Hermann Tortoise lethargic

[JoeB17]

Hi all, am a new owner of a Hermann Tortoise and we've had him/her for about a week now and the shop said they where around 6 months old. Since we got him home hes been quite lively up until yesterday he's quite slow moving, eyes keep shutting and generally not crawling around much. We've got him on a large tortoise table, with UV light on of a day time and turn off of a evening. It's in my daughters room. He ate a bit yesterday and I have just give him some greens to eat now to see if he perks up a bit. Sometimes it looks as though he's breathing heavily sometimes with his head moving back and forth. Does this sound like normal behaviour do they have days like this sometimes, the only thing we've done differently in that time is add a small layer of hay within his habitat. Any ideas would be great thank you.

Joe

 

[zolasmum]

Hi all, am a new owner of a Hermann Tortoise and we've had him/her for about a week now and the shop said they where around 6 months old. Since we got him home hes been quite lively up until yesterday he's quite slow moving, eyes keep shutting and generally not crawling around much. We've got him on a large tortoise table, with UV light on of a day time and turn off of a evening. It's in my daughters room. He ate a bit yesterday and I have just give him some greens to eat now to see if he perks up a bit. Sometimes it looks as though he's breathing heavily sometimes with his head moving back and forth. Does this sound like normal behaviour do they have days like this sometimes, the only thing we've done differently in that time is add a small layer of hay within his habitat. Any ideas would be great thank you.

Joe

Hello and welcome from Devon.We have a Hermanns tortoise too, who has recently turned 21.
It takes a while to get used to a new habitat - has he got a hide of some sort? Zola used to spend a lot of time sleeping in his at first - they need a lot of sleep when they are little - Your little chap may just be really tired with all the stress of moving. I would take the hay away - a stem could scratch his eye - it is not a useful thing for him.
Have you tried dandelion leaves? Zola loves them.
It would be helpful if you could send a photo of his table - and one of him, too - other members more knowledgeable might be able to advise more.
What is his name?

 

[JoeB17]

Hello and welcome from Devon.We have a Hermanns tortoise too, who has recently turned 21.
It takes a while to get used to a new habitat - has he got a hide of some sort? Zola used to spend a lot of time sleeping in his at first - they need a lot of sleep when they are little - Your little chap may just be really tired with all the stress of moving. I would take the hay away - a stem could scratch his eye - it is not a useful thing for him.
Have you tried dandelion leaves? Zola loves them.
It would be helpful if you could send a photo of his table - and one of him, too - other members more knowledgeable might be able to advise more.
What is his name?

Hi and thanks for coming back to me. His name is Monty.
Yeah could be I thought that initially but he's been very active the first 4 days or so and quite quick. At the moment he keeps sleeping anywhere mainly under his basking light of a day time but just stops anywhere and closes his eyes. He also seems very weak and slow when he is moving. I'll take the hay out thanks. I have attached some images too

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome,
Sorry to be to bearer of bad news but it looks like you've been given bad advice - maybe by the pet shop you bought him? They rarely know about tort care and often sell unsuitable and unsafe equipment for the profit.
It is better for babies if they are kept in large vivs where you can control the temps and humidity. If that isn't possible you need to make some changes to his table to make it more suitable and safer.
Straw/hay is not a good substrate for any tort because it is too dry and goes mouldy when it gets wet and could be a fire hazard. Is that sand under it? Sand is also bad because it can irritate eyes and skin and could cause the gut to become impacted if eaten with food which is painful and can be fatal. There are far better options available - see the caresheet below.
The water dishes you have are the sort that pet shops typically sell but they are dangerous for small torts and can be a drowning hazard if they tip backwards when trying to get out, or could over heat if they tip when trying to get in and end up on their backs unable to right themselves. A shallow terracotta plant saucer sunk level with the substrate is much safer.
Is the lamp you have an MVB which gives heat light and uvb? If so those aren't recommended anymore because they have been found to dry and damage tort shells. Most people use T5 HO tubes for UVB with a separate flood basking bulb, and also a ceramic heat lamp (CHE) run through a thermostat for night heat. You need a digital thermometer/hygrometer to keep and eye on temps and humidity at tort level.

This is the up to date care sheet you need to help you improve conditions for Monty and if you follow that he will not just survive but thrive

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Please read that carefully and then ask as many questions as you like.
It's all a bit overwhelming but we've all made mistakes starting out - the important thing is to correct them asap to ensure we have happy healthy torts.

 

[Lyn W]

P.S As well as the diet advice given on the caresheet, you'll also find www.thetortoisetable.org.uk useful.

 

[JoeB17]

Hi and welcome,
Sorry to be to bearer of bad news but it looks like you've been given bad advice - maybe by the pet shop you bought him? They rarely know about tort care and often sell unsuitable and unsafe equipment for the profit.
It is better for babies if they are kept in large vivs where you can control the temps and humidity. If that isn't possible you need to make some changes to his table to make it more suitable and safer.
Straw/hay is not a good substrate for any tort because it is too dry and goes mouldy when it gets wet and could be a fire hazard. Is that sand under it? Sand is also bad because it can irritate eyes and skin and could cause the gut to become impacted if eaten with food which is painful and can be fatal. There are far better options available - see the caresheet below.
The water dishes you have are the sort that pet shops typically sell but they are dangerous for small torts and can be a drowning hazard if they tip backwards when trying to get out, or could over heat if they tip when trying to get in and end up on their backs unable to right themselves. A shallow terracotta plant saucer sunk level with the substrate is much safer.
Is the lamp you have an MVB which gives heat light and uvb? If so those aren't recommended anymore because they have been found to dry and damage tort shells. Most people use T5 HO tubes for UVB with a separate flood basking bulb, and also a ceramic heat lamp (CHE) run through a thermostat for night heat. You need a digital thermometer/hygrometer to keep and eye on temps and humidity at tort level.

This is the up to date care sheet you need to help you improve conditions for Monty and if you follow that he will not just survive but thrive

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Please read that carefully and then ask as many questions as you like.
It's all a bit overwhelming but we've all made mistakes starting out - the important thing is to correct them asap to ensure we have happy healthy torts.

Hi Lyn, and thanks for this. yeah there is a lot of difference of opinions I've looked at online on the housing. I went to 3 specialist reptile shops and they all sold the same or very similar starter packs. So am not sure on where to go with this one. Thanks for your advice and I'll take a look at your care sheet and put some things in place.

Do you think its worth taking him back to the shop I bought him or a vet or do you think hes just settling in?

thanks
Joe

 

[Lyn W]

The advice and caresheets on TFO have the most up to date advice you'll find anywhere from members who have kept torts for decades and been involved in research, so best to stick to this forum or you'll just get conflicting and often outdated information that will confuse you. Sadly that is why there are so many places selling unsuitable equipment which eventually affects tort health.

I think your tort is still getting used to his new home, they hate change so I wouldn't think there is any need to return him.

You also need to check your temperatures at tort level. He will be inactive and get ill if he is too cold. The caresheet I linked will tell you what his 4 temps should be.

Do you have night heat? The CHE and thermostat is best for that because it just gives heat - torts need darkness to sleep.

Some members use a mini portable greenhouses over the open tables to help with temps and humidity - there may be pictures on the Enclosures thread .

Most tort problems are because we aren't meeting their needs properly, so make the changes as detailed in the caresheet and see if he perks up.