Congrats to you as well. Thts awesome we do have alot in common. Lol. I am getting my Eastern on Tuesday too
.Hatchling Enclosure Coming Along
- Thread starter CnR
- Start date
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He/She is finally Here!!! No name yet but soo excited. Started eating right away and exploring. 
Hermanns don't need extra heat at night as long as you are in the low 70's. If the room you are keeping them in gets colder than that you should supply the room with additional heat not the enclosure. I'm assuming you put the lid on at night, high humidity even up 100% is a good thing for hatchlings.
Thanks, It stays around 73F in the room at all times. I have been testing before I got the tortoise with the enclosure 3/4 covered and leaving the CHE on at night it would stay @ 80F and humidity would get up to 95-100%. So now that I have the lil one gonna continue doing so and see how it goes. Thanks for the help!!
Everyone needs to find their own way and what works for them, but this from Chris Leone, world renowned Testudo expert:
Lighting, Temperature, Humidity and Handling
Absolutely nothing beats natural sunlight especially when it comes to tortoises such as Hermann’s. These animals occur in “warm spots or islands” within their native range. In these places, sunlight is plentiful and strong thus providing the animals with adequate UVB. This is why it is so important to place the outdoor enclosure in the sunniest location of the yard. For indoor lighting, a 10.0 UVB emitting fluorescent bulb should be fixed across the top of the enclosure. A 100-150 watt basking light should also be placed at one end only to offer the tortoises a basking site of around 95F. Depending on the size of the enclosure, you may want to use more than one basking light to offer the tortoises multiple basking areas but be sure the occupants always have an area where they can escape the direct light and heat. They may however not use the basking area too frequently if they are newborns. Remember, they know they are vulnerable and instinct tells them to hide as much as possible. The tortoises should be subjected to 12-14 hours of light each day regardless of age. Humidity is crucial in properly housing Hermann’s tortoises long term. Dehydration is a real threat especially in artificial conditions. A humidity level of around 70% is needed and this can be achieved by offering the tortoises a proper substrate, a constant supply of fresh water and regular, light mistings with a spray bottle. T. hermanni of all ages ages will appreciate a “fake rain” through means of misting or spraying them down. They will walk with their bodies held high, extend their heads and necks into the “rain” and drink from little puddles or from the beads of water that form on the walls of the enclosure. Ambient room temperature should hover around 80-85F during the day and can be allowed to drop into the low 70s at night. T. hermanni are capable of withstanding much cooler nighttime temperatures but if they are very young, it’s wise to not let it drop that low just yet. Additional heat sources like heat pads or rocks are terrible for tortoises and should never be used. Another common misconception is when keepers panic and feel that their “babies” need additional heat at night. This is how heat rocks and pads end up being used and how tortoises can die from them. It’s a “no brainer” to know that the indoor set up should not be near a drafty area such as window or in a cold room. Do not pamper these animals, there is simply no need for it and overdoing things can actually cause harm. These are wild animals no matter how many times we produce them in captivity. They do not “like” or “love” us, and this is important for us as responsible keepers, to accept and understand this. They need little interference from us if set up correctly from the start. On another note, it should not go with out saying that Hermann’s tortoises, although shy in nature, can prove to be quite outgoing and responsive in captivity. They quickly associate their keepers as a source of food and lose there fear of us. Some will even allow a scratch on the top of the head. However, like all turtle and tortoise species, T. hermanni do not like to be handled. Handling a tortoise, an animal that is so close to ground by nature, only causes unnecessary stress and long term problems. Your tortoise should only be picked up when absolutely necessary especially when they are so small and young.
Lighting, Temperature, Humidity and Handling
Absolutely nothing beats natural sunlight especially when it comes to tortoises such as Hermann’s. These animals occur in “warm spots or islands” within their native range. In these places, sunlight is plentiful and strong thus providing the animals with adequate UVB. This is why it is so important to place the outdoor enclosure in the sunniest location of the yard. For indoor lighting, a 10.0 UVB emitting fluorescent bulb should be fixed across the top of the enclosure. A 100-150 watt basking light should also be placed at one end only to offer the tortoises a basking site of around 95F. Depending on the size of the enclosure, you may want to use more than one basking light to offer the tortoises multiple basking areas but be sure the occupants always have an area where they can escape the direct light and heat. They may however not use the basking area too frequently if they are newborns. Remember, they know they are vulnerable and instinct tells them to hide as much as possible. The tortoises should be subjected to 12-14 hours of light each day regardless of age. Humidity is crucial in properly housing Hermann’s tortoises long term. Dehydration is a real threat especially in artificial conditions. A humidity level of around 70% is needed and this can be achieved by offering the tortoises a proper substrate, a constant supply of fresh water and regular, light mistings with a spray bottle. T. hermanni of all ages ages will appreciate a “fake rain” through means of misting or spraying them down. They will walk with their bodies held high, extend their heads and necks into the “rain” and drink from little puddles or from the beads of water that form on the walls of the enclosure. Ambient room temperature should hover around 80-85F during the day and can be allowed to drop into the low 70s at night. T. hermanni are capable of withstanding much cooler nighttime temperatures but if they are very young, it’s wise to not let it drop that low just yet. Additional heat sources like heat pads or rocks are terrible for tortoises and should never be used. Another common misconception is when keepers panic and feel that their “babies” need additional heat at night. This is how heat rocks and pads end up being used and how tortoises can die from them. It’s a “no brainer” to know that the indoor set up should not be near a drafty area such as window or in a cold room. Do not pamper these animals, there is simply no need for it and overdoing things can actually cause harm. These are wild animals no matter how many times we produce them in captivity. They do not “like” or “love” us, and this is important for us as responsible keepers, to accept and understand this. They need little interference from us if set up correctly from the start. On another note, it should not go with out saying that Hermann’s tortoises, although shy in nature, can prove to be quite outgoing and responsive in captivity. They quickly associate their keepers as a source of food and lose there fear of us. Some will even allow a scratch on the top of the head. However, like all turtle and tortoise species, T. hermanni do not like to be handled. Handling a tortoise, an animal that is so close to ground by nature, only causes unnecessary stress and long term problems. Your tortoise should only be picked up when absolutely necessary especially when they are so small and young.
Thanks.
Agreed! That's where I got my Miles 3 weeks ago
