new hermann tortoise

Meilu

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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
Thanks Angie. he eats very little but at least he is eating lol.
for the color changing, i guess every one is different , all cuties 😊😊😊
 

Tom

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Thanks Tom, brilliant advice. did what you suggested, soaked him in the warm water and then put him back to the hot spot, he went to a dark spot first but after one hr he was under the heat lamp, now he started exploring a little bit. but now definitely seems better. regarding the temperature, under the basking point it's around 35 degrees, cold end around 21 degrees. it will stay around 20 at the night. is that okay. today has been raining nearly all day here and a bit dark outside otherwise where his enclosure located should be quite bright. if needs to be we can fix a light to bright it up.
That all sounds good. Except the raining and dark skies. That part doesn't sound like fun at all. Not good tortoise weather. :(
 

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 prize007, sorry not sure if I replied to your message. my one is about 6.5cm under 2 inches. he is slightly bigger than a horsefield with same hatched date. 😊
 

Meilu

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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?

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 , Angie, re the suggestion above, if we make cover with plexiglass which side is better to put a cover on? warm side or cold side? Thanks in advance @TaylorTortoise
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.
 

zolasmum

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I don't think I know enough about making a cover for Rocket's enclosure to be much help - I have to admit we didn't have a cover for Zola's enclosure - my husband made a wooden enclosure, with a plexiglass front area, and when Zola became big enough, we removed the plexiglass, leaving an opening - put a ramp leading from it, and within a few minutes Zola trotted out of the opening, down the ramp, and into "his" conservatory. That was 20 years ago, and knowing what I know now, we would have done things very differently. He still has his basking lamp and food in his wooden box, and seems very happy with the set-up, but I would obviously have been concerned about his humidity levels if I had known about such things. I think now I would have gone for the idea of covering the enclosure with plastic sheeting on a framework to hold it above the whole enclosure, with a flap to lift up to put food in etc.
Angie
 

TaylorTortoise

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please see my enclosure 😊😊he/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.
how did you get those logs to stay on the ramp?
 

Gillian M

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@Meilu how is your tortoise doing today? Hope he's better and that he's eating well.
 

Meilu

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@Meilu how is your tortoise doing today? Hope he's better and that he's eating well.
Hi Gillian,
Thanks for asking. Rocket is doing better, sleep a lots, like his hiding house (his bedroom πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚), defo got temperament, if i made him not happy he will not hanging around, after eating, straight go to upstairs. πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚. like climbing, fell on his back a couple of times , both of us are learning i guess. 😊😊
 

Gillian M

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Hi Gillian,
Thanks for asking. Rocket is doing better, sleep a lots, like his hiding house (his bedroom πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚), defo got temperament, if i made him not happy he will not hanging around, after eating, straight go to upstairs. πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚. like climbing, fell on his back a couple of times , both of us are learning i guess. 😊😊
Glad to hear that he's better. See? He's slowly getting used to you and vice versa.

But please take care if he's flipping on his back.
 

Meilu

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Hi Gillian,
Thanks for asking. Rocket is doing better, sleep a lots, like his hiding house (his bedroom πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚), defo got temperament, if i made him not happy he will not hanging around, after eating, straight go to upstairs. πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚. like climbing, fell on his back a couple of times , both of us are learning i guess. 😊😊
Hi Gillian,
Rocket hasn't been very active, i don't get to see him much really. when we have visitors he is more active otherwise he can stay in his room all day, is that normal? i am a bit worried and wondering if the enclosure set up isn't correct or anything to do with temperature, lighting etc. I googled and did say hatching can sleep up to 22hrs a day.
 

Gillian M

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Hi Gillian,
Rocket hasn't been very active, i don't get to see him much really. when we have visitors he is more active otherwise he can stay in his room all day, is that normal? i am a bit worried and wondering if the enclosure set up isn't correct or anything to do with temperature, lighting etc. I googled and did say hatching can sleep up to 22hrs a day.
Hi. What's the temperature like back there? It could be the weather, let alone the facts that he still is not used to the place. Don't worry. These cute little creatures need a lot of patience.
 

Meilu

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Hi. What's the temperature like back there? It could be the weather, let alone the facts that he still is not used to the place. Don't worry. These cute little creatures need a lot of patience.
the temperature outside has been fluctuate recently, from 17-22c . inside hot spot is around 32 cold end around 20. but he is not basking much only in the morning during eating time and when he is in a good mood he will stay and walk around otherwise straight go up to his place to hide.
Hi. What's the temperature like back there? It could be the weather, let alone the facts that he still is not used to the place. Don't worry. These cute little creatures need a lot of patience.
 

Meilu

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Glad to hear that he's better. See? He's slowly getting used to you and vice versa.

But please take care if he's flipping on his back.
oh, yes. i have now set everything lower now so that he won't fall again 😊
 
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