MichelleK
New Member
I've decided to adopt a baby Hermann and am making a list and pricing out everything needed to start a 3ftx2ft enclosure. I read leaving a bowl of water in an enclosure can needlessly raise the humidity level and can be dangerous if the tortoise flips.
1. What do you think about using a small quart poultry waterer instead? I was thinking this would be a good way to not add too much to the humidity levels, relieve any dangers of flipping and keep the water cleaner and available at all times.
2. I want to get a fluorescent UVB strip light and a separate heat light, please advise on the best kinds to get.
3. What are the best devices to use to measure all the required temperatures and the humidity levels?
4. When setting up a humidity hide box, how often should I dampen the spaghnum moss inside?
5. Where do you generally place the humidity hide box as far as temperature wise in the enclosure?
6. Should I keep a pile of moss in the hotter end of the enclosure and keep damp at all times?
7. Should I put damp moss inside the cooler hide house as well, keep it dry or non at all?
8. Can a baby tortoise (say 2-3 months old) miss one day of food and soaking or is it not suggested?
9. I read an adult tortoise can be left for a couple of days with no food and it will be okay, Is this true?
10. Do hermann torts eat timothy hay? I read that they do, that they don't and then I read that it's too high in protein to give to them. Any advise on offering timothy hay cubes?
I plan to use cypress mulch as the substrate as well as strategically place spaghnum moss (or, Should I just mix the mulch with the moss?). The enclosure I will be using for now is a 3ftx2ft rabbit/ guinea pig enclosure. It has a nice 8" deep tub and a 1" wire spaced dome top to keep my cats out. I'm thinking I may need to attach the UVB strip to a wood plank to be able to easily place it at the optimal height. All opinions are welcome and any suggestions or advise will be very helpful as I will be a first time tort Mom and I want to make sure I take care of my new baby correctly now and for the rest of her life. Thank you in advance!
1. What do you think about using a small quart poultry waterer instead? I was thinking this would be a good way to not add too much to the humidity levels, relieve any dangers of flipping and keep the water cleaner and available at all times.
2. I want to get a fluorescent UVB strip light and a separate heat light, please advise on the best kinds to get.
3. What are the best devices to use to measure all the required temperatures and the humidity levels?
4. When setting up a humidity hide box, how often should I dampen the spaghnum moss inside?
5. Where do you generally place the humidity hide box as far as temperature wise in the enclosure?
6. Should I keep a pile of moss in the hotter end of the enclosure and keep damp at all times?
7. Should I put damp moss inside the cooler hide house as well, keep it dry or non at all?
8. Can a baby tortoise (say 2-3 months old) miss one day of food and soaking or is it not suggested?
9. I read an adult tortoise can be left for a couple of days with no food and it will be okay, Is this true?
10. Do hermann torts eat timothy hay? I read that they do, that they don't and then I read that it's too high in protein to give to them. Any advise on offering timothy hay cubes?
I plan to use cypress mulch as the substrate as well as strategically place spaghnum moss (or, Should I just mix the mulch with the moss?). The enclosure I will be using for now is a 3ftx2ft rabbit/ guinea pig enclosure. It has a nice 8" deep tub and a 1" wire spaced dome top to keep my cats out. I'm thinking I may need to attach the UVB strip to a wood plank to be able to easily place it at the optimal height. All opinions are welcome and any suggestions or advise will be very helpful as I will be a first time tort Mom and I want to make sure I take care of my new baby correctly now and for the rest of her life. Thank you in advance!