Newbie Hermann Owner

[BeepbaDoop]

Hi all,
I go by Bea and my Hermann's name lengthy, the first of which is Fennell though everyone seems to come up with their own interpretation.

I got Fennell in December so I've been caring for them for a couple months now though I am a long time lurker.

From what I've read they seem pretty healthy and normal but I'm always open to advice.

Fennell is now 1 year old and still seems to love climbing and sliding around but we've had to re adjust the enclosure so they dont get hurt.

Their favourite foods are dandelions and kale but they occasionally go more for the various cacti (all edible) around the enclosure.

I'm in the process of building them an outdoor run for when the weather gets warmer and I've attached some photos. Any changes, pleaseeee let me know!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Bea, and welcome to the Forum!

It's perfectly fine to refer to Fennell as he, him, his, etc. rather than 'they.' They makes us think you have more than one tortoise.

I'd like to make a suggestion, if I may. Some tortoises think the white bits in the type of substrate you're using is something to eat. It's not a good idea to encourage a tortoise to eat his substrate. It may cause impaction. My substrate of choice is fir bark, but you could also look for coco coir or cypress mulch. . . those are all substrates that you can moisten a bit, and a little moisture in the enclosure is healthy for your baby.

Next is that waterer you're using. Those are meant for snakes and lizards, creatures with moveable bodies, not for hard bodied tortoises. I much prefer to use plant saucers for waterers, then I sink them down into the substrate, making it easy for the baby to climb in, or reach in.

I love the 'slice' of tree that you're using as a feeder.

May I ask what type of light/heat you've got going on in there?

Here's an excerpt about feeding baby tortoises that I copied from one of our care sheets:

cat's tongue, thistle (sow thistle, mostly), hawksbit, plantain, mallow, grape leaves, and hibiscus leaves and flowers, violet leaves and flowers, sedum, daylily flowers, miner’s lettuce, dead nettle, rose petals (only from untreated, unfertilized plants), turnip greens, and many other plants on the 'safe' list of The Tortoise Table database. I add in some dandelions, but only when there aren't other things. If you don't have access to weeds during the winter, you can feed mustard greens, kale, and collard greens. Opuntia cactus (called ‘nopales’ in Hispanic grocery stores) is high in calcium, and can be added to the diet occasionally. There are many other tortoise-safe weeds that may be available throughout the year that I did not mention here.

 

[BeepbaDoop]

Hi thanks so much for he suggestions, I've just orded some coconut coir this morning but still wondering where I can get more for cheaper! Will also have a look at the water as its true that sometimes fennell struggles a little bit climbing in.

The lamp I'm using is an arcadia combined heat and uvb basking lamp and is on from 7am until 7pm every day.

 

[BeepbaDoop]

Ahhh one more thing about the food, I've been growing some small weeds that he loves from a tortoise feed specific seed bag but the seeds that grow pack the variation it suggests and so I was wondering where I could buy such seeds?

 

[iAmCentrochelys sulcata]

very nice love the setup, soak him often as well keep the humidity a bit higher in some places i also have one around no more than 6 months they are shy at least least mine is.