New Herm - Help!

[Sidda]

My new baby Eastern Hermann is arriving tomorrow, I have kept aquatics for a few years but this is my 1st tort. I have read mountains of info from every source I can find on the species but have run into a lot of conflicting info that I am hoping to get some clarity on. Thank you for any and all help and I apologize in advance about such detailed questions.

I am using a 41qt. Rubbermaid tub for now and will be building a table soon.

-Lighting
For convenience sake I purchased a grassland starter kit from Tortoise Supply that includes a ZooMed Powersun Mercury Vapor Bulb & small heat pad. From my understanding the MVB emits both heat and UVB but just to be 100%...

1. Do I still need a basking light or does the MVB take care of all the torts daytime necessities while only using one fixture?

It's starting to get cold here and the room temp of my house at night is around 65-70 degrees. The room the lil guy will be in tends to stay a bit chilly. I have read that night heat is not needed at those room temps, however he is a baby so...

2. Is a small heat pad adequate enough (I have heard good/bad), if so...
1. Do I put it in the hide/sleep area?
2. Can he lay on top of it or should it be under the substrate (Cypress)
or under the tub?
3. Should it be left on 24/7 or just at night?

3. Or is a CHE better/necessary?
1. Do I leave it on all the time?
2. Should it hang over the hide/sleep area or entire tub?

-Feeding
This is were I have run into the most controversy of what and when.
The soil in my area is predominately marine sand so the option of collecting weeds is slim but I will be getting hibiscus, pansies etc. but...

1. As a baby should he be fed daily or every other day?
2. Should calcium and supplements be mixed in daily or 2-3 times a
week?
3. I have read collard/turnip greens, spinach, and the like are bad but
kale, cucumber, squash are ok?
4. What backyard grasses other than Bermuda are safe that I can
collect?
5. Are salad mixes with various lettuce (other than ice burg) in the
produce isle ok to use daily mixed with pellet foods?
6. Is hay safe for this type of tort to eat?

Thank you!

 

[Heliopteryx]

The MVB fulfills all lighting requirements, but you may need to add another heat source if the colder end of the enclosrure gets too cold. It is difficult to find exactly what nighttime temperature is "perfect" for Hermann's tortoises, but I think anywhere around 65 is fine. Additional heat sources are only necessary if the tortoise is sick or if it is colder than it should be.

You should feed your tortoise every day. I think calcium and supplements once a week is what most people on the forum who supplement do. Kale, cucumber, and squash are good in moderation, but should not be too major a part of the diet. As far as I know, pretty much all grasses that grow in peoples' yards are fine to feed, but wheat grass(?) is high in protein. Salad mixes are good to use, especially "spring mix." I have read that lots of owners of smaller tortoises don't offer hay, because they don't want the tortoise to choke on the hay.

 

[Sidda]

Thank you for the info Helio!