I've seen a just hatched Indian star tortoise, on its lower part of shell there is a gland type structure?

Question

What this may be. Is it a normal phenomenon or any problematic factor.
The structure is like a very small onion on the bottom part but it is soft.
How & what should we feed to a newly hatched tortoise.

Answer 1

I keep and breed redfoot tortoises. It is not uncommon for them to hatch out with some of the egg yolk sac still to be absorbed into their body. It has never presented a problem with my hatchlings and will dissappear in a day or two. Babies usually do not eat until after this is gone and sometimes not for the first week or so after hatching. It is rare for them to eat right away so don't panic if you encounter this. Feed the babies the same diet you feed the adults, just chopped much smaller. You should find this site helpful.

www.tortoisetrust.org

Answer 2

That is probably where it was attached to the egg yolk. It's sorta like an umbilical. I've hatched boxed turtles. It will shrivel up much like a human umbilical.