Need help!!

[Koopa1]

Hello,

I have a 4 year old girl hermann tortoise called Koopa. I have had her since she was about 1 years old. I used to have 2 but had to split them up due to the male tortoise kept nipping at Koopas legs.

I really need help on the best enclosure. I live in the UK and now nearly coming into November the temp is very cold! In the summer I would put her outside so she could have a run about it the garden and she seemed very happy then! Even when I put her back in her vivarium she would come out every day and eat and run about on the days I wasn't able to put her outside. But now as she hasn't been going outside anymore she doesn't seem to come out of her hut or eat. She won't come out for over a week, so she isn't eating or drinking. I will put fresh food in every day but she won't come out. I got her out today and gave her a bath she poo'd a couple of times and now I've put her back in with lots of food she is now running round a bit more but is yet to eat.

I keep her in a 4ft vivarium with heat lamp and uv lamp. I put the heat lamp up to 32°c in the daytime and night time I turn it right down so it will be room temp.

I'm worried as she won't come out for days/weeks and it makes me wonder what I'm doing wrong?! I thought maybe as it's becoming colder she comes out less?

I've always used woodchips as substrate. I think I need a shallower water bowl she never goes in it. I have moved in to the middle now she might walk through as before it was in the corner.

I need help on how to lay out her vivarium as I feel a tortoise table will be too cold as it's not enclosed? Everyone always says different things and I just want the best enclosure for her!! I also find it hard knowing if the humidity is right for her?

My mum uses orchid bark for our giant African snail would that be good? Or is it better getting something else? Hay/straw? How big should the water bowl be and how shallow for a tort her size? What other sorts of things can I put in the enclosure to entertain her??

Thanks!

 

[Koopa1]

 

[Koopa1]

I have attached some pics of the enclosure today after her bath

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings

Nice looking Hermanns you have there. If that was my viv, id change a few things around. Id swap the substrate out with the orchid bark that your mom uses; make the substrate deep enough so you can sink the water bowl down level into the substrate ( your rocks look like a barrier to the water ), id double check temps and move the temp sensor down to tort level (i think you have the sensor too high). Id also try and make it larger, seems a bit small, so it’s hard to create appropriate hidey spaces etc.

Check this link out if you have yet to see - https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Good luck - and make sure your lights are on 12-14 hrs/day , and temps are right.

 

[Ben02]

Hi, perhaps she is getting ready to hibernate, but I'm sure someone else will have a better explanation.

 

[Minority2]

Hello,

I have a 4 year old girl hermann tortoise called Koopa. I have had her since she was about 1 years old. I used to have 2 but had to split them up due to the male tortoise kept nipping at Koopas legs.

I really need help on the best enclosure. I live in the UK and now nearly coming into November the temp is very cold! In the summer I would put her outside so she could have a run about it the garden and she seemed very happy then! Even when I put her back in her vivarium she would come out every day and eat and run about on the days I wasn't able to put her outside. But now as she hasn't been going outside anymore she doesn't seem to come out of her hut or eat. She won't come out for over a week, so she isn't eating or drinking. I will put fresh food in every day but she won't come out. I got her out today and gave her a bath she poo'd a couple of times and now I've put her back in with lots of food she is now running round a bit more but is yet to eat.

I keep her in a 4ft vivarium with heat lamp and uv lamp. I put the heat lamp up to 32°c in the daytime and night time I turn it right down so it will be room temp.

I'm worried as she won't come out for days/weeks and it makes me wonder what I'm doing wrong?! I thought maybe as it's becoming colder she comes out less?

I've always used woodchips as substrate. I think I need a shallower water bowl she never goes in it. I have moved in to the middle now she might walk through as before it was in the corner.

I need help on how to lay out her vivarium as I feel a tortoise table will be too cold as it's not enclosed? Everyone always says different things and I just want the best enclosure for her!! I also find it hard knowing if the humidity is right for her?

My mum uses orchid bark for our giant African snail would that be good? Or is it better getting something else? Hay/straw? How big should the water bowl be and how shallow for a tort her size? What other sorts of things can I put in the enclosure to entertain her??

Thanks!

Good. Keep them permanently separated.

Your current enclosure is too small for a single adult Hermann. Both your tortoises each require their own separate indoor or outdoor 8 x 4 ft enclosure.

1. Where are you from and how low does the temperature reach during the coldest months of the year?

32C is not high enough for a basking spot. Keep the basking spot temperature, directly under the lamp fixture at 35-40C. Keep ambient temperatures at 24-27C during the colder months.

2. How many times are you soaking your tortoises per week?

3. Your food and water dishes aren't ideally designed for tortoises regardless of what their product page claims. Heavy clay or resin plant saucers are highly recommended. Make sure to also submerge your rocks into the orchid bark substrate you plan to switch to so that your tortoise can get in and out of their water dish to self soak.

 

[Gillian M]

Welcome to the forum.

A cute little tort. God bless.

You said it's getting colder, so it might be "time for hibernation."

By the way,torts take time to get adjusted as they do not like change. Don't worry.

 

[Changa]

Hello,

I have a 4 year old girl hermann tortoise called Koopa. I have had her since she was about 1 years old. I used to have 2 but had to split them up due to the male tortoise kept nipping at Koopas legs.

I really need help on the best enclosure. I live in the UK and now nearly coming into November the temp is very cold! In the summer I would put her outside so she could have a run about it the garden and she seemed very happy then! Even when I put her back in her vivarium she would come out every day and eat and run about on the days I wasn't able to put her outside. But now as she hasn't been going outside anymore she doesn't seem to come out of her hut or eat. She won't come out for over a week, so she isn't eating or drinking. I will put fresh food in every day but she won't come out. I got her out today and gave her a bath she poo'd a couple of times and now I've put her back in with lots of food she is now running round a bit more but is yet to eat.

I keep her in a 4ft vivarium with heat lamp and uv lamp. I put the heat lamp up to 32°c in the daytime and night time I turn it right down so it will be room temp.

I'm worried as she won't come out for days/weeks and it makes me wonder what I'm doing wrong?! I thought maybe as it's becoming colder she comes out less?

I've always used woodchips as substrate. I think I need a shallower water bowl she never goes in it. I have moved in to the middle now she might walk through as before it was in the corner.

I need help on how to lay out her vivarium as I feel a tortoise table will be too cold as it's not enclosed? Everyone always says different things and I just want the best enclosure for her!! I also find it hard knowing if the humidity is right for her?

My mum uses orchid bark for our giant African snail would that be good? Or is it better getting something else? Hay/straw? How big should the water bowl be and how shallow for a tort her size? What other sorts of things can I put in the enclosure to entertain her??

Thanks!

I am new and not the person to give any advice but i am sure someone will jump right in and answer ur questions
Be patient
nice hermann t