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Hi all. My cousin in Houston, Texas would like to get a tortoise for his family. Their yard is smallish but he can build a tortoise house and pen and let him roam their yard. It rains in Houston a lot and is humid. Temps range from 50s to 100F with feel like temps occasionally up to 110...

Hi Arizona residents, I saw this in the national news. I should be so lucky! https://apple.news/ARjCi96G5SEeDsXGnt5eh7Q

Hi all, Just to let you know, yesterday I sent Matteo back to his breeder so he would have room to be (safely) outside. He has arrived safely. Thanks to all who’ve helped and reassured me the past couple of years, especially @Tom. An Egyptian may be in my future thanks to his breeder so I...

https://apple.news/AbaejH1FwS86FBS5xgMj-8A

Look what I found on my way to the library! I let him go once I arrived. And the librarian said she found a skink in her bed this morning.

I was told/hoping my little Hermann’s could stay in his Christmas tree bin for life but now I’m wondering. He’s supposed to be the smallest variety but looks to me that he’s getting big. At least to me lol, as I have no comparison. He’s pacing the edges and trying to climb the walls. He’s now...

Hi, From advice on TFO I realized that the light I had before was too intense. I got a lower intensity UVB light than before to put over Matteo’s bin. There’s now an Arcadia 6% Forest vs the 12% Desert that I used to use. It’s about 12” above the substrate, across the top of the bin. Matteo...

Hi All, Because the most room and money I can spare for Matteo’s indoor enclosure is 5’ x 2’, I’ve decided to build him a screen covered outdoor tortoise table. I have to elevate it to deter fire ants and snakes (I know they can climb, I’ll take measures to deter them/Vaseline on the legs...

Hi All, I’m thinking of putting my Hermann’s outside for the summer in a plastic pool or wooden enclosure (or at least a couple of days a week). Dangerous animals are what’s stopping me. We have fire ants and I’m afraid of them building a nest inside the pool or wooden enclosure on the ground...

So, I have the opportunity to order a custom printed background for my upcoming solid black PVC enclosure. It’s for for my Hermann’s. Are they cheesy, and I should just leave it the PVC? I have to decide soon. Do most of you have backgrounds or not? Printed or 3-D rock or cork look/genuine...

Hi all. Is it safe to have petrified wood on the enclosure? How about labradorite? Are logs such as manzanita safe? Which wood is recommended? Do you have to file sharp edges or projections? Thanks, y’all!

I’ve been monitoring the CHE with an Inkbird thermostat and a thermometer that were both supposed to alert me. They didn’t. Last week I checked on Matteo, and the enclosure and the CHE hood felt too warm so I checked with my heat gun. I swear I could smell Matteo. The temp was about 110-120F...

Hi Y’all, I’m planting the seed mix in planting bags soon so I’ll be buying gardening soil to fill the bags? Should I get organic or will regular soil do? Also, how to control pest safely without chemicals so it’s safe for my Hermann’s? Thanks.

Hi All, How do you all who use the Christmas tree bins hang lights about 21” above the substrate surface? Adjustable? Would you mind sharing cost? I thought I’d found a solution, but I’m not sure. Hanging across the top of the bin was bad because it was too close. I need to get something...

I had this one recommended from a previous recommendation: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SSBSB3F/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20 Not very soon after I got it, the temp went up to over 130F though set at less than 100F. I never used it again. Matteo is cold despite the regular flood lamp (24/7 light...

Hi All, I saw some custom and printed hides I liked on Etsy. They are custom 3-D printed colored, and one was covered in eco earth and moss, very naturalistic. Problem is the hides had small openings, too small for even my Western Hermann’s. The small manufacturer said he would be interested...

Hi All, Matteo is a Western Hermann’s tortoise. He’s in a Christmas tree bin. He was a few months old when I got him and he’s now a out 16 months old. As a hatchling, he seemed fine with the Arcadia light. He’d started to come out and wander areound his bin. A few months ago, he began spending...

I’ve tried vinegar to get rid of the fruit flies in Matteo’s enclosure. Works in the kitchen but not very well in his enclosure. I got them down a bit then they rebounded. They seem to prefer the soil to the vinegar. I’ve ordered some insect-eating plants. In the meantime, could I just put...

Hi all, Matteo is now a year old, and I’d like to keep him outside a couple hours a day. Does anyone have suggestions for an affordable outdoor enclosure? I need a box style that’s elevated off the ground. There of Fire ants and so on here. I need strong mesh to protect him from hawks and...

Hi, I thought someone might be home over the July 4th weekend. I’ll be gone Friday through Monday night. Will a small 1 year old Hermann’s be okay without a daily soaking What to do about food (Mazuri I always feed soaked) and drinking water? Thanks.