Baby testudo hermanni

[palobo]

Hello guys, I'm new in this forum

Since last friday I'm owner of two hermanni tortoises - one is 2,5 month old (6cm long), second is 1 month old (4,5cm long). Before I bought them, I have been reading as much as I could, but some things went out after they came home.

1) Is this normal, that younger one is spending most of day sleeping underground, or just chilling 'half-underground' with his head above? He is eating only if I put some food nearby, he doesn't want to go out to a plate with food (older one is doing normal). Here is photo how it looks like:

2) When they are going to sleep, it looks like this: younger one is going deep underground, and older is diging right above him then sleeping right next to him, but a little higher - isn't that some kind of domination sign? They are living in same enclosure right now, but if it's necessary I will separate them (they will be seperated in like 1-1,5 year).

3) About calcium - I have sepia bone for them, but I'm not sure how to deal with that: should I just put it inside and let them eat it if they feel they need it, or should I crush it a bit to their food?


4) Last question - older one got dewormed like 3 weeks ago, younger one wasn't (because he was too young). Should they both get prophylactically dewormed in like 1-2 months, or?


Thank you for answers, sorry if something was not understandable, I'm working on my english

Cheers!

 

[daniellenc]

Info on your temps and humidity would help but yes the sleeping positions indicate you should separate them. New tortoises do eat less until they adjust but it sounds like the little one is stressed by the presence of the other.

Both should be dewormed because you put them together and unfortunately cross contamination has happened. No new animals should ever be together for 30-90 days with quarantine measures strictly followed.

Are they from the same place? What are you using for uvb, heat, and substrate.

 

[palobo]

Oh, sorry, you are right, I forgot to write it.

Temperature and humidity:
basking spot: 37-39 celsius degrees, around 30% humidity
other site: 28 celsius degrees, 60-80% humidity
at night temperature is around 25 celsius.

They were born in same farm in Czech Republic.

UVB - EXO TERRA REPTI-GLO 10.0 T8 60CM/20W

heat - halogen light bulb (i was going to replace this with a basking spot bulb from pet store, but temperature seems fine, so left this one)


When should I deworm them? How old this younger one should be?

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

1) Young ones often hide a lot anyway, they are prey animals, also it takes some longer than others to adapt to a new home, but, yes, it could well be signs of bulling behaviour, or the smaller one feeling insecure in the presence of the other. They need to be separated.
2) Yes, separate them as soon as possible.
3) Some torts like to eat sepia bone, others will nibble and many will touch it only when necessary or not at all. You can scrape it with a knife once or twice a week over the food to give a little extra calcium.
4) I don't think deworming is necessary myself, unless you have an obvious problem, like worms being clearly visible in the poop. Others may disagree.

Basking spot is recommended at about 35 °C, what you have may be a little hot for babies.

 

[palobo]

Thanks alot!
I will do my best to separate them as soon as possible. At this moment I can make an enclosure like this:
http://www.terrarium.com.pl/galeria/foto/68671.jpg

would it be fine for some time (like 6 months or so)?

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Thanks alot!
I will do my best to separate them as soon as possible. At this moment I can make an enclosure like this:
http://www.terrarium.com.pl/galeria/foto/68671.jpg

would it be fine for some time (like 6 months or so)?

Obviously it's a bit small, but as a temporary measure, okay I guess for the little one.
And don't use the coiled bulbs (I know you've got a nice tube elsewhere and you're just showing an example), they have been known to cause eye damage, especially to youngsters and don't always produce a good source of UVB anyway.

 

[palobo]

Okay. I made a little research and here's only two kinds of UVB lights: this curly one, and tube. I think i will just put frame on a piece of board and put there this tube bulb on the top of container. I was really hoping there would like each other

One more question - what about substrate? I have something like this:
http://www.tortoisesupply.com/exo-terra-plantation-soil-coconut-coir-brick-form/

is it fine?

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Don't use curly ones. The third bulb choice is the MVB (mercury vapour bulb) which provides heat/ light and UVB in one. This is what I use but it might be too severe in a little enclosure like that and some say they cause dessication.
I use coco coir, and find it great, but others prefer to use fine grade orchid bark which you can get cheaply at garden centres, for little ones.

 

[palobo]

Okay, I will post a picture as soon as I get my temporary enclosure. Thanks alot for help!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Okay, I will post a picture as soon as I get my temporary enclosure. Thanks alot for help!

Pleasure.

 

[palobo]

One more question - I'm thinking about second enclosure, and I'm not sure what is better - wooden one, or glass one?
I mean, I have two enclousers at this moment, this upper is from tortoises, and lower is from my hedgehog. And I'm a bit confused what kind of those enclosures should be better for tortoise. What do you think?

glass is 100x50x50, semi opened,
wooden is 130x45x45, fully closed.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I can't see the wooden one, here.
But the glass one looks good, should be fairly easy to cover and create a closed chamber to keep in your humidity if needed.

 

[palobo]

Right, sorry, my bad.

https://c.allegroimg.com/original/01d3cc/0e2d00f94bdca8f06b2d89bdf44c

it looks like this one, but with glass doors in front of.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Right, sorry, my bad.

https://c.allegroimg.com/original/01d3cc/0e2d00f94bdca8f06b2d89bdf44c

it looks like this one, but with glass doors in front of.

Oooooohhhh, that looks super, though I'd build my own cos that is going to cost the price of a wide screen TV.

 

[palobo]

In Poland this one is pretty cheap - I bought for my hedgehog with stuff like water bowl, tiny home, substrate for 2 months, ball, carrousel, and heating bulb for like 90$.
New one costs a bit less like 100$ with 2 bulb spots. But I'm wondering is it good, that it's fully closed? Wouldn't be that too warm? There are some little holes on the side walls, but would it work?

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Fully closed is good, though you'll have to make holes for your lights, one supposes.
Shouldn't get to hot if you get the right type of lights at the right distance and maybe a thermostat.

 

[palobo]

About thermostat, you mean to connect it with heating lamp?
I'm thinking that other thing that I may do is just keep enclousers doors open, so the air circulation would be possible - except winter.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

If you are overheating, then yes, a thermostat connected to your heat lamp, but I don't think it should overheat.
Opening the doors will lose you all your humidity.
Enough air circulation is provided by your opening the enclosure daily to provide food, water, spot cleaning, etc. That's all a tortoise needs.

 

[palobo]

Okay, thanks alot!
Now I'm going to hunt for some good offerts!

 

[Tom]

Either of those tanks will work well. There is plenty of airflow throughout those vents in the closed chamber. I would plug those myself. It will only over heat if you use a heat lamp that is too high in wattage. Only use flood bulbs. Don't use halogen or spot bulbs.

Your chosen substrate is excellent for this species when they are babies, but keep it slightly damp so it doesn't get dusty. If you hand pack it down, i will be less messy.

Tortoises should never be kept in pairs. Separate them ASAP.

They should not be wormed without a fecal check first. How does the vet know what wormer to use, if he/she doesn't know what worms they are trying to eradicate? Run fecal tests on your tortoises first, and then decide if you need to worm them.