Help - baby hermann

LBAL25

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Jul 17, 2017
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Hello, just looking for advice on our new torts set up and to check if we are doing things right. We have had her about 2 weeks now and she will be one next month, we originally bought her from a pet shop and were given all the wrong advice.

She started in her tortoise table on wood chips and being fed greens along with tortoise pellets which we have since realised is all wrong! We corrected it right away and now her tortoise table is filled with top soil and the pellets have been binned. Her lamp and uvb light both come on at 8am and go off at 10pm at night.

Since putting her on soil she seems to only ever stay around her basking lamp and under her tunnel we have given her? The first few days she slept in a different place every night, usually in the hide or in a corner but since being on the soil she goes to the tunnel but has recently been burrowing under her bark. We are worried she is too hot as under the basking lamp is usually about 38/42 but when we use a lower bulb it isn't hot enough so we are still trying to get a bracket to have it sitting higher and lower the temp. The cooler end where her food and water is always about 20-26 ish which I thought was fine but she doesn't seem to go there very much I don't think? We are at work all day so aren't 100% sure but very rarely so we are her go in

She also seems to have pooped in her water bowl a couple of times and it's very runny and green looking, almost looks like a leave that's disintegrated but it's brown too so it's definitely poop? There has been a couple of solid ones too so I don't know if that is just certain foods or if it is cause for concern? We have been mainly giving her pak choi, spring greens, rocket, romaine lettuce, clover, cress and recently pansy flowers we got and rose petals. Odd bit of cucumber too without skin.

We found her to be a lot more active when she was on the wood chips and we think she is sleeping a lot more which I know isn't always a good sign, we are struggling to read any information the same so any advice would be greatly appreciated! Have included photos of her current set up, the poop in the bowl, the temp under lamp and just as much visuals as possible for advice! (You will see she is under the bark just now)

Thanks so much
 

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Kasia

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Hi
For the basking temperature you can just go higher with the lamp. 42 C is too hot, and definitely too hot if your tortie doesn't sit under it. Your lamp should be pointing directly down and not under an angel. How old is she? Babies have a different care regime.
For the poop... it does not look good.. how much cucumber do you feed? If a lot that is it, if just a bit and she is from a pet store I would take the poop to the Vet's and check it out for parasites (it's not expensive and non invasive) That could be a possibility.
 
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LBAL25

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Jul 17, 2017
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Location (City and/or State)
ANGUS
Hi
For the basking temperature you can just go higher with the lamp. 42 C is too hot, and definitely too hot if your tortie doesn't sit under it. Your lamp should be pointing directly down and not under an angel. How old is she? Babies have a different care regime.
For the poop... it does not look good.. how much cucumber do you feed? If a lot that is it, if just a bit and she is from a pet store I would take the poop to the Vet's and check it out for parasites (it's not expensive and non invasive) That could be a possibility.

Yeah we are going to get a bracket for the lamp cause it only clamps on just now and can't go any higher, I tilted it so it wouldn't be so hot but will move it back. She does bask under it but just finding her sleeping lots and always under the tunnel or tunneling under the bark.

Yeah didn't think the poop looked good and this is 2nd time I've found it in the water bowl - will take it to vets and see, she was given a tiny bit of cucumber yesterday but mainly the greens. We gave her greens and cauliflower today too so maybe it upset her stomach? it was on the approved list - is that allowed?

She was chipped on 25/08/16 so we think she will be one this month
 

Kasia

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Poop in a water bowl is normal:) Get use to it... It's consistency what bothers me. Cauliflower is not something you should feed her. The same goes to broccoli, spinach and cabbage.
Check out
tortoisetable.org
for food choices 99% dark leafy weeds/greens. Dandelions, arugula, kale, lambs lettuce, radaccio, organic radish tops... it is just some that you can get in a store, more of different stuff grows in non fertilized fields in your area.
She is still a baby so I would soak her daily/every other day in lurk warm water for 15-20 minutes to keep her hydrated and for exercise.
Try to keep top layer of your substrate moist, she likes to dig in it and if it's dry it will irritate/ is irritating her eyes.

Good luck:)
 
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LBAL25

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Thanks think it might be the cauliflower, will keep an eye on it I'm bathing her every 2nd day as I think she hates it and always roams around trying to escape, is it normal to keep the soil moist as I read it can cause respiratory problems? I just moved her bark and woke her up and she seems happy, went straight for a drink and a wander so will get the heat lamp sorted asap so it's not too hot! Thank you so much :)
 

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Kasia

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If the enclosure is warm enough moist substrate will not be a problem. Warm enough means at night when the lights are off as well. Try dipping that water bowl more in the substrate, it is a tripping hazard. It should be at a ground level for her to come in and out freely without climbing.
Sorry for pointing out all that stuff but all those little things matter when it goes to her being comfortable:).
 

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