite with a humidity of 8% to form a 1cm thick covering layer. Wrap the fertilized eggs with the support layer and the covering layer.

[0092] 3. Arrange the wrapped fertilized eggs vertically to obtain at least two incubation layers;

[0093] 4. Place the incubation layer in an incubation environment with a temperature of 30℃ and a humidity of 70%. The bottom layer of the incubation layer should be 30cm from the ground, and adjacent incubation layers should be spaced 75cm apart longitudinally.

[0094] 5. After 45-50 days of incubation, hatchlings are obtained;

[0095] 6. After temporarily raising the juvenile turtles in the same environment as the hatching environment for 60 hours, release them into the wild.

[0096] Example 2-3

[0097] The difference between Examples 2-3 and Example 1 lies in the temperature of the incubation environment, as shown in Table 4:

[0098] Table 4 Temperature of the incubation environment

[0099] Temperature (°C) Example 2 28 Example 3 32

[0100] Examples 4-5

[0101] The only difference between Examples 4-5 and Example 1 is the humidity of the incubation environment, as shown in Table 5:

[0102] Table 5 Humidity of the incubation environment

[0103] humidity Example 4 60％ Example 5 80％

[0104] Examples 6-7

[0105] The difference between Examples 6-7 and Example 1 lies in the humidity of the mixture of freshwater sand and organically modified montmorillonite, as well as the humidity of the vermiculite. The specific humidity values ​​are shown in Table 6.

[0106] Table 6 Humidity of the incubation medium

[0107] Freshwater sand and organically modified montmorillonite vermiculite Example 6 6％ 6％ Example 7 9％ 9％

[0108] Examples 8-12

[0109] The difference between Examples 8-12 and Example 1 lies in the different organically modified montmorillonite used, as shown in Table 7:

[0110] Table 7 Types of Organically Modified Montmorillonite

[0111] Example 8 Preparation Example 2 Example 9 Preparation Example 3 Example 10 Preparation Example 4 Example 11 Preparation Example 5 Example 12 Preparation Example 6

[0112] Comparative Example

[0113] Comparative Example 1

[0114] 1. Wrap the turtle eggs in river sand or vermiculite, place the wrapped turtle eggs in an environment with a temperature of 30℃ for incubation, and then select the turtle eggs with better quality.

[0115] 2. Lay a 2cm thick layer of river sand, place the turtle eggs on the sand, cover the turtle eggs with plastic wrap, and then cover the plastic wrap with a 1cm thick layer of vermiculite to obtain the hatching layer.

[0116] 3. Finally, the hatching layer is placed in an incubation room with a temperature of 30℃ and a humidity of 70% to incubate and obtain juvenile turtles;

[0117] 4. After temporarily raising the juvenile turtles in the same environment as the hatching environment for 60 hours, release them into the wild.

[0118] Comparative Example 2

[0119] 1. Wrap the turtle eggs in river sand or vermiculite, incubate the wrapped turtle eggs at a temperature of 30℃, and then select the turtle eggs with better quality.

[0120] 2. Lay a 2cm thick layer of sponge, dig out several grooves in the sponge, place the turtle eggs in the grooves, and cover the turtle eggs with a 1cm thick layer of river sand and vermiculite to obtain the hatching layer.

[0121] 3. Finally, the hatching layer is placed in an incubation room with a temperature of 30℃ and a humidity of 70% to incubate and obtain juvenile turtles;

[0122] 4. After temporarily raising the juvenile turtles in the same environment as the hatching environment for 60 hours, release them into the wild.

[0123] Comparative Example 3

[0124] The difference between Comparative Example 3 and Example 1 is that organically modified montmorillonite is not used.

[0125] Comparative Example 4

[0126] The difference between Comparative Example 4 and Example 1 is that the juvenile turtles are not temporarily raised.

[0127] Hatching rate and survival rate testing

[0128] The hatching rate of turtle eggs in Examples 1-12 and Comparative Examples 1-4 was calculated based on the number of hatched turtle eggs and the number of hatchlings. The survival rate of turtle eggs in Examples 1-12 and Comparative Examples 1-4 was calculated based on the number of hatchlings released and the number of surviving hatchlings, as shown in Table 8.

[0129] Table 8 Hatching rate and survival rate

[0130] Hatching rate Survival rate Example 1 99％ 100％ Example 2 97.5％ 98.5％ Example 3 98％ 99％ Example 4 96％ 97％ Example 5 97％ 98％ Example 6 96.5％ 97.5％ Example 7 97％ 96.5％ Example 8 96.5％ 97.5％ Example 9 97％ 98％ Example 10 97％ 97％ Example 11 97.5％ 97.5％ Example 12 96％ 96.5％ Comparative Example 1 91％ 90％ Comparative Example 2 90％ 89％ Comparative Example 3 94％ 93％ Comparative Example 4 99％ 94％

[0131] As shown in Table 8, the hatching rates of turtle eggs in Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were significantly lower than those in Example 1, and the survival rate of hatchlings was also significantly lower. This is because Comparative Examples 1 and 2 used plastic wrap and sponges to wrap the turtle eggs, respectively. Plastic wrap has poor air permeability, hindering ventilation during hatching and reducing oxygen levels, which affects hatching. Sponges, on the other hand, are prone to mold growth after absorbing water, which damages the eggs, reducing not only the hatching rate but also the health of the hatchlings, leading to a lower survival rate. In contrast, this application uses organically modified montmorillonite mixed with freshwater sand, which retains moisture in the sand while allowing for ventilation, effectively improving the hatching rate. The turtle eggs from this application develop more fully, resulting in healthier hatchlings with a 100% survival rate upon release.

