New owner needing help please!!

[charleen bianco]

I have a baby hermanns tortoise who is approx 4 months old. today is day 3 and he hasn't came out of his sleeping place at all. I got him out and placed him under his light. he didn't Move. I handed him a rocket leaf which he ate them placed him in his bath, he pooed a white strip type thing. he seems exhausted. after he got out of water he stayed under lamp for a few hours, head out eyes closed. he doesn't burrow at night. should I be worried? he doesn't walk around at all.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

He is adjusting to his new home, this is not unusual at all.
He is currently terrified he is in another's territory, that there may be predators about and even that you may eat him.
He'll get used to it all in a while and start to explore and see you as the food god.
It took me three weeks to come out from under the bed when I moved in here.
It's great he's eating a bit, but don't worry if he doesn't eat much, or at all, to begin.
The white stuff is urates and is normal. It should have a consistency like toothpaste and not be gritty.
Keep him well hydrated with a twenty minute soak a day and access to his own water in a shallow terracotta plant saucer or the like, big enough for him to sit in and sunken into the substrate.
Him not burrowing is also not a problem. he should have a nice, dark, humid hide.
Read http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
and http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/
for lots of good information.
If you've got your set up and temperatures right , he'll soon be fine.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Charleen, and welcome to the Forum!

Yes, you're right to be worried. Besides what Tidgy's Dad has said, let's talk about your set up. Is is warm enough? What kind of light do you have? Can we please see pictures?

 

[charleen bianco]

I think there's something wrong with my tortoise. today is day 3 of having him and he's been sleeping all day. I got him up and put him under his lamp. he didn't Move for 3 hours. then I was worried he was too hot so bathed him and he pooed a white string type thing. he's eating now but not walking around. plus he has a growth on his neck

 

[Yvonne G]

That just looks like a piece of flaking skin.

 

[charleen bianco]

OK thanks so much. I been worrying all day.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Are you in the UK ?
They seem to sell a lot of that substrate with calcium bits or perlite there. It's not good as it encourages eating of the substrate.
i'd swap it for some coco coir.
I'd also add a few spider plants for interest and hidey places.

 

[charleen bianco]

real plants or Fake?

 

[Yvonne G]

Besides being afraid (baby tortoises are prey) of being in a new environment, one where he's not sure he's going to be safe, the main reason for babies not eating and staying hidden all the time is because the habitat isn't warm enough. Then there's the light issue. If you're using a coil-shaped bulb, that can harm his eyes.

Give us more information on the habitat and what kind of lights you're using.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

real plants or Fake?

I use real ones, others use plastic ones with no problem.
But I worry they might eat the plastic.

 

[dezaxatul]

I am also a newbie so please forgive me if I am mistaken, but I think that (on top of what other members have mentioned before me) he might be quite dry.
Do you have a probe-sensor for humidity in there? It should be around 70%.

Also, I'd close the top, at least partially (to prevent heat/humidity loss).

Good luck, I hope the little one will be fine

 

[charleen bianco]

how do I make more humidity?

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

The plants will help, mix water into the substrate by hand, remember hot and moist is good, cold and damp equals a sick tortoise.
Cover the top as dezaxatul mentioned but leave holes for your lamps.
have a look at http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/
and http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-end-of-pyramiding.15137/
You also need a hygrometer to measure it.

 

[charleen bianco]

I have an arcadia d3 uv reptile basking lamp mvb Mercury vapour combined heat and uvb bulb 100watts.

 

[charleen bianco]

also in the inside bit there is a heat mat

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Shouldn't need the heat mat, if you have the MVB.
Heat mats dry out the substrate and heat the tort from below, rather than from above.
If you need night heat, get a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) which provides heat, but no light as tortoises need darkness to sleep properly.

 

[charleen bianco]

the hear mat is on the side not under substrate. I'm so confused as this enclosure was recommended to me but now I'm worried about the humidity.

 

[Yvonne G]

Thanks for the picture. That makes it much easier to help you.

That type bulb needs to hang straight down or you shorten the life of it. Rig some sort of framework over the table so you can hang it straight down. You may also need some sort of heat on the other end of the table. Because the table is open the bulb is only providing heat directly under it, and that is diffused because of the angle.

I think once you get that whole table warmed up to about 80-85F degrees you'll see a more active baby.

Like Tidgy's dad said, if you mount a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) over the other end of the table it and the light should heat that whole space nicely.

CHE:

 

[charleen bianco]

got him some new stuff for his home today. spider plant and some ficus pumila. will get the light put up better tonight

 

[charleen bianco]

here it is