How much food for Hermann?

[ElizaB]

He is 2 years old. Previous owner said he fed him 4 days a week. I’m unable to do that to him. He seems always ready to eat but the question is how much greens should he eat in a day? As much as his shell would hold?

Also is 70-80% humidity about right? I’m using a diffuser as a misting method.
I have a covered enclosure and I don’t think I’d be able to get all my temps right if it wasn’t covered.

I get the feeling that everyone has their particular ways and methods of tort husbandry.

Thanks
from Canada

 

[Len B]

He is 2 years old. Previous owner said he fed him 4 days a week. I’m unable to do that to him. He seems always ready to eat but the question is how much greens should he eat in a day? As much as his shell would hold?

Also is 70-80% humidity about right? I’m using a diffuser as a misting method.
I have a covered enclosure and I don’t think I’d be able to get all my temps right if it wasn’t covered.

I get the feeling that everyone has their particular ways and methods of tort husbandry.

Thanks
from Canada

Let him eat all he wants of the proper diet. You can not over feed a tortoise. If you are using a closed chamber system for the enclosure a diffuser shouldn't be necessary but shouldn't hurt either.

 

[Tom]

He is 2 years old. Previous owner said he fed him 4 days a week. I’m unable to do that to him. He seems always ready to eat but the question is how much greens should he eat in a day? As much as his shell would hold?

Also is 70-80% humidity about right? I’m using a diffuser as a misting method.
I have a covered enclosure and I don’t think I’d be able to get all my temps right if it wasn’t covered.

I get the feeling that everyone has their particular ways and methods of tort husbandry.

Thanks
from Canada

Tortoises are grazers. They need to be able to graze as much of the right foods as they want all day long.

Most of the care info offered is based on old incorrect assumptions of how they live in the wild. This wrong info is parroted generation after generation and is rampant. Almost every source says the same wrong stuff.

Here is the correct care info:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions are welcome.

 

[ElizaB]

Tortoises are grazers. They need to be able to graze as much of the right foods as they want all day long.

Most of the care info offered is based on old incorrect assumptions of how they live in the wild. This wrong info is parroted generation after generation and is rampant. Almost every source says the same wrong stuff.

Here is the correct care info:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions are welcome.

Thanks so much everyone. I have read the care sheet and refer back to it often and it’s been extremely helpful. Just wasn’t sure about quantity of food but now that is clear. Also got the uvb T5 12% lamp kit from Arcadia after reading your care sheet. Ordered a thermostat as well.

Are UVB cards any good? I don’t really fancy spending $350 on a uvb meter.

He comes “running” whenever he sees my hand so either he’s being affectionate or was hungry.

 

[wellington]

Thanks so much everyone. I have read the care sheet and refer back to it often and it’s been extremely helpful. Just wasn’t sure about quantity of food but now that is clear. Also got the uvb T5 12% lamp kit from Arcadia after reading your care sheet. Ordered a thermostat as well.

Are UVB cards any good? I don’t really fancy spending $350 on a uvb meter.

He comes “running” whenever he sees my hand so either he’s being affectionate or was hungry.

@Tom this would be a great idea. Testing the uvb cards against a meter. Most people will not or can not spend the money needed for a meter. If the cards were accurate or accurate enough, that would be a great alternative. One needs a meter though to test the cards. You have a meter 😊

 

[Tom]

Are UVB cards any good? I don’t really fancy spending $350 on a uvb meter.

The cards don't work for our purposes. You should be able to find the meter on sale for closer to $240 USD. Over time, you will save money by not needlessly replacing bulbs that are still working fine.

 

[Tom]

@Tom this would be a great idea. Testing the uvb cards against a meter. Most people will not or can not spend the money needed for a meter. If the cards were accurate or accurate enough, that would be a great alternative. One needs a meter though to test the cards. You have a meter 😊

We've done this. I think it was @Markw84 . The cards read an extremely wide band of UV, while our tortoises need, and can only use, a specific band width that is measured by the Solarmeter 6.5s. The cards could lead someone to falsely think they have a bulb producing good UV, while it really is not producing any UV that is usable by the tortoise.