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Its just sterilised topsoil at the moment. I'm going to swap it for a peat/coir mix soon though.

Hi all, My 1 year old Hermann's, Mr. T, seems to be doing well, but I've noticed that he always sleeps above his substrate underneath his basking lamp. I'm concerned that this area is the least humid area of his enclosure and that he should be exposed to higher humidity levels at night time...

@ZEROPILOT I think I will invest as it will remove hassle in temp readings. The only thing is, Im in England, so will have to do some looking aroung to find one. @Alexio Ill use that method now, will the temps stop rising when the true temp is displayed? if so thats the perfect short term...

Hi all, I have a thermometer which I bought, but its not an infrared 'zap thermometer' so Im confused as to how to measure the temperature under the heat/UVB lamp. This is the type of thermometer: How can I accurately measure basking temps with this thing? Its digital by the way with a min/max...

@HermanniChris Thank you very much for the help and reassurance! @Rue She's very cute! And very defined markings

@HermanniChris Thank you for the information, its great to be able to ask a knowlegeable and experienced keeper. Would you say that the growth seems OK? Or at least better than what it probably was? Thanks again, Lewis @Rue Thank You! Do you have an eastern hermann's aswell?

Hi all, My 1 year old Hermann's tortoise Mr T has been with me for four months now, and I'd like to check the new growth on his shell. I suspect that in the conditions he was kept in previously, he would have begun to pyramid. How do I check his new growth? Here are some pictures: Thank you, Lewis

I feel a bit sad to see the tortoise with no access to actual plants, its the most basic thing in the wild

Hi all, My Hermann's Tortoise, Mr T, is about a year old and with the help of the members on this forum, seems to be doing great!! He lives in a tortoise table with a soil substrate (no sand) with terracotta plant pot saucers for water and food. Although he seems happy in his table, I don't...

Hi Lynn and thanks for the speedy reply. He needs that little food!! I've been feeding him way more than a pile the size of his shell! Is that the most likely cause of him not pooing? He has a uva and uvb basking lamp which is on for 12 hours a day. The temps are approx 25 degrees but I can't...

Hello, I don't think that my 1 year old Hermann's tortoise has weed or pooed in over a week. I'm very worried now as this is not normal. When I bathed him every evening in the days after I got him he would always wee and often poo in his bath, after about only 5-10 minutes. Now however, he...

Ahh, ok, that explains both scenarios! Thanks jodie!

Hi, My <1 year old Hermann's tortoise, Mr T, has been acting a bit odd lately. His day lamp comes on at around 6am each morning, as I leave early for school and this way I can feed him in the morning. He usually stirs at around seven and I give him food, usually a couple of dandelion leaves...

Thanks for your advice Tom, it has really put my mind at ease to have my tort on a substrate which poses no risk to him and which he seems to enjoy more than the others (it's the first time I've seen him burrow tonight) Chris' advice on not 'pampering' torts when it comes to nighttime heat was...

My house goes just below that, bout 64. Since the post about night time heat from Chris I've stopped using the red light and Mr T basks normally in the day and burrows down at night. Typically I feed him a tiny bit of baby gem lettuce, dandelion leaves, occasionally watercress and...

Thank you Tom you've been a great help!

I wouldn't compost my own topsoil as I agree with you in that there would be all sorts of chemicals in it, but is the store bought stuff slightly better than what I have now to be used a a temporary? Also what is coconut coir and how expensive is it where can I buy it? Thanks

So sorry Tom I wasn't ignoring your advice I just put the wrong name for some reason! I definitely will change the substrate then, impaction sounds awful! What do you recommend? Is just plain sterilised topsoil IE the home base own brand topsoil OK to use as it doesn't contain sand or limestone...

Sorry not Chris, Tom! Don't know why I put Chris

Thanks for your advice, I think ill switch out the plant pot for plastic. Chris, what is an impaction hazard? Thanks for your response