Hi, I'm getting a tortoise in a couple of weeks. She's a 7 inch, 4 1/2 year old hermann's, is 4 1/2 a good age to get? She has a few problems, shell pyramiding being the most notable. If I switch her to a good diet of weeds she should recover shouldn't she? I know the shell won't be smooth but internally she should be okay. I figured I'd join before I got her so I could get help with my last few questions. I'll post pictures once I have her at home. Thanks for any help/advice!
Tortoise age best for beginner/ Any advice?
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Welcome to the forum! A hermann's is a great beginner tortoise. And 4 1/2 is still quite young. Proper diet can help with the pyramiding, as well as a calcium supplement, adequate lighting and humidity. I bathe my little girl every day for about ten minutes, and provide a hand mixed "spring mix". I use a calcium supplement every other day. I also make sure her "hides" in her enclosure are humid. her enclosure temp is eighty throughout, and 90-95F in the basking spot. You made mention that the pyramiding was one of what sounded like many problems with this tortoise. is there any outstanding medical issues? Purchasing a healthy tortoise is best for the both of you, especially being new. There is an extensive list of vets here on the forum if you wish to browse through to find one in your area if you have not already.
Hello and welcome to the forum...
Although you can't do anything about the pyramiding thats already there, with the proper diet and care you can prevent it from continuing.
Although you can't do anything about the pyramiding thats already there, with the proper diet and care you can prevent it from continuing.
Hi "Bow":
Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!
May we know your name and where you are?
Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!
May we know your name and where you are?
blafiriravt said:
You made some great comments in your post! I like my temps to go a bit lower, but that's an opinion only. I to, wondered about what other medical problems the animal has. How "bad" is the pyramiding? It could be a sign of possible poor care, which could have permanent long lasting ill effects on the tortoise.
Welcome to the forum, before I forget.
The wait must be hard and the excitement building within you for the time to pass quickly, so you can have your new tortoise. Have you had one before?Hello! Thanks for all the welcomes, I'm in Canada and Bow is a nickname. The pyramiding isn't bad, I just tend to be a worry wart, and I made myself look at all the horrible pictures of tortoises that weren't properly cared for. She will be my first tortoise so I've been googling everything I can think of since September when I started thinking about it. I also started a tortoise food garden. Hopefully my tortoise care skills are better then my garden skills. This will be my first tortoise but I have two toads and a blizzard gecko as personal pets, and as animals I care for go I have a tomato frog, land hermit crabs, tree frogs, pray mantis (a green and a orchid), anoles, a Williams dwarf blue gecko, fire bellied toads, curly tail lizards, one jeweled curly tail, a frog eyed gecko (Godzilla), three bearded dragons, and a albino leopard gecko. I'm not a crazy person. I work at a pet store... Oh I also take care of a Goliath bird eating spider named Horace... As for the tortoise her only real other health problems are less then ideal diet. I tend to get side tracked, and worry excessively. Thanks for being so helpful!
Hello! Thanks for all the welcomes. I'm from Canada and Bow is a nickname. The pyramiding is not to bad, I just tend to worry about everything. Her other problems are mostly bad diet. From what I can gather she's fed frozen food? Like dandelions that the lady freezes. Along with turtle chow. She will be my first tortoise, I have lots of other animals in my care, I work at a pet store (I'd quit but then I'm paranoid no one would take proper care of the creatures). I've been looking up everything I can about hermann's since I started thinking about getting one in September, I even started a tortoise garden. Which is doing hideously, the only things still living are some aloes, thyme, and sage. I'm hoping the tortoise fares better then the plants. My Dad is making me a tortoise table for her, but what substrate would be best? I was thinking plantation soil mixed with forest bark so she could dig? She lives on AstroTurf right now, I personally hate AstroTurf.
Hello and welcome. I was a crazy person like you too back in the 80's and early 90's. Oh wait, I'm still a crazy person now! Haha.
It sounds like you are doing your homework and I bet you will be fine. One of the best things to ensure good health is a large outdoor enclosure so they can get lots of grazing, sunshine and exercise, Canadian weather permitting, of course. Hydration is key too. Periodic soaks and available water all the time will help with this.
Good luck. I'm looking forward to pics when you get her.
It sounds like you are doing your homework and I bet you will be fine. One of the best things to ensure good health is a large outdoor enclosure so they can get lots of grazing, sunshine and exercise, Canadian weather permitting, of course. Hydration is key too. Periodic soaks and available water all the time will help with this.
Good luck. I'm looking forward to pics when you get her.
She will have lots of outside time, we have a large garden. Sadly no outside time until around March at best.
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