[0132] Table 8 shows that in Comparative Example 3, where organically modified montmorillonite was not used and only freshwater sand and vermiculite were used to cover the turtle eggs, both the hatching rate and survival rate decreased. This is because the lack of a moisturizing component led to rapid moisture loss. If moisture was not added in time, it could easily affect the development of the turtle eggs, resulting in some hatchlings being of poor health and unlikely to survive. In contrast, Example 1 used organically modified montmorillonite as a moisturizing component, which reduced the occurrence of the above situation and promoted the development of the turtle eggs.

[0133] Table 8 shows that the hatching rate in Comparative Example 4 is the same as that in Example 1, but the survival rate is lower. Therefore, it can be concluded that temporarily raising the hatched turtles can enhance their physical condition and improve their survival rate.

[0134] Combining Tables 4 and 8, both temperatures below and above 30℃ have a certain impact on the hatching rate and survival rate. Therefore, it is optimal to control the temperature of the incubation environment at 30℃.

[0135] Combining Tables 5 and 8, it can be concluded that humidity levels above or below 70% have a certain impact on the hatching of turtle eggs and also affect the survival of hatchlings during the release stage. Therefore, humidity control at 70% is optimal.

[0136] As can be seen from Tables 6 and 8, even when using organically modified montmorillonite, the humidity level after mixing it with freshwater sand is still important. Humidity levels below or above 8% will affect the hatching rate and the health of the hatchlings. Therefore, controlling the humidity level of the mixture of organically modified montmorillonite and freshwater sand at 8% is optimal.

[0137] Combining Tables 6 and 8, it can be concluded that using organically modified montmorillonite with different performance parameters will affect the humidity and oxygen levels of turtle eggs during incubation. Humidity and oxygen levels affect the development and quality of turtle eggs. Therefore, the organically modified montmorillonite prepared in Preparation Example 1 is the best choice.

[0138] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method for hatching Chinese soft-shelled turtle eggs, characterized in that, The incubation method includes: The collected turtle eggs are wrapped in yellow sand with a moisture content of 6-10% for storage; The stored turtle eggs were temporarily stored and developed in an environment of 26℃-33℃, and fertilized eggs were selected. Prepare an incubation medium with a humidity of 6%-9%, wrap the fertilized eggs in the incubation medium, arrange the wrapped fertilized eggs in vertical layers to obtain an incubation layer, and place the incubation layer in an incubation environment with a temperature of 28℃-32℃ and a humidity of 60%-80% to obtain juvenile turtles. The incubation medium comprises the following raw materials in parts by weight: 5-10 parts yellow sand, 2-5 parts vermiculite, and 1-3 parts organically modified montmorillonite; The step of wrapping the fertilized egg with the incubation medium is as follows: The yellow sand with a moisture content of 6%-9% is mixed with the organic modified montmorillonite and then evenly spread to obtain a support layer. The mass ratio of the yellow sand to all the organic modified montmorillonite is 1:(0.2-0.5). The fertilized egg is placed on the support layer, and then vermiculite with a moisture content of 6%-9% is covered on the fertilized egg to obtain the covering layer, thus completing the packaging. The thickness of the supporting layer is 1.5-3.1 cm, and the thickness of the covering layer is 0.6-1.3 cm; The organically modified montmorillonite is obtained by modifying the following raw materials in parts by weight: 5-10 parts montmorillonite, 1-3 parts modifier, 0.5-1 part organic surfactant and 50-100 parts water; The modification process includes the following steps: The montmorillonite was dissolved in water to prepare a suspension with a concentration of 10%-15%; the modifier and the surfactant were added to the suspension, and the mixture was modified at 75℃-95℃. After drying and grinding, organic modified montmorillonite was obtained. The modifier is glyceraldehyde, and the organic surfactant is sorbitol fatty acid ester.

2. The method for hatching Chinese soft-shelled turtle eggs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The yellow sand is freshwater sand with a particle size of 0.4-0.7 mm, and the organically modified montmorillonite has a particle size of 0.1-0.4 mm.

3. The method for hatching Chinese soft-shelled turtle eggs according to claim 1, characterized in that: When incubating the turtle eggs, there are at least two incubation layers. The lowest incubation layer is located 25-35cm above the ground, and the longitudinal interval between adjacent incubation layers is 70-80cm.

4. The method for hatching Chinese soft-shelled turtle eggs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The incubation method further includes: The juvenile turtles were temporarily kept in an environment identical to the hatching environment for 48-72 hours. The juvenile turtles, after being temporarily raised, were then released into the wild.

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