new hermann tortoise

TaylorTortoise

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please see my enclosure ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Šhe/her has been hiding on top left corner since yesterday afternoon. also prepared mixed food dry and fresh food as shop was feeding him pellet food.
This is a really cool set up. Maybe for an adult but for babies and hatchlings a closed enclosure is preferred to maintain humidity climates. Where did you get that wooden house from? Never seen it before. Really appreciate the work that was done to put that together!

Definitely want to line the bottom of the enclosure with cabinet liner then staple it to each corner, also want to use plexiglass to cover a good portion of the top.
 

Meilu

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This is a really cool set up. Maybe for an adult but for babies and hatchlings a closed enclosure is preferred to maintain humidity climates. Where did you get that wooden house from? Never seen it before. Really appreciate the work that was done to put that together!

Definitely want to line the bottom of the enclosure with cabinet liner then staple it to each corner, also want to use plexiglass to cover a good portion of the top.
I bought the wooden house fron pets at home, i also have hiding places on the bottom so plenty of hiding for him. we did lined bottom with thick plastic sheet and will have no water leak. you suggest to have the top partially covered? to maintain the temperature or secure hom climbing out?
 

zolasmum

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The idea of partially covering the enclosure is both to maintain humidity and temperature - I don't think Rocket will manage to climb out just yet - but no doubt he will try eventually ! Some people get a little collapsible greenhouse frame, covered with clear plastic sheet, to put over their enclosure - if you can get one to fit, that would work well, though of course the plastic would have to be kept away from the lamps for safety. You could watch Rocket easily, and lift up the flaps when you wanted. I think you can get such things at Argos on line, and at garden centres.
Rocket looks lovely.
Angie
 

zolasmum

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Has Rocket started eating yet? I forgot to ask when I wrote before. If not, don't worry - tortoises can go a long time without eating . One of the favourite foods of my tortoise Zola is the salad leaf Rocket !! And also the red salad leaf Radicchio- and he loves dandelion leaves, too. As he is very little, it might be good to chop his food up small - it will be easier for him, and the smell of the cut up food may encourage him.
Angie
 

Meilu

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Has Rocket started eating yet? I forgot to ask when I wrote before. If not, don't worry - tortoises can go a long time without eating . One of the favourite foods of my tortoise Zola is the salad leaf Rocket !! And also the red salad leaf Radicchio- and he loves dandelion leaves, too. As he is very little, it might be good to chop his food up small - it will be easier for him, and the smell of the cut up food may encourage him.
Angie
Thanks Angie for both suggestions. he is not eating still and yesterday smelled the food but walked off. we put him outside today as was sunny he was really active outside and had a few bite of dandelion leaf, but once inside he straight into a hiding place. is his enclosure too dark ? i don't think it's cold as i have heat lamp on all day maintain at 35 c , cold side was around 23-4c today
Has Rocket started eating yet? I forgot to ask when I wrote before. If not, don't worry - tortoises can go a long time without eating . One of the favourite foods of my tortoise Zola is the salad leaf Rocket !! And also the red salad leaf Radicchio- and he loves dandelion leaves, too. As he is very little, it might be good to chop his food up small - it will be easier for him, and the smell of the cut up food may encourage him.
Angie
Thanks Angie. for rhe explanation. he is still not eating, put him outside today as was sunny and he was so active outside and had a few bites of dandelion leaf only. stayed outside for 40mins and wwnt back in straight to his hiding place not coming out since. really don't know why, could that be the enclosure too dark , I wouldn't think it's too cold as i have heat lamp on all the time and cold side was 23-24c today. we are gonna put another clamp light and maybe have a light on just to bright up the enclosure. he was pretty goo yesterday afternoon wondering around the enclosure quite a bit but not today.
 

zolasmum

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Thanks Angie for both suggestions. he is not eating still and yesterday smelled the food but walked off. we put him outside today as was sunny he was really active outside and had a few bite of dandelion leaf, but once inside he straight into a hiding place. is his enclosure too dark ? i don't think it's cold as i have heat lamp on all day maintain at 35 c , cold side was around 23-4c today

Thanks Angie. for rhe explanation. he is still not eating, put him outside today as was sunny and he was so active outside and had a few bites of dandelion leaf only. stayed outside for 40mins and wwnt back in straight to his hiding place not coming out since. really don't know why, could that be the enclosure too dark , I wouldn't think it's too cold as i have heat lamp on all the time and cold side was 23-24c today. we are gonna put another clamp light and maybe have a light on just to bright up the enclosure. he was pretty goo yesterday afternoon wondering around the enclosure quite a bit but not today.
When they are little, tortoises in the wild stay hidden, sheltered under leaves, so predators won't notice them - he will settle soon, I'm sure - and then he will be confident enough to eat more. I think it would be a good idea to add a light to brighten his enclosure,as you suggest. And just keep putting fresh food and water out. As long as he has one or two dark areas to hide, he may feel safer in the open, actually, as he will be able to see danger coming !
Best wishes
Angie
 

Sarah2020

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They can take time to settle, start to get a routine and he will learn to trust you and interact more, he has found the safest hiding place to sleep . He has probably travelled and been handled alot so now he need you to take care of him.
 

