I couldn't find the usual (plain old, I guess) Mazuri brand at my local store but there was new reformulated version called Mazuri tortoise diet LS, and the ingredients list included "dried apple pomace," which is new to me. I've been feeding my Hermann's this version for a couple months --...
I've read in various places not to use distilled water in pet care under some circumstances; for example, some fish aquarium magazines/posts recommend against it, though usually it's OK as supplement to conditioned water. But I haven't read why it's not good to use. (I've also read in owner's...
My 3-yr-old Hermann's wakes up at 7-8 am and is asleep by 2-4 pm. He seems fine and eats and evacuates daily. Is this much sleep common/needed at his age? A recent fecal sample came back OK.
I use a few "complete" prepared diet products for my Hermann's and ZooMed's Grasslands Tortoise pellets seem the best.
I note that all the products contain some form of Vitamin A that can accumulate in the body and become toxic (similar to Vitamin D). One company said the amounts are intended...
I have used Rep-Cal Tortoise Food and ZooMed box turtle pellets. ZooMed lists alfalfa and wheat first, then down a ways on the ingredient list are things like escalore, dandelion along with some fruit. Rep-Cal's first ingredient is ground corn which I've read is not the great for a tortoise...
My 2-yr-old Hermann's has twice made a whistle or chirping sound when I first picked him up in the past week. I take him out for exercise and he seems fine, and I don't hear the noise again when I pick him up. I don't see any discharge around the nasal passages, and his mouth is clear, and he...
I moved an outdoor plant six months ago into my tort terrarium and now there are tiny black bugs that like to eat the uneaten vegetable matter. I usually rinse the stone where the tort eats to remove the bugs but they return. I've also removed a lot of substrate, but they return. I've never seen...
I live at 8,000 feet above sea level. I'm told there can be 10-25 percent less oxygen at this level. Does anyone have information on the effect of elevation on Hermann's? I have some lizards and amphibians and they all seem to do fine -- eat well, active and so on. So the elevation doesn't seem...
My Hermann's is a year-old and has a normal well-formed upper shell (as compared to pictures I see of the same species). But does pyramiding also occur on the lower shell? I thought -- and I'm new to this -- that a tortoise's bottom shell was mostly flat with a small body-length ridge or even a...
I was wondering what are popular names for Hermann's tortoises? Mine is named "Tort Reform." Yes, it is politically motivated. ;)
I see so many names on these lists, and suspect most have to do with personal reasons, not the type or name of the creature, but if you're interested, it might be...
Has anyone tired using a lizard within a tortoise habitat to help control insects? I don't mean an infestation or bugs that result from poor sanitation, I mean just a few stray bugs or so. It seems that when insects wander indoors, they can be attracted to the food and heat that a tortoise...
Does anyone know of a good tort habitat supplier or have one for sale? I find tubs and glass aquariums functional but would like something designed to accommodate neatly and securely the usual necessities such as heat lamps, flourescent lighting, etc., and one with an easy access screen cover...
My little tort (year old) eats vegetable-based organic baby foods, such as sweet potato, spinach/carrot, squash and a few others supplemented by greens -- endive, escarole, dandelion, sedum and other items like grated yams. I find it easy to mix in calcium supplements and ReptiVite, etc., which...