Any advice appreciated!!

natalielolarose2010

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Hi all, recently purchased my second Hermann, little girl (jasmine) from a women who couldn't really tell me much about her) first Hermann was sammy who passed in hibernation. Women said the the girl doesn't hibernate.. she is 1 years old. She hadn't kept her in any heat ?? No uv bulb not matt nothing... and her skin is very dry so just currently giving her her second bath... ate okay for me when she first arrived... ate some plant leaves and cucumber ( I had no calcium powder so grated a cuttlefish over food) any advice will be really appreciated. She is in a viv (but aired with plastic bit that goes on door so she can't go out & will be out a lot ) with heat matt attached to wall of it. Just wondered if anybody else has any advice they could give me with getting her used to now having heat and certain foods and bathing daily. She's not rely enjoying her bath at the moment and she hasn't had any bowl movements as of yet. Will spray her place again.. she doesn't seem keen on the hot water bottle (not too hot wrapped well) I think she's more annoyed of my kitten constantly wanting to be around her ha ha (sammy passed when we first got him & the cat (oscar) and himself were always together and sleeping together he he
 

ZEROPILOT

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I think that the ground cuddlebone would be fine in place of a calcium powder, but my experience is with Red Foot tortoises. Someone will be along soon to help. Welcome to the forum.
 

shelley11

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Because she is a hermann which is a meditranean species even if the woman didn't hibernate you need to because hibernation helps torts grow strong and also prevents them from pyramiding also you need to give her UVB lighting or should become ill. And like all torts she needs heat other wise she will think its winter then try hibernate with a stomach full of food because it will rot inside of her and kill her. Just keep giving her baths every day with Luke warm water which should rehydrate her and make her skin a bit less dry.
Hope this helped
 

lismar79

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From my understanding, you do not need to hibernate. I do not hibernate my two that can and they are perfectly healthy. Keep up with the baths and make sure she has a basking spot of 95-100 to process food.
 

HotdogKnight

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I wouldn't worry too much about hibernation. Some people like to do it, but there are a lot of risks involved if you're new to tort keeping. Most torts owned as pets don't need to hibernate because - unlike in the wild - they have the perfect conditions for growing given to them by their owners. (Hibernation for growth/reproduction in the wild is common as they are exposed to cold weather)
 

Yvonne G

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Hi, and welcome to the Forum! "Natalie Lola Rose" is quite a mouthful. What would you like for us to call you?

Read the Hermanni care sheet that's pinned at the top of our Hermann's section here on the Forum. Also pinned there is a thread about the different species of Hermanni. I don't know much about them, but I think some do hibernate and some don't. It really isn't necessary to allow them to hibernate. But it gives the keeper a bit of a rest from taking care of them. I allow all my hibernating species to hibernate, but have kept some awake for one reason or another. It just makes more work for you during the winter to set them up to stay awake.

I'm so sorry you lost your first tortoise. I also have had one die during hibernation. It's just heartbreaking.
 

smarch

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First, you didn't really mention one way or another, but if you don't have a UVB light to plans to get one, do that. But you said you had a previous tortoise so I believe you know about the UVB, just waned to cover that base :)

tortoise wont necessarily enjoy baths, my Russian hates them, every second of it. But it is important, so eventually she'll probably just be used to it, especially since she may not have even had baths before so now is like "what the heck is this nonsense!"

Foods: mix what she should eat with foods she will eat and gradually put less and less of the less desirable foods to wean her to the healthy stuff (I had to do this, so I know that from experience)

As for hibernation being brought up, while I have a Russian tort not a Hermanns I speak from the species being close. I made the personal choice not to hibernate my guy, I didn't like the risks and didn't want to not get to see him several months of the year. Its a debatable thing here since many people don't hibernate their species that can and others do. My biggest understandings are that no they don't need to hibernate to grow healthy and strong, and most people hibernate to have a break from care or because they do it in the wild so they should do it in captivity too. But its not a requirement, since when a tort is sick they don't get hibernated that year even by keepers who always hibernate.
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

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Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ . Hermanns Rule ! You should n't hibernate any tort till you've had it at least a year to see it heathy . No tort really needs to hibernate . But yes I hibernate my Hermanns . I'm sorry about your loss , and I'm really sorry about how your new ones treatment . But now it's in your care . Well let me post a pict of mine they are out year around . ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1422640875.789053.jpg
 

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