A few questions!

Status
Not open for further replies.

jpeterson

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Messages
21
Hey everyone! I'm new to tortoise keeping and would like to ask a few questions.

1. How should i lay my vivarium out? What should i put in it and such? (i currently have a small 2ftx2ft vivarium but am buying a 4ftx2ft viv next week)

2. I got a licence with the tortoise and was wondering if i need to get anything changed on it. Like do i need my address on it? Do i need to get the tortoise micro chipped?

3. How do i sex the tortoise?
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,405
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Hi Jamie:

You probably won't be able to tell the sex of your Hermanns tortoise until he's a bit older. I don't know how big he is but at 2 and a half years, he's more than likely not big enough yet.

I'll send the link to this thread to one of our UK members for them to answer your question about the paperwork.
 

jpeterson

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Messages
21
emysemys said:
Hi Jamie:

You probably won't be able to tell the sex of your Hermanns tortoise until he's a bit older. I don't know how big he is but at 2 and a half years, he's more than likely not big enough yet.

I'll send the link to this thread to one of our UK members for them to answer your question about the paperwork.

Thanks you very much! Should i try taking some pics to see if it is possible for one of you experts to tell its sex? It's worth a try!
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,405
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Sure...we always like to play that guessing game!
 

Isa

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 8, 2008
Messages
7,095
Location (City and/or State)
Montreal, QC, Canada
Hello :)

I would suggest you to make a tortoise table instead of buying a vivarium. You could have some problem with humidity level in a vivarium and some tortoises does not like being able to see outside their enclosure.
I have 2 Hermanns and they live in 2 separate tortoise table. In their enclosure, there are plants (real and fake ones but I am careful with the fake ones because I do not want the tortoise to eat it or I do not want it to catch on fire). I have one water dish, one calcium bones, a couple of hides, on MVB (mercury vapor bulb) light, The substrate I use is Aspen :)

You can check our Hermann sections http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Forum-Hermanns-tortoises#axzz1EXj3vE99 You will find a caresheet and plenty of useful infos :)
 

jpeterson

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Messages
21
Isa said:
Hello :)

I would suggest you to make a tortoise table instead of buying a vivarium. You could have some problem with humidity level in a vivarium and some tortoises does not like being able to see outside their enclosure.
I have 2 Hermanns and they live in 2 separate tortoise table. In their enclosure, there are plants (real and fake ones but I am careful with the fake ones because I do not want the tortoise to eat it or I do not want it to catch on fire). I have one water dish, one calcium bones, a couple of hides, on MVB (mercury vapor bulb) light, The substrate I use is Aspen :)

You can check our Hermann sections http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Forum-Hermanns-tortoises#axzz1EXj3vE99 You will find a caresheet and plenty of useful infos :)

The vivarium i was going to get it this one... http://www.seapets.co.uk/products/r...s/reptile-one-saburra-vivarium-beech-120.html

It just has the sliding doors, i will also be drilling holes in the top. I want to try have all real plants and replace once they are eaten. i was thinking a nice big water dish which is shallow and 2 hidy places.
 

Isa

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 8, 2008
Messages
7,095
Location (City and/or State)
Montreal, QC, Canada
Very nice!
Just make sure that seing outside does not stressed your little one, my little Hermy did not like that and was always trying to scratch the window to escape, Right after I put him in a tortoise table, he stoped doing that :).
Have you bought a light yet?
 

jpeterson

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Messages
21
There is no glass that the tort will be able to see! It only sliding doors which are about 6inch in. Should be good and much better than the 2ftx2ft viv he came in when i bought him! OR HER!
 

Isa

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 8, 2008
Messages
7,095
Location (City and/or State)
Montreal, QC, Canada
it all depends on all much substrate you will put in the enclosure. I always put a couple of inches (depending on the tortoise size) of substrate because they love to burrow. Per exemple, I put 3 to 4 inches of Aspen in my baby enclosure (he is 7 months old).
Yes, I am sure he or she is going to be super happy to live in a bigger enclosure :D
 

jpeterson

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Messages
21
I bought some tortoise life substrate (which is very expensive) for the enclosure i have atm. I won't be buying it again because of the price and i would need 4-5 bags for the new enclosure. What substrate should i use?
 
