Long time tortoise lover brand new owner

Jenn1469

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Utah
Hi everyone,
My name is Jenn, I just recently got a 3 month old Hermann tortoise. I have wanted a tortoise probably since I was 10 and my husband just got me one for our 10 year anniversary.
So I have been doing lots of research but want to make sure I am doing everything right! The poor little thing was in a 5 gallon with no heat/uvb.
S/he is now currently in a 40 gallon. We got a mercury vapor bulb for day time use, it was recommended by a friend who has 6 tortoises (sulcata, California dessert torts and a Russian) and we had a blue 100 w bulb for night time use but the warm side of the tank was only maybe 75 degrees ground level so I got a 150 watt red bulb and now it is about 80ish.
There is also a half log with a under tank heat mat stuck below it. He or she found that place and spends the nights in there. It is probably 100% humidity and inside the log.
I also am soaking the baby 10-15 minutes in the mornings. The substrate is shredded coconut with some bark chips mixed in.

I bought mazuri food and offered some that had been moistened but it wasn’t touched. It looks like they were feeding it Romain.
I am now feeding it baby spring mix and put some fresh organic wheat grass in there and I am trying to figure out where I can purchase other things for it to eat. I don’t have a safe place to pick dandelions and even though I have tons of clover growing in my succulents I just don’t trust feeding my potted plant stuff to my baby.
Any and all tips and advice is welcome!
I live in a smallish city with not loads of options for shopping in southern Utah.
Can turtles eat sprouts? Alfalfa or broccoli sprouts? I sprout for myself and was wondering if that is okay? Also my friend leaves dry grass for her turtles to nibble. Is that necessary?
could it be soaked? We are allergy sufferers and dry grasses are kinda rough to keep in the house for us.
Thank you all!6545D4BA-EC33-40A4-84C0-30DF0AA6C8BD.jpeg
 

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Hello, and welcome to the forum!

Your baby is beautiful! Congrats on your anniversary, and your husband is a keeper! What a sweet gift!

However, there are many things in your setup that should be changed. The best way to start is for you to read this care sheet. Compare what it recommends to what you are providing, and then come back with questions and concerns. There's nothing life threatening...the changes can be made over some time.

It would be very helpful if you would post some pictures of his enclosure and equipment like lights, heat, etc.

Don't feel bad...there is a lot of old outdated info on the internet, and sadly most pet shops, keepers, and even vets are not up-to-date with the latest methods.

We will guide you through each step of the changes.

 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hi everyone,
My name is Jenn, I just recently got a 3 month old Hermann tortoise. I have wanted a tortoise probably since I was 10 and my husband just got me one for our 10 year anniversary.
So I have been doing lots of research but want to make sure I am doing everything right! The poor little thing was in a 5 gallon with no heat/uvb.
S/he is now currently in a 40 gallon. We got a mercury vapor bulb for day time use, it was recommended by a friend who has 6 tortoises (sulcata, California dessert torts and a Russian) and we had a blue 100 w bulb for night time use but the warm side of the tank was only maybe 75 degrees ground level so I got a 150 watt red bulb and now it is about 80ish.
There is also a half log with a under tank heat mat stuck below it. He or she found that place and spends the nights in there. It is probably 100% humidity and inside the log.
I also am soaking the baby 10-15 minutes in the mornings. The substrate is shredded coconut with some bark chips mixed in.

I bought mazuri food and offered some that had been moistened but it wasn’t touched. It looks like they were feeding it Romain.
I am now feeding it baby spring mix and put some fresh organic wheat grass in there and I am trying to figure out where I can purchase other things for it to eat. I don’t have a safe place to pick dandelions and even though I have tons of clover growing in my succulents I just don’t trust feeding my potted plant stuff to my baby.
Any and all tips and advice is welcome!
I live in a smallish city with not loads of options for shopping in southern Utah.
Can turtles eat sprouts? Alfalfa or broccoli sprouts? I sprout for myself and was wondering if that is okay? Also my friend leaves dry grass for her turtles to nibble. Is that necessary?
could it be soaked? We are allergy sufferers and dry grasses are kinda rough to keep in the house for us.
Thank you all!View attachment 317755
Hello and welcome. Congrats on the new baby!

Karen spelled it out nicely. In addition to what she said, I'll list the problem area I see from your post, so you can be thinking about what needs to change as you read the care sheet.

  • No blue, red, or any other colored bulbs. They need it dark at night. If you need night heat, use a CHE or RHP and control either with a thermostat.
  • No MVBs. They will make your little guy pyramid, and they are unreliable sources of UV. Use a regular round or flood type incandescent bulb from the hardware store for heat and light, and use an HO tube for indoor UV when needed.
  • No heat mats. These are dangerous for tortoises.
  • You still need a humid hide. The half log is not 100% humidity inside. The open ends allow any humidity to escape up and into the room.
  • The diet info is in the care sheet, but yes, sprouts can be a good source of variety for your tortoise's diet. Best to get away from the grocery store foods when you can,, but this will take some time since your tortoise was not being fed correctly before you got it.
  • Hermanni are not grass eaters. No point in offering any dried grasses. Your freshly sprouted wheat grass plot is one of many ways to add fiber to the grocery store greens. While they aren't grass eaters, grass in one form or another, can be used to add fiber to their diet. I soak Timothy horse hay pellets and mix those in to my tortoise's food when I must use grocery store greens.
Your questions are welcome! :)
 

Jenn1469

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Utah
Thank you both so much! I will read the care sheet and make the changes I need.
I have a timer with a probe from when I used to raise baby cockatiels so I can set that up with the heater.
 

