Hello! adopting 10 yr old Hermann's

Lowstorm

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So, I'm adopting from a friend a 10 year old Hermann's tortoise named Sheldon. I just wanted to say hello, since I'm absorbing as much information as possible right now.

He's coming with an 8 ft long table (Which this fall I'll likely replace with something a little smaller, but wider. I have a 6ft x 3 ft area to convert) and an outdoor tub.

So, thank you everyone for the helpful information I've been reading! I just wanted to say hello and give out some pictures of Sheldon from 2016 when my friend first got him.

His beak is overgrown by a bit (Its been cut back since the pics but its still bad) but i don't see much pyramiding. And can't remember from the last time I saw him in 2017.
Anyway, hello everyone!
 

SachaZ

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Sheldon is home a week and... any opinions on the shell? I dont really know what would cause this.





Then I gave him a massage with coconut oil. He liked it I think...


Hey Lowstorm! What "ridge" exactly are you talking about? The thin black ones around central scutes?
His shell looks better than many, but not "ideal". Just keep him hydrated and UVB-d!
Coconut oil, on the other hand, ain't gonna do anything good for his shell. Shell is porous. It's not even about blocking out H2O/ O2, but coconut oil is not needed in the animal's system. It is simply not a part of its natural diet and environment.
Plus, once you give him next bath, the oil will be in the water, so the tort will inevitably drink some part of it. And oils aren't good for tortoise health when ingested.
Pure water soaks will give him moisture and reveal his shell's natural colours:) Trust me:) His health seems fine!
 

Lowstorm

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I will take better pictures of it later. And I read up on here about the oil. Yes, it will be in his water. Little stinker likes baths though so what's left will come off in bath number one then there will be a bath number 2. Not the in between growth. Its above the bottom row of scutes and below the second. Almost like someone made a 1/4 to 1/2 inch divot there all around him.
 

SachaZ

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I will take better pictures of it later. And I read up on here about the oil. Yes, it will be in his water. Little stinker likes baths though so what's left will come off in bath number one then there will be a bath number 2. Not the in between growth. Its above the bottom row of scutes and below the second. Almost like someone made a 1/4 to 1/2 inch divot there all around him.

Those lines, you pointing at in the photo, are just growth lines.
 

Lowstorm

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Even as deep as they are? I'll happily live with it either way.

This dude is so curious. Runs to the hand when you're doing anything in his table. Probably trying to eat me but that's okay!
 

SachaZ

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Sorry, Lowstorm, I now finally understood what "lines/ridges/divots" you are talking about. I got confused by the word "ridges" as I imagined ridge to be something outward, not inward.

Yes - those borders between his carapace and a "skirt" are a bit (just a TINY BIT) deeper than normal.
If you simply look up "wild Hermann's tortoise", you will see that normally that border, and the shell in general, is smoother. Your guy may have had slightly improper conditions from the day he hatched and until you got him. It could be imbalance of all or any out of main three: Diet+UVB/Sunligh+Humidity, and it resulted in such shell growth.
I do agree with you that it is a bit "curly" or "lumpy". Coconut (or any oil) is not going to help in this case. It is permanent shape. All you can do is to keep the conditions (diet+uvb/sun+humidity) in a balance, and that will keep your tortoise happy, healthy, and will prevent future deformations.

I also stand by what I said in my first message - I've seen much worse cases, and while your tort looks a bit "curly" and pyramided, his overall his shell looks fine! There are evidence that tortoises with slightly pyramided shells even exist in the wild. Check that he is active, curious (exactly like you described!), hungry and that his eyes are bright. The shell is just a reminder of a past SLIGHTLY improper environment, which you will fix now:)

P.S. My own hermann is also super curious and seems to want to socialize every minute. He sniffs everything like a hound, and wants to climb everywhere he can get his paws onto! Our hands symbolize food source for them, so no wonder he runs to you:)
 

mandymg86

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Even as deep as they are? I'll happily live with it either way.

This dude is so curious. Runs to the hand when you're doing anything in his table. Probably trying to eat me but that's okay!

My fiance and I adopted a 6 year old Hermann's tort a little over a month ago, and we kept him in quarantine during that time (since we have other reptiles and wanted to make sure health was good). He was in a clear glass terrarium and he would go BONKERS anytime we'd come into the bedroom. He's now in his Big Boy enclosure in our reptile room, and I kind of miss coming into the bedroom and having him get all excited!
 

Yvonne G

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That bump of growth around the lower edge of the shell is more than likely caused from him being kept in a too dry enclosure, and being fed an improper diet. It will never go away, but will start to grow more normally once you give him a bit of humidity and a good diet along with UVB and calcium.
 

Lowstorm

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Sorry, been a busy summer.

Hes loving life outside nowadays. He has a 10 ft x 8 ft run in a fenced in yard. I started worrying about his lack of use in his back legs, he just crawls everywhere and over everything. But he loves his weeds and sunshine... and even the rainy days he comes out and wanders around. I do need new pics.
 

Lowstorm

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Long time no writing. Sheldon's using his back legs again, and its stayed strong all winter so far. When he came back in from outside, he was still kind of just scooting along. Then I put a rock in his house. Oh, and his new indoor house is much nicer than his table was. Those two things... Well, the tortoise thinks he is a freaking goat and goes over rocks and his hide and everything he can... And he RUNS! He uses all his legs! He's ~amazing~! I tell him all the time. He just blinks at me, but still! His new house is 3 ft wide, 6 ft long. In the house. Yep, its big! At least, its big to me.
 

Ink

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I am so happy your tortoise is doing better! Congrats with your care
 
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