New Owner with Worries! Help!

Cicitina

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Messages
266
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario, Canada
Hi everyone!
I am a new owner to a baby Hermanns, it has been 4 days since bringing baby home and I was given very little information when adopting him.
I have done as much research as possible since bringing my new little family member home but I have so many questions and concerns.

POOP:
Most importantly, I have yet to see or clean any poop! I believe I may have cleaned something out of the water the first day but since haven’t seen anything similar.

YAWNING:
I’ve seen him yawn and open his mouth a few times. At first I thought this was cute behaviour but after a little research it said they may have a respiratory infection, or blocked airway. His nostrils seem to be clear and I’ve only seen him do this 3 times. He is active and eating so is there any need for alarm?!?

Thank you,
Cici & Poe the tort

905DA7AD-A640-44D6-99B2-DAC4DE363BCF.jpeg
 

saleena.lewis

Active Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Messages
232
Location (City and/or State)
Massachusetts
Hi everyone!
I am a new owner to a baby Hermanns, it has been 4 days since bringing baby home and I was given very little information when adopting him.
I have done as much research as possible since bringing my new little family member home but I have so many questions and concerns.

POOP:
Most importantly, I have yet to see or clean any poop! I believe I may have cleaned something out of the water the first day but since haven’t seen anything similar.

YAWNING:
I’ve seen him yawn and open his mouth a few times. At first I thought this was cute behaviour but after a little research it said they may have a respiratory infection, or blocked airway. His nostrils seem to be clear and I’ve only seen him do this 3 times. He is active and eating so is there any need for alarm?!?

Thank you,
Cici & Poe the tort
Off topic but that basking spot looks really high up in the picture if a tortoise fell off of that they could get hurt. Could you send a picture of your enclosure?
 

Cicitina

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Messages
266
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario, Canada
Off topic but that basking spot looks really high up in the picture if a tortoise fell off of that they could get hurt. Could you send a picture of your enclosure?

no worries, I have a different one in the mail because I didn’t like this one that came with the tank. I built it up around the sides as much as possible until the new one arrives. He can’t get up there on his own even with the sides built up so luckily no worry of him falling unsupervised
 

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KarenSoCal

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Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
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Messages
5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
POOP:
Most importantly, I have yet to see or clean any poop! I believe I may have cleaned something out of the water the first day but since haven’t seen anything similar.

It's not unusual for it to take a few days for everything to start working properly. Often babies won't eat after coming to their new home, or don't eat as much for a while.
Even if he is eating great, he may be pooping in his hide. It's normal in the wild...they pee and poop to help make the hide humid. The other possibility is that he's eating it. It contains nutrients that he can utilize.

QUOTE="Cicitina, post: 1855261, member: 125944"]
YAWNING:
I’ve seen him yawn and open his mouth a few times. At first I thought this was cute behaviour but after a little research it said they may have a respiratory infection, or blocked airway. His nostrils seem to be clear and I’ve only seen him do this 3 times. He is active and eating so is there any need for alarm?!?[/QUOTE]

They do yawn, and it is cute. Keeping the mouth open often indicates early RI or a blocked nose. But for an RI, there would also be bubbles from his nose, breathing sounds from his chest, maybe runny eyes, and he would feel miserable. So no, I don't think there's cause for alarm.

But with that said, I would up your temps by 5°. Just make everything 5° warmer, and leave it there until 2 weeks after those symptoms stop.

Which Ontario are you in? It would be helpful if you specified in your profile. Ontario CA, or Ontario, province in Canada?

And welcome to the forum! Here's our care sheet for Hermann's torts, in case you haven't read it yet.

 

Cicitina

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Messages
266
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario, Canada
It's not unusual for it to take a few days for everything to start working properly. Often babies won't eat after coming to their new home, or don't eat as much for a while.
Even if he is eating great, he may be pooping in his hide. It's normal in the wild...they pee and poop to help make the hide humid. The other possibility is that he's eating it. It contains nutrients that he can utilize.

QUOTE="Cicitina, post: 1855261, member: 125944"]
YAWNING:
I’ve seen him yawn and open his mouth a few times. At first I thought this was cute behaviour but after a little research it said they may have a respiratory infection, or blocked airway. His nostrils seem to be clear and I’ve only seen him do this 3 times. He is active and eating so is there any need for alarm?!?

They do yawn, and it is cute. Keeping the mouth open often indicates early RI or a blocked nose. But for an RI, there would also be bubbles from his nose, breathing sounds from his chest, maybe runny eyes, and he would feel miserable. So no, I don't think there's cause for alarm.

But with that said, I would up your temps by 5°. Just make everything 5° warmer, and leave it there until 2 weeks after those symptoms stop.

Which Ontario are you in? It would be helpful if you specified in your profile. Ontario CA, or Ontario, province in Canada?

And welcome to the forum! Here's our care sheet for Hermann's torts, in case you haven't read it yet.

[/QUOTE]

I am in Ontario Canada,
He has had a very big appetite and no other signs of anything wrong. I did see him drink for the first time yesterday which was exciting!
I have been trying to figure out how to regular the temps with the lights and worry it drops too low at night without the lights as I’m in a basement apartment where AC runs constantly when my family who live in the house above are home and it gets quite chilly.
I will 100% be moving his enclosure as right now it is close to the AC vent (which I have had off all weekend) and the fireplace which will run in the winter.
In the winter it is very dry, how do you suggest keeping up humidity?
Would you recommend an under tank heating pad as well? (Canada is a cold place)
 

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