5 month old hermann

[harrybyrne]

Hi All,

We just got our first Tortoise 2 weeks ago, his name is Harry and he is 5 months old.

I am living in Ireland and they are not too common as pets over here so there is nobody to really ask for information. The pet shop where we bought him are useless but the vet gave me a lot of info ( although some of it conflicts with what I have read here and on tortoisetrust.org)

Anyway the main thing I am struggling with is how much to feed him?
The vet said as much as he wants to eat as he would eat what he wants in the wild but I have read that too much food will make him grow too fast which is not good so I dont know what to do.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Carol

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Carol

I would feed it all it wants and if you think it's getting to fat cut back aLittle. But I don't think he will get fat !

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome - this is where you will find the most up to date information for torts from very experienced keepers worldwide so if in doubt go with what you read here. There is a good caresheet for Hermanns under Species Specific and the Beginners Mistake thread will help you avoid problems experienced by others (link below) There are also lots of great ideas in the Enclosures thread.
Re feeding - I was advised to think of the shell as an upturned bowl and feed that amount daily - if he eats it all - add more, but if he leaves some - feed less. So let the tort be your guide.
His bowl is a little high for him so maybe feed on a piece of slate which will also help keep his beak trimmed. Places like the Range sell borderless, slatechalk boards which you can take the string off. If he has the same dish for water with steep sides then it could be a drowning hazard for him if he flips back when trying to get out. Many of us use terracotta plant saucers big enough for our torts to stretch out in to self soak. Also do you not have substrate in his enclosure yet? The care sheet will recommend the best for him, but avoid any sand or anything with small white bits.

 

[harrybyrne]

Thanks for the advise on feeding, that helps a lot!

His bowl is sitting on a piece of slate in this picture so I will just remove the bowl and let him eat directly from the slate. He has substrate that came with him from the petshop, it is just not visible in the picture. I am going to replace the substrate today with sterilized topsoil as from reading other posts it seems that this wont become as dry as the one I am using now. he seems to manage his water bowl fine but the saucer would probably be better as he would have more room to stretch out!

Thanks so much for the advice and link.

 

[harrybyrne]

Hello Carol
View attachment 163905
I would feed it all it wants and if you think it's getting to fat cut back aLittle. But I don't think he will get fat !

Thanks!

 

[Lyn W]

Thanks for the advise on feeding, that helps a lot!

His bowl is sitting on a piece of slate in this picture so I will just remove the bowl and let him eat directly from the slate. He has substrate that came with him from the petshop, it is just not visible in the picture. I am going to replace the substrate today with sterilized topsoil as from reading other posts it seems that this wont become as dry as the one I am using now. he seems to manage his water bowl fine but the saucer would probably be better as he would have more room to stretch out!

Thanks so much for the advice and link.

You're welcome - coco coir is also a good substrate - you buy it in blocks and when water is added it expands but the caresheet will tell what is best for Hermann torts. If you sink the shallow saucer level with the top of the sub then that will make it easier still for him to use.
The substrate should be moist - not wet - and a good rule I learned here is that
correct temps + humidity = healthy tort
too cold + humidity = sick tort (RIs etc)
- a digital temp gun is great for spot checking your 4 temps, and a digital temp and humidity gauge with a probe is more reliable than the pet store dial type.
You may already know this, so apologies if preaching to the converted, but another important point is that the bulbs you use for uvb, and basking (or both if you have a mercury vapour bulb) shouldn't be coiled or long thin loop cfl types as these can damage torts eyes - unfortunately pet shops still sell these, but although there may be exceptions, they are not safe for torts. (Red bulbs also confuse them as they like to eat red things)

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome Carol , I feed Speedy all he will eat during the course of the day . Whatever he doesn't need will just come out the other end anyway !

 

[harrybyrne]

You're welcome - coco coir is also a good substrate - you buy it in blocks and when water is added it expands but the caresheet will tell what is best for Hermann torts. If you sink the shallow saucer level with the top of the sub then that will make it easier still for him to use.
The substrate should be moist - not wet - and a good rule I learned here is that
correct temps + humidity = healthy tort
too cold + humidity = sick tort (RIs etc)
- a digital temp gun is great for spot checking your 4 temps, and a digital temp and humidity gauge with a probe is more reliable than the pet store dial type.
You may already know this, so apologies if preaching to the converted, but another important point is that the bulbs you use for uvb, and basking (or both if you have a mercury vapour bulb) shouldn't be coiled or long thin loop cfl types as these can damage torts eyes - unfortunately pet shops still sell these, but although there may be exceptions, they are not safe for torts. (Red bulbs also confuse them as they like to eat red things)

I am waiting for a temp gun and hygrometer to be delivered. What is the best way to use the temp gun to ensure I am taking the correct readings?
Thanks again!

 

[harrybyrne]

Hi and welcome Carol , I feed Speedy all he will eat during the course of the day . Whatever he doesn't need will just come out the other end anyway !

That's good to hear, as Harry loves his food and I would hate to deprive him

 

[Lyn W]

I am waiting for a temp gun and hygrometer to be delivered. What is the best way to use the temp gun to ensure I am taking the correct readings?
Thanks again!

You need to check warm side, cool side, basking area and overnight low, just follow the instructions for the model you buy. My temp gun is just press the trigger and point, the care sheet should tell you what the min and max temps should be.