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,017
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
Welcome, you have been given advice from 2 of our more knowledgeable members. Don't let it overwhelm you. Take that advice and don't go surfing the net. It will only confuse you. These 2 members have years of experience.
Oh and your new family member is beautiful!
 

Ink

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jun 10, 2016
Messages
2,453
Location (City and/or State)
Virginia
Your new tortoise is so cute! Enjoy. Welcome to the forum
 

Jenn1469

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Utah
Thank you. Yes I much rather get first hand experience! I sent my husband over the care sheet info posted above and this weekend we will be making the recommended changes with the lighting etc.
He had a nice long soak this morning and was very hungry and active.
What is the best type of surface to feed them on? Should I use a slate rock or something? Bowls are a challenge because of the size and his flooring is sticking to his food making eating more of a task so today breakfast was served via paper plate. ? I took out the spinach because I seen that, that is not something they should be eating.
Thank you all for the warm welcome and advice.
 

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Cathie G

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Joined
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Messages
14,904
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
Welcome. I'm so glad you came to the TFO. You won't regret it. Once again I was able to learn from a new member's post. That's one of the things I love about this site. I didn't know I could use sprouts or horse timothy hay pellets.?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Thank you. Yes I much rather get first hand experience! I sent my husband over the care sheet info posted above and this weekend we will be making the recommended changes with the lighting etc.
He had a nice long soak this morning and was very hungry and active.
What is the best type of surface to feed them on? Should I use a slate rock or something? Bowls are a challenge because of the size and his flooring is sticking to his food making eating more of a task so today breakfast was served via paper plate. ? I took out the spinach because I seen that, that is not something they should be eating.
Thank you all for the warm welcome and advice.
Some spinach is okay. Spring mix isn't a great tortoise food. Grocery store greens lack fiber. Baby grocery store greens have even less. All sorts of food ideas in the care sheet.

The best bowls for both food and water are terra cotta plant saucers sunk into the substrate. The angled sides will hold the food in and having it sunk into the substrate makes it easier for the baby to eat and drink. The water bowl you have is not a good one for tortoises. The terra cotta ones are cheap from the hardware store, are the correct depth and dimensions, and the surface of them gives decent traction to little wet tortoise feet.
 

Jenn1469

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Utah
Thats
Some spinach is okay. Spring mix isn't a great tortoise food. Grocery store greens lack fiber. Baby grocery store greens have even less. All sorts of food ideas in the care sheet.

The best bowls for both food and water are terra cotta plant saucers sunk into the substrate. The angled sides will hold the food in and having it sunk into the substrate makes it easier for the baby to eat and drink. The water bowl you have is not a good one for tortoises. The terra cotta ones are cheap from the hardware store, are the correct depth and dimensions, and the surface of them gives decent traction to little wet tortoise feet.

I don’t like that water bowl, it’s the one he came with, it’s too hard for him to access. I’m actually on my way to the nursery right now for the terra cotta and I ordered all the new lights and digital thermo/hydro meters on Amazon and they will be here tomorrow. I live close to a distribution place so stuff comes quickly, luckily!
 

Jenn1469

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Utah
Where do you guys buy food? I have mazuri pellets he will eat a bit of that but I don’t know where other than the grocery store I can buy food. We have a natural grocers here, I can get organic things there. But I don’t know any place other than a grocery store to buy food?
 

Jenn1469

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Utah
These are the new lights I got.
 

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Pistachio's Pamperer

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Joined
Sep 11, 2019
Messages
409
Location (City and/or State)
Tri-cities, Tennessee

This link is from a forum post quite awhile ago. But I would check it out. Especially TOMS last post.

And there is a lot of searching that can be done on the forum for ideas. A lot of us have Tortoise specific year round "gardens" going. My windowsills look like a jungle. LOL

-Meg
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,386
Where do you guys buy food? I have mazuri pellets he will eat a bit of that but I don’t know where other than the grocery store I can buy food. We have a natural grocers here, I can get organic things there. But I don’t know any place other than a grocery store to buy food?
Check out Tortoisesupply.com and Kapidolofarms.com. Both of them sell a good variety of acceptable items to feed your tortoise.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Where do you guys buy food? I have mazuri pellets he will eat a bit of that but I don’t know where other than the grocery store I can buy food. We have a natural grocers here, I can get organic things there. But I don’t know any place other than a grocery store to buy food?
Read the food section here. I explain which foods to buy, how to amend them, and where to get all sorts of good stuff: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/
 
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