Weight

[mjk22]

How much should a 6 month old hermanns tortoise weigh?

 

[Ink]

Eastern or western Hermanns?

 

[mjk22]

Eastern

 

[TeamZissou]

They grow at different rates depending on conditions like temperature, humidity, frequency of soaking, general stress, housed alone or in pairs (stress effects) etc.

In optimal conditions you might see a weight upward of about 70 g at 6 months, and possibly reach 200 g by one year.

 

[mjk22]

I really do not know what I am doing wrong. He is very healthy, but he only weighs 25 grams

 

[TeamZissou]

Did you compare your care and setup to what is described in this thread:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

What are your temperatures, humidity, and lighting? Are you soaking daily?

 

[mjk22]

Temps are 90-95. Humidity is around 80% during the day and drops to around 65-70%at night when he is asleep under his log. I soak him for 15 minutes daily. I turned off his uv light because I read that he is not supposed to have a compact light. I am buying him a fluorescent bulb soon. I was wondering if I should buy him Mazuri tortoise diet. This is what he was fed before I got him from Arizona Tortoise Compound.

 

[TeamZissou]

It's possible that the CFL bulb was encouraging him to hide more to get away from the harmful light. Those can put out UVC light which is very damaging to their eyes. This could also reduce his time spent walking around which is needed for digestion.

Mazuri (LS) twice a week would be good to add and would help with weight gain. Soak it in warm water for about 10 minutes to soften it up.

Are you giving any other supplements? If so, what products are you using?

Also, be careful not to over handle the tortoise as this can add stress.

 

[TaylorTortoise]

Temps are 90-95. Humidity is around 80% during the day and drops to around 65-70%at night when he is asleep under his log. I soak him for 15 minutes daily. I turned off his uv light because I read that he is not supposed to have a compact light. I am buying him a fluorescent bulb soon. I was wondering if I should buy him Mazuri tortoise diet. This is what he was fed before I got him from Arizona Tortoise Compound.

The fluorescent bulb is going to be extremely bright for the for enclosure. Wouldn't this make it too powerful for hatch-lings eyes?

 

[Yvonne G]

The fluorescent bulb is going to be extremely bright for the for enclosure. Wouldn't this make it too powerful for hatch-lings eyes?

That's why you have lots of plants in there. The plants provide shade and cover.

 

[mjk22]

Ok, thank you

 

[mjk22]

What are good plants that proved good shade. I have a 4ft by 2ft enclosure that is open.

 

[TeamZissou]

The fluorescent bulb is going to be extremely bright for the for enclosure. Wouldn't this make it too powerful for hatch-lings eyes?

Fluorescent tubes are widely used for UVB for tortoises, even for hatchlings. The brightness of a single fluorescent tube is less than what you'd get outside on an overcast day. I don't see a brightness concern. In fact, most people probably don't have enough ambient light in their enclosures. LED is great for this. But yes, adding places to get out of the light/hide is a good idea and can lower overall stress. Live plants like pothos are good, and fake plants from Hobby Lobby can be used.

 

[mjk22]

It's possible that the CFL bulb was encouraging him to hide more to get away from the harmful light. Those can put out UVC light which is very damaging to their eyes. This could also reduce his time spent walking around which is needed for digestion.

Mazuri (LS) twice a week would be good to add and would help with weight gain. Soak it in warm water for about 10 minutes to soften it up.

Are you giving any other supplements? If so, what products are you using?

Also, be careful not to over handle the tortoise as this can add stress.

I use repti calcium but not often.

 

[TaylorTortoise]

Fluorescent tubes are widely used for UVB for tortoises, even for hatchlings. The brightness of a single fluorescent tube is less than what you'd get outside on an overcast day. I don't see a brightness concern. In fact, most people probably don't have enough ambient light in their enclosures. LED is great for this. But yes, adding places to get out of the light/hide is a good idea and can lower overall stress. Live plants like pothos are good, and fake plants from Hobby Lobby can be used.

A 60 WATT FLORECENT BULB FROM ACE HARDWARE TO PUT IN A CERAMIC FIXTURE WOULD THAT WORK?

 

[Tom]

... I got him from Arizona Tortoise Compound.

There is your problem. They don't start babies well. They leave them outside all day "In the Arizona sunshine" and soak them infrequently. This is not a good environment for hatchlings and babies, and the result, according to their customers who have personally contacted me, is frequently slow growth and sometimes eventual death.

Buy from breeders who start babies in damp substrate indoors and soak daily. Introduction to a wide variety of natural type foods is a bonus.

ATC are nice people. They are responsible and trustworthy business people. They just don't start babies in a way that ensures their survival and health. I think its fine to house adults the way they do, but babies don't do well that way, as you are seeing.

All you can do is offer ideal conditions for your baby, wait, and hope for the best. Soak it daily, offer good foods. Give it an hour or two outside in a safe enclosure two or three times a week, and keep it on damp (not wet) substrate with a humid hide or two. Mazuri would be a good idea. Its packed with good nutrition, a little needed protein, water after soaking, and its in a palatable form that they love.

Here are two threads with more explanation:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

"Hatchling Failure Syndrome"

I've heard this term for many years and I don't like it. Its a way to excuse our ignorance and failure. I will agree that an occasional hatchling is born that is just not going to make it no matter what anybody does, but MOST of them, if they make it full term and hatch, SHOULD survive and...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[TeamZissou]

A 60 WATT FLORECENT BULB FROM ACE HARDWARE TO PUT IN A CERAMIC FIXTURE WOULD THAT WORK?

Not sure I understand your question. You may be confusing UV and basking bulbs. Basking bulbs (or CHEs for ambient temperature maintenance) should be mounted in ceramic sockets for fire safety reasons. T5 fuorescent UVB tubes (Zoomed, Arcadia etc.) need a compatible fixture. Fluorescent bulbs from hardware stores are not good for ambient lighting because they produce a lot of extra UVA that is not helpful for smooth shell growth. Such bulbs would only be used for ambient lighting anyway. 6400k color temp LEDs are much better for this since they are less damaging and can use a bit less power.