I had started my hatchling off with a coco coir and top soil mix as well. He's almost 2 years old now and still using the same substrate mix because he loves it. He also tracks some into his food bowl. They are very messy. I put some larger flat rocks around his food bowl to help knock some of...
I've had my RES for 5 years since he was a baby and I don't think he loves being held, but he doesn't mind it. When I pick him up to put him in his feeding tank or bring him outside he wraps his right hand around my finger like he's holding on and I love that! He'll let me pet that arm for a...
My Gilbert has been doing exactly what you've described. He used to alway wake himself up when his light comes on and would come out to eat and explore, but now he will stay sleeping for days if I let him. So I'm very curious to what others might say. I don't know where you live, but I'm from...
I agree with what everyone else is saying. I would highly recommend changing the substrate to topsoil or my favorite, eco earth coco fiber. It's easier for them to dig down in and burrow.
They should be warm during the day and have it cooler at night. How cold does it get? They should be fine with it in the low 60s or even a little lower at night. For the day time though they should get about 14 hours of light. If the school allows it having their light on a timer makes...
You are right that it needs a trim if it looked long because that's not a feature for hermanns. If you noticed all those things that were wrong with it and they've had them for a while you may want to advice them in getting the proper caring info for them.
Those look like Galapagos to me because aren't their eyes kind of even with their nose and Aldabras eyes are higher up? I went to the zoo near me (Audubon Zoo) and they had 3 Aldabras, a radiated, a sulcata, 2 spiders, a gopher and another enclosure of some tortoises said they were instead...
RE: Waterbowl has a weird residue?
That's good! Some people like to use the plastic ones. They must have been out of the really small terra cotta ones because my Hermanns have been using one since he was 2 months old. But if you find one that works that's all that matters!
I think a lot of people have multiple trays growing on a window sill and put one in the tort's enclosure and rotate them out as he starts eating them down. It's hard to grow from seeds in their enclosure because as soon as they see a little sprout of greens they'll eat it before it gets a chance...
I just got mine from Home Depot, I don't have a certain brand. I just make sure it doesn't have any fertilizer in it, such as those little white balls. If it says it's organic they won't have any fertilizer in it. I've also used a bag from Lowe's that was $2 a bag of topsoil. Usually super cheap...
I had that kind for my snake and it got slimy. For my tortoise's water bowl I like to use a terra cotta saucer. It's easy for them to get in and out of and I've never had a slimy problem.
I live in Louisiana too and we've had several crawfish boils already, but they've been pretty big and I never thought about letting my RES have one. Maybe if I get a small one I'll see what my crazy turtle will do!