Hi everyone! this here is Frankie, my new Hermann’s tortoise. Is everything okay?

[Pep]

so I’ve just gotten this Hermann’s tortoise today from the local pet store, when I first got him into his new home he went and checked out his little caved area a couple times, did a couple laps around the whole place and has now been completely burrowed in his cave for about 30 minutes now! I’ve read lots about how they love to burrow just for fun sometimes so I’m assuming everything is okay? but I’m a fairly anxious person and just want my new friend to be happy so I wanted to make a post here just to double check! Is this normal behaviour? And how does the set up look? Is there anything else I should do/add? (Sorry if these pictures came out blurry they look fine in my camera roll)

 

[wellington]

It look too dry, humidity should be 80%. Also that disc thing for temp etc is no good. They are inaccurate. Get a digital and put it at tort height. Also get a temp gun.
The light needs to point straight down not on an angle. Also what kind of light is it?
He needs a tube florescent uvb, a flood basking light that reaches 95-100 and the daily over all temp needs to be 80. Heat is not needed at night as long as temps stay above 60.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome, the substrate looks like sand. Sand and dirt are no good. If they eat to much of the sand. They can become impacted. Lots of members use Reptibark. It holds moisture good, like Wellington said it looks very dry.
Read the caresheets here on Hermann's. For starters, soak your new friend in warm water everyday for at least 30 minutes. The depth of the water should be where the top and bottom shell come together.
Like Wellington said, probably the most useful tool would be a infrared temp gun. They are great to check temps all over the enclosure. Just don't point at eyes. Yours or your tort and any other living thing.

 

[jeff kushner]

Hey Pep, welcome......don't be put off by the suggestions, it's a great group here and a lot of talent for you to tap into.

You did a good job of setting it up like the Store told you. Don't worry, most folks think "desert" when they think of a turtle. Not your fault......it was a common myth for decades. Listen to these guys, and YOUR guy will be just fine.

I just wanted to say hi....


jeff

 

[AmandaF]

Welcome, the substrate looks like sand. Sand and dirt are no good. If they eat to much of the sand. They can become impacted. Lots of members use Reptibark. It holds moisture good, like Wellington said it looks very dry.
Read the caresheets here on Hermann's. For starters, soak your new friend in warm water everyday for at least 30 minutes. The depth of the water should be where the top and bottom shell come together.
Like Wellington said, probably the most useful tool would be a infrared temp gun. They are great to check temps all over the enclosure. Just don't point at eyes. Yours or your tort and any other living thing.View attachment 350761

 

[AmandaF]

Hello & welcome. The people here are really knowledgeable & worth listening to. I agree the care sheets on here are amazing.

please keep us posted.

amanda & Ernie the tortoise

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!

 

[Tom]

so I’ve just gotten this Hermann’s tortoise today from the local pet store, when I first got him into his new home he went and checked out his little caved area a couple times, did a couple laps around the whole place and has now been completely burrowed in his cave for about 30 minutes now! I’ve read lots about how they love to burrow just for fun sometimes so I’m assuming everything is okay? but I’m a fairly anxious person and just want my new friend to be happy so I wanted to make a post here just to double check! Is this normal behaviour? And how does the set up look? Is there anything else I should do/add? (Sorry if these pictures came out blurry they look fine in my camera roll)

Hello Pep. Welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately, most pet stores and most online source repeat the same old wrong info that has been parroted for decades. Here is the correct care and housing info:

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

Your set up looks okay, but too dry. Your tortoise is pyramiding from low humidity. Read that care sheet a couple of times, and then feel free to ask lots of questions.

 

[zolasmum]

Hello and welcome, Pep. What is your tortoise's name?
We have a Hermanns tortoise called Zola - he is 22 years old, and when he first came to us, there was very little helpful information around - you are lucky to have care sheets here with just about everything you need to know,written by people on the forum who have lots of knowledge and experience, and who can give you lots of helpful advice.
When a young tortoise is in a strange new situation, its instinct is to hide, so don't worry if he burrows away and doesn't want to eat - he will appear eventually, after a day or two, and then you can gradually get to know each other.
Best wishes
Angie

 

[zovick]

so I’ve just gotten this Hermann’s tortoise today from the local pet store, when I first got him into his new home he went and checked out his little caved area a couple times, did a couple laps around the whole place and has now been completely burrowed in his cave for about 30 minutes now! I’ve read lots about how they love to burrow just for fun sometimes so I’m assuming everything is okay? but I’m a fairly anxious person and just want my new friend to be happy so I wanted to make a post here just to double check! Is this normal behaviour? And how does the set up look? Is there anything else I should do/add? (Sorry if these pictures came out blurry they look fine in my camera roll)

Hi and welcome.

As others have said, your substrate is much to dry for a young tortoise. You probably need to pour a gallon or two of water into the tank, then mix it thoroughly into the mulch with your hands. The water will gradually evaporate out over time and you will need to keep adding water periodically (possibly weekly or even more often) unless you make that tank into a closed chamber which will retain the moisture for a longer period of time.