EchoFrost

New Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2021
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
Hello lovely people of TortoiseForum! Now that I've been a tort parent for about a week and a half, I think I'm ready to introduce myself and Herman to the tort community!

Herman is an adorable Eastern Hermann's tort (please correct me if I'm wrong ?) that I purchased 10 days ago from $PopularPetStoreChain. I had been eyeing him for a while since I was already in love with my brother's Russian tort and Herman had been living at the pet store for quite some time. I just had to give him a home! According to the pet store Herman is about 3 years old and was sourced from a local breeder. He is unbelievably active and has such a fun personality.

Unfortunately, leading up to his purchase almost all of my information on his care came from the pet store employees, the pet store's care sheet, and my brother's experience with his Russian, and I definitely fell into some traps that you lovely people warn about on this forum. We had started him in a 40" x 20" enclosure that we immediately recognized was not enough space for this shockingly active tort. Just the second day we had him we went to a local hardware store and purchased materials to make him a 4' x 4' enclosure in the corner of our office, and he immediately was much happier! He loves to adventure and climb and essentially destroy his enclosure as much as his little body can. We were also convinced to get a mini compact fluorescent bulb for UV, which is something we still need to correct. Otherwise he seems very happy with his enclosure! So far he hasn't been a very picky eater, and I'm excited to start getting him on the Broadleaf Testudo Mix I purchased from TortoiseSupply. He loves his every other day baths, running laps around his enclosure, sliding down his log, and watching me and my girlfriend as we work from home.

I'm definitely open to criticisms and feedback on his enclosure and care! I just want him to be the happiest and healthiest tort he can be. Please enjoy my pictures of him! Let me know if you spot anything alarming. Also don't flame my camera too much please. :p
Big shout out to Tom on his Temperate Tortoise care guide, and Yvonne on somehow answering almost every question I've looked up on this forum! I'm very happy I found this community!

HermanAdventure.jpgHermanBasking.jpgHermanClimbing.jpgHermanHello.jpgHermanHumidHide.jpgHermanLogVibing.jpgHermanNapping.jpgHermansEnclosure.jpgHermanTryingTomato.jpgHermanVibing.jpgHermanWatching.jpg

HermanAdventure.jpgHermanBasking.jpgHermanClimbing.jpgHermanHello.jpgHermanHumidHide.jpgHermanLogVibing.jpgHermanNapping.jpgHermansEnclosure.jpgHermanTryingTomato.jpgHermanVibing.jpgHermanWatching.jpg
 

Jan A

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2021
Messages
1,808
Location (City and/or State)
Boulder, CO
Hello lovely people of TortoiseForum! Now that I've been a tort parent for about a week and a half, I think I'm ready to introduce myself and Herman to the tort community!

Herman is an adorable Eastern Hermann's tort (please correct me if I'm wrong ?) that I purchased 10 days ago from $PopularPetStoreChain. I had been eyeing him for a while since I was already in love with my brother's Russian tort and Herman had been living at the pet store for quite some time. I just had to give him a home! According to the pet store Herman is about 3 years old and was sourced from a local breeder. He is unbelievably active and has such a fun personality.

Unfortunately, leading up to his purchase almost all of my information on his care came from the pet store employees, the pet store's care sheet, and my brother's experience with his Russian, and I definitely fell into some traps that you lovely people warn about on this forum. We had started him in a 40" x 20" enclosure that we immediately recognized was not enough space for this shockingly active tort. Just the second day we had him we went to a local hardware store and purchased materials to make him a 4' x 4' enclosure in the corner of our office, and he immediately was much happier! He loves to adventure and climb and essentially destroy his enclosure as much as his little body can. We were also convinced to get a mini compact fluorescent bulb for UV, which is something we still need to correct. Otherwise he seems very happy with his enclosure! So far he hasn't been a very picky eater, and I'm excited to start getting him on the Broadleaf Testudo Mix I purchased from TortoiseSupply. He loves his every other day baths, running laps around his enclosure, sliding down his log, and watching me and my girlfriend as we work from home.

I'm definitely open to criticisms and feedback on his enclosure and care! I just want him to be the happiest and healthiest tort he can be. Please enjoy my pictures of him! Let me know if you spot anything alarming. Also don't flame my camera too much please. :p
Big shout out to Tom on his Temperate Tortoise care guide, and Yvonne on somehow answering almost every question I've looked up on this forum! I'm very happy I found this community!

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What a cutie!! Welcome to the forum.
 

ArmadilloPup

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2019
Messages
307
Location (City and/or State)
NE Oklahoma
Welcome! Herman is super cute!

My guess is anyone with Hermann's advice will want to know your parameters. Is your temp/humidity stable with that table? (hah!)

Since you have a ramp water bowl, I thought it'd be fair to bring up there are two hidden factions on this forum - people who use ramp water bowls, and those who hate them. These threads are under 'debatable topics' if you're curious.
 

EchoFrost

New Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2021
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
@AlexanderIvarVermeerIV - We'll have to arrange a play-date!! ?}

@Happytort27 - Thank you very much!

@Armadillogroomer - Humidity stays in the range of 50-75%. On alternating days he gets a bath or his enclosure gets misted down with a spray bottle. Temps stay pretty constant but are colder than I'd probably want. I'm hoping his new lamp/UV/heating setup will help as we get everything for that. His basking area stays between 80-90°F and his "cool side" stays between 70-80°F. As for the ramp water bowl I think I already regret buying it. He loves climbing it, but I think that's because he loves climbing everything. He has hardly used it to drink/play around in, but has started getting in it a little more over the last two days. I'll probably switch it out for a terracotta base or something shallow like that at some point. I'll check out the debate threads to better inform myself on this. :p

Thanks for the super warm welcome everyone!!
 
Joined
Feb 15, 2021
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
Central islip
@EchoFrost That would melt my heart! I hope your improvements go well, I too am always learning and listening. I suggest keeping a notebook on how your tortoise is doing! I write about how in/active, humidity/temp day and night, food is eaten, and have weekly weigh-ins. It helps you get used to looking for specific patterns that you start being able to address faster. Hope this helps!
 

EchoFrost

New Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2021
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
@gsxs750 - Thank you so much! I've seen you on a bunch of posts recently. Thanks for being such a great help to new tort parents like me!!

@AlexanderIvarVermeerIV - That's a super good idea! I've been trying to think of things I can put my software and engineering background into and I have very grandiose plans for automated sensors and data collection. If I end up making anything cool I'll be sure to share with you!! ? ?
 

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
I wonder who had him the longest...the breeder or the pet shop. If he's really 3 years old, he's certainly been well cared for.

It's unusual to find a 3 year old who has been kept hydrated enough to have a smooth shell. Pet stores don't often give them good care, since they are hopefully short-term visitors.

He looks great! What a sweety!
 

EchoFrost

New Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2021
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
I wonder who had him the longest...the breeder or the pet shop. If he's really 3 years old, he's certainly been well cared for.

It's unusual to find a 3 year old who has been kept hydrated enough to have a smooth shell. Pet stores don't often give them good care, since they are hopefully short-term visitors.

He looks great! What a sweety!

Breeder had him longer. Reptile specialist wasn't on-hand the last two times I visited but it sounded like they had him at the pet store for a little under half a year!
 

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