Meet Cuddles Piggy Porker

Helen03

New Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2021
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Hampshire
Hi!
I am new to the forum and have just got my first Hermanns tortoise. She is called Cuddles Piggy Porker! My children named her of course, the poor thing.
She seems to be settling in well and eats beautifully including out of our hands which is the cutest thing.
My only question is, is it normal for babies to sleep and hide away so much. I’m having to wake her up to have soaks and bask and eat. She would stay in her cozy little nest constantly if I didn’t. Once I’ve woken her and given her a soak and placed her under the lamp she will scoff down her food like anything but if I didn’t I’m worried she would just stay in bed.
I’ve currently got the viv at about 30c at the hot end and 26-28 at the cold end depending on the time of the day. Goes down to about 19-20 overnight.
When she come out for a roam she’s pretty active and I’ve taken her outside today (supervised at all times) because it’s lovely and hot at the moment.

Thank you for any tips or advice
 

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TaylorTortoise

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2020
Messages
1,461
Location (City and/or State)
Abington
Hi!
I am new to the forum and have just got my first Hermanns tortoise. She is called Cuddles Piggy Porker! My children named her of course, the poor thing.
She seems to be settling in well and eats beautifully including out of our hands which is the cutest thing.
My only question is, is it normal for babies to sleep and hide away so much. I’m having to wake her up to have soaks and bask and eat. She would stay in her cozy little nest constantly if I didn’t. Once I’ve woken her and given her a soak and placed her under the lamp she will scoff down her food like anything but if I didn’t I’m worried she would just stay in bed.
I’ve currently got the viv at about 30c at the hot end and 26-28 at the cold end depending on the time of the day. Goes down to about 19-20 overnight.
When she come out for a roam she’s pretty active and I’ve taken her outside today (supervised at all times) because it’s lovely and hot at the moment.

Thank you for any tips or advice
Hi!
Where did you get your tort from?
 

wellington

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Tortoise Club
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Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Be sure to read our caresheets and forget what they told you.
Your baby looks dry to me. They need a closed chamber with high humidity.