S

stells

Guest
With regards to the paperwork... you have to have your name on the certificate... if you wish to sell... or breed from the tortoise...

The tortoise also need to be chipped if over 10cm and you wish to sell or breed... getting them chipped when bigger is better IMO... so you only need to do if you wish to sell or breed...

Hope that makes sense...
 

tortoises101

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2010
Messages
1,390
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario, Canada
Isa said:
I use Aspen and My Hermann loves it.
Here is a thread that gives you options.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-What-substrate-to-use?highlight=substrate#axzz1EdUirfgr

Rabbit pellets is not a good choice. It is high in protein and it is a very very dry substrate. It could hurt your little one's eyes.

Let us know if you like one in particular :).

Rabbit pellets also tend to mold and smell nasty. I'm mainly advocating cypress mulch for the little ones, and switching to 50/50 topsoil/play sand for the sub-adults and adults.
 

jpeterson

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Messages
21
I will either be using ReptiBark or Tortoise Life substrate. He seems to like tortoise life better because his feet don't sink
 

kimby37

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2011
Messages
124
Location (City and/or State)
Massachusetts
S

stells

Guest
70 %Sterilised topsoil and 30% playsand... mixed...

Will turn out similar to the tortoiselife substrate... also much cheaper...
 

jpeterson

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Messages
21
stells said:
70 %Sterilised topsoil and 30% playsand... mixed...

Will turn out similar to the tortoiselife substrate... also much cheaper...

How deep? How often should it be changed? Could i grow grass in it for him/her along with some other nice veg he/her would like to munch on?
 

tortoises101

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2010
Messages
1,390
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario, Canada
I'm glad you're using Tortoiselife substrate. Repti-bark is NOT recommended. It does not allow burrowing, has a nasty reputation of developing mold and fungus, cannot tolerate much humidity (or it will mold/develop fungus), and simply put, is a horrible tortoise substrate.

Anyways, the substrate should be an inch deeper than your tortoise's shell is long. A substrate of this depth will allow him to burrow. Since I don't know how big your habitat is and how big your tortoise is, the frequency of changing your substrate is very hard to answer. Generally, I think a change once every 3 weeks will do, but you can get away with a change once every month or so if your habitat is bigger. You can grow grass in there; I typically recommend Carex Appalachica as it's very very hardy (it even fares well way up here in Canada). Also, they resemble the scrub oaks found in wild T.hermanni habitat. Grow it in pots as you'll have to constantly replant it if you grow it in the substrate and it might get trampled too. You can grow some Opuntia in pots under or near the basking light. Opuntia doesn't need lots of maintenance, and your tortoise can munch on it when it feels like it. You can grow some dandelions, plantago major/lanceolata, mallow, clover, or chicory weeds inside your enclosure. Growing weeds indoors is like trial and error. It might work, or it may not. Some flowers such as hibiscus, gazania, or nasturtium can also be grown in your tort's enclosure, but they do require more maintenance than the previous plants mentioned.
 

jpeterson

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Messages
21
Sound great! I am actually buying a new home for my little one which will be 4ft x 2ft and about 1 1/2ft deep. I would need about 5 inch substrate so i will use topsoil and sand mix. I will def think about the plants and what not. I will post a plan of how im going to set out the new home. I will also post a plan of how im going to set out his/her bit of the garden which is around 10ft x 3ft
 

tortoises101

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2010
Messages
1,390
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario, Canada
jpeterson said:
Sound great! I am actually buying a new home for my little one which will be 4ft x 2ft and about 1 1/2ft deep. I would need about 5 inch substrate so i will use topsoil and sand mix. I will def think about the plants and what not. I will post a plan of how im going to set out the new home. I will also post a plan of how im going to set out his/her bit of the garden which is around 10ft x 3ft

Sounds good. Keep us posted.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top