Thortoise the destroyer

[ShockerFX]

This Hermann's tortoise climbs on everything just amazing things in his path. There is no concept of going around just over in the second picture he actually flipped himself into his back which I've been worried about happening to him. Lucky this time I was sitting here watching him the guy's a crazy person!

 

[ShockerFX]

So I just pulled the grass plant out because he flipped himself again he's proving to be irresponsible with it

 

[littlelotti24]

Cute baby!!! A way to maybe help him from pacing/ or maybe flipping? You could put tape around the outside of the tank so he can't see out I'm sure you have heard this! But just a suggestion little torts don't understand the glass and why they can't get through it lol

 

[littlelotti24]

Or also! A tortoise table is great too!

 

[Steve_carter]

When I first got my tort we got him in a viv with glass doors. We immediately built our own tort table as I am not huge on viv's & the glass scenario. He is over the moon with his own space. He has plenty of space. Been a Horsefield he does enjoy a climb but made it tort safe to prevent him flipping. This was done by observing him for awhile & see what he gets up too & see what you can do to help the issue.

 

[Gillian M]

This Hermann's tortoise climbs on everything just amazing things in his path. There is no concept of going around just over in the second picture he actually flipped himself into his back which I've been worried about happening to him. Lucky this time I was sitting here watching him the guy's a crazy person!

Welcome to the forum!

A gorgeous little tort, GOD bless.

I would not recommend glass/transparent enclosures. A tort can see through and keep trying to get out.

 

[Yvonne G]

Sounds like a little sulcata in a Hermanni body! (Love his name!!!)

 

[Tom]

This Hermann's tortoise climbs on everything just amazing things in his path. There is no concept of going around just over in the second picture he actually flipped himself into his back which I've been worried about happening to him. Lucky this time I was sitting here watching him the guy's a crazy person!

Your problem is that enclosure is WAYYYYYY too small. Your tortoise needs something around 4x8'.

 

[Tom]

Cute baby!!! A way to maybe help him from pacing/ or maybe flipping? You could put tape around the outside of the tank so he can't see out I'm sure you have heard this! But just a suggestion little torts don't understand the glass and why they can't get through it lol

It does no harm to put a visual barrier up, but this glass thing is a persistent myth. I, and many other long term experienced keepers here, have been using glass tanks for a variety of species for decades with no issues. Every year I raise dozens of babies in glass tanks with no problems.

This is repeated on care sheets and tortoise sites and books all over the world, but its just not true. ShockerFX's tortoise would likely behave the same way in a tortoise table with those same dimensions. The tortoise has a space problem, not a glass problem.

 

[Tom]

Or also! A tortoise table is great too!

Another often repeated semi-myth…

Tortoise tables are only good if maintaing humidity is not important, or if the entire room is maintained at the correct humidity all year long. Most homes are air conditioned in the summer and heated in the winter. This dries out the air tremendously and an open table can be a desiccating place for a tortoise that needs humidity to thrive. I don't recommend tables for babies of any species, but they work fine for adults of some species, like russians.

 

[Oxalis]

@Tom has years of experience over me, but I can say that after transitioning my Russian tort from a glass tank to a bigger handmade tortoise table, he seems much happier. I've had him in my care since November 2009 and a lot has happened since that could also contribute to greater tort happiness, e.g., building his backyard garden. No doubt allowing my Russian much more space to roam and plants to nibble on at his leisure has been a major factor in providing him with a better environment. Definitely worth all the hard work my fiance and I have put in to it!

 

[Tom]

...after transitioning my Russian tort from a glass tank to a bigger handmade tortoise table, he seems much happier.

You bring up the main problem with glass tanks, which is their small size. I use 100 gallon and 135 gallon tanks to start babies sometimes, but they outgrow them so quickly.

 

[BrianWI]

What size tank is that?

 

[ShockerFX]

My tank is a fifty gallon tank the pacing that he does is getting better but still climbs on his house now and it's more treacherous than ever I agree that my biggest problem is size I hope to by next spring have an outdoor garden built for him for the warmer months but still must do something inside like was said about a table I don't think I could maintain humidity it is very dry where I live so maybe a bigger tank I've thought about doing the double layer thing I've seen people do but I think he'll just bail off of it and get hurt so some more deliberating must be done

 

[Tom]

My tank is a fifty gallon tank the pacing that he does is getting better but still climbs on his house now and it's more treacherous than ever I agree that my biggest problem is size I hope to by next spring have an outdoor garden built for him for the warmer months but still must do something inside like was said about a table I don't think I could maintain humidity it is very dry where I live so maybe a bigger tank I've thought about doing the double layer thing I've seen people do but I think he'll just bail off of it and get hurt so some more deliberating must be done

For an adult hermanni, an open table should be fine. Keep the substrate damp and offer a humid hide. Or just build a large closed chamber:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/

A closed chamber allows the user to easily maintain whatever humidity level they want. It does not have to be "high" humidity. It just creates a more stable environment and tortoises thrive in them.