Meilu

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When they are little, tortoises in the wild stay hidden, sheltered under leaves, so predators won't notice them - he will settle soon, I'm sure - and then he will be confident enough to eat more. I think it would be a good idea to add a light to brighten his enclosure,as you suggest. And just keep putting fresh food and water out. As long as he has one or two dark areas to hide, he may feel safer in the open, actually, as he will be able to see danger coming !
Best wishes
Angie
Thanks Angie. i might remove
When they are little, tortoises in the wild stay hidden, sheltered under leaves, so predators won't notice them - he will settle soon, I'm sure - and then he will be confident enough to eat more. I think it would be a good idea to add a light to brighten his enclosure,as you suggest. And just keep putting fresh food and water out. As long as he has one or two dark areas to hide, he may feel safer in the open, actually, as he will be able to see danger coming !
Best wishes
Angie
Thanks Angie. this makes sense. i will remove a few deco inside just for him to have clearer view . He climbed on top of the log yesterday maybe he couldn't see all the surroundings ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚
 

shellyshelly

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this is really cool set up.

i've seen the house & sticks/ramps available, but that fence/rail up the ramp is cool - where did you find that?
 

Kwiggy

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Oh goodness. Thanks for telling me.
Appreciate it.
Spruce pets is full of misinformation for basically every species I've ever googled. It's concerning because it comes up high on Google. I'd just avoid it at a whole, lol. Check out their recommendations for hamsters some time, maddening.
 

Meilu

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this is really cool set up.

i've seen the house & sticks/ramps available, but that fence/rail up the ramp is cool - where did you find that?
Thanks ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Šyes, we bought the house but handmade the ramp and fence as the ready made ramp is too short for the distance. i bought the willow twigs wired through for the ramp and used glue gun for the fence. ๐Ÿ˜€
 

Tortoise Nana

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Please post pics of your tort as well as his enclosure so as to enable the experts here to help you.

Read the care sheets, and please tell us what his diet is. Soak him in war water every day.

Yes, torts take time to get adapted to a new environment, so do not worry.

And a warm welcome to the forum.
Hi Gillian, Iโ€™m new to the forum too. Iโ€™m tortoise nana to my sons two desert tortoises. Heโ€™s a long distance trucker and only sees us a few days a month. Enjoy your new baby. The folks on this site are welcoming and knowledgeable. Iโ€™m so glad ๐Ÿ˜ƒ I joined.
 

Prize007

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You will find excellent advice on here, kudos for joining! https://www.hermannihaven.com/ also has some good info.

Just curious how long is Rocket? You mentioned he is a baby, and I know they grow at different rates, but he looks a lot like my lil guy who will be 2 years this summer.
 

Gillian M

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Hi @Meilu . How is your tortoise today? Hope to hear he's better and that he has been eating.
 

Meilu

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You will find excellent advice on here, kudos for joining! https://www.hermannihaven.com/ also has some good info.

Just curious how long is Rocket? You mentioned he is a baby, and I know they grow at different rates, but he looks a lot like my lil guy who will be 2 years this summer.
Hi, Rocket was hatched in July 2021, so he is 10 month old ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š
 

zolasmum

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Hi, Rocket was hatched in July 2021, so he is 10 month old ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š
Hello again. I thought you might like to see this photo which my husband put together for Zola's birthday last year.The basic photo is of Zola 2 or 3 years ago,( at Fowey in Cornwall ) -and he has added two photos of him when he was little -2 or 3 years old .The sizes are not accurate, but it shows how his shell pattern has changed over time.
Angiegrowing-up_sm.jpg
 

Meilu

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Thanks Angie. i might remove

Thanks Angie. this makes sense. i will remove a few deco inside just for him to have clearer view . He climbed on top of the log yesterday maybe he couldn't see all the surroundings

Hello again. I thought you might like to see this photo which my husband put together for Zola's birthday last year.The basic photo is of Zola 2 or 3 years ago,( at Fowey in Cornwall ) -and he has added two photos of him when he was little -2 or 3 years old .The sizes are not accurate, but it shows how his shell pattern has changed over time.
AngieView attachment 344909
Wow, interesting, where's all these color gone. , really nice picture.
by the way Roket start eating yesterday, so pleased. phew... he is getting use to his new territory I guess.
 

Meilu

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Hi @Meilu . How is your tortoise today? Hope to hear he's better and that he has been eating.
Hi Gillian. Yes he finally started eating yesterday. He stayed whole day hiding yesterday as we both went to work . i gave him a bath before i left house and then he straight climbed to upstairs lol stayed all day there i think as i have set up an indoor camera , checking at work but couldn't see him at all. got home in the evening dragged him out, gave him some leaves, he finally start eating and been active for the whole evening, went to upstairs around 10.30 so I switched the light off . i was thinking, gosh this is like looking after a child lol. ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚
 

zolasmum

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Wow, interesting, where's all these color gone. , really nice picture.
by the way Roket start eating yesterday, so pleased. phew... he is getting use to his new territory I guess.
Congratulations to you and Rocket - he will probably amaze you how much he can eat, once he really gets going !!
I always moisten Zola's food with a little bottled water (our tap water smells a bit of chlorine sometimes ).
You need not expect Rocket's colour to change that much - I've seen tortoises who still have their original pattern quite clearly. Actually, Zola's shell looks really good when the sun is on it - glowing !
Angie
 

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