Shell, substrate, weight questions!? Need Help! :(

Carmen Koe

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Joined
Aug 21, 2015
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2
Hello!
I have a hermann tortoise called Luna who is now slightly over 1 years old and have had her for 5 months so I'm still quite newbie. I have noticed that her shell has been getting quite dry and when she takes a nap she always loves to be right under the heat lamp. She's usually under the log or goes into her flower pot if she takes a nap but I have seen her napping right under the light quite a lot recently. I bath her every day for atleast 20 mins.
She lives in a tortoise table, temperature in the daytime is usually atleast 30-31 degrees, humidity only highest 50%. The substrate is mainly top soil with a hand full of play sand. The substrate gets quite dry so I need to spray water quite often. I have read on a few threads to add coconut coir into the substrate for mositure? I wonder if that will improve on Luna's shell. Now I am worried that her shell may be pyramiding as well? :(
Also, she hasn't gain weight well and has only gained 4 grams since I've had her which is really bad from the Jackson Ratio scale it means underweight! I feel so terrible, have I starved her? I feed her everyday with dandelions weeds and random weeds (e.g. horseweed) from the garden but she only takes a few bites.
Reading these threads have just made me more paranoid?! :( Please many advice and suggestions would be appreciated!! :)3.JPG 2.JPG 1.JPG 4.JPG 3.JPG 2.JPG 1.JPG 4.JPG 3.JPG 2.JPG 1.JPG 4.JPG
 

wellington

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Humidity can be kept in an open table. Also, what is the basking temp under the light, they have to warm themselves up over 85 to properly digest their food. Check out the care sheet in the beginning of the forum under the species section.
 

Carmen Koe

New Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2015
Messages
2
It's a combined uvb/uva bulb and there are access to natural light where I take her out occasionally but she's usually in the tortoise table. As for the basking temp under the light it is usually between 30-33.
 
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