# How much to feed a hatchling?



## kobemega (Jan 3, 2014)

I have a few month old Hermann tortoise. He is being housed indoors for the winter since I live in Michigan. I have a few plants growing for him and I'm giving him organic produce from Kroger (kale, bok choy, arugula, carrot tops, radish tops, etc). My question is HOW MUCH should I feed him? He eats anything I put in front of him really and he totally clears the plate. I definitely don't want to over feed him though. I've heard some people say you are supposed to only feed them the same surface area as their shell. I've read you're supposed to totally cover their plate and let them eat however much they want. He always basks for a good hour afterward, but I wanted to know the maximum amount of food a hatchling should eat a day.
Thanks!


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## mike taylor (Jan 3, 2014)

I don't keep Hermans tortoises . But these guys are grazers so put out what he will eat with some leftover . Try putting a little food in a couple of spots . So it will have to look around for food .


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## wellington (Jan 3, 2014)

I agree with above. I always feed my torts, none are hermanns, enough so there is a little left over the next morning.


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## kobemega (Jan 4, 2014)

I don't know if feeding him more than can eat will work. If I give him half a baby kale leaf, he eats all of it. If I give him a whole leaf, he eats all of it. If I also give him an arugula leaf, he will eat all of that as well. He clears his plate of everything whenever I feed him. There's never anything leftover, even if I give him a ton of food. He just eats it all and goes to sleep while he basks for about 4 hours or more.
Plus, I've read it's better that they're a little hungry than overfed and that hatchlings have a more efficient digestive system than adults. (Here is the website for that info: http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/helhatch.html).
I was just hoping there was a rule about feeding them a certain percentage of their body size or something. Some kind of standardized system for feeding them enough, but not too much.


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## jodemiah (Jan 5, 2014)

I also have a Hermann. The breeder I bought her from (who has 16 tortoises of three different breeds) told me that she allows her hatchlings to eat for 30-40 minutes and then removes any extra immediately. You want your little tortoise to grow nice and slow. She did not recommend grazing either. On the flip side, if your tortoise is active, pooping, etc. then you are obviously doing what's working best for YOUR tortoise.


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## Tinkerbell (Jan 6, 2014)

My hermann is 5 months and I feed him twice a day, morning and tea time - just a small handful (roughly size of his shell as he is very greedy and will eat
Everything in front of him. He's growing nicely


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## smudger67 (Mar 8, 2014)

Hi 
I agree, i have two 9 month old hermann's and was told the same feed in the morning then again in the afternoon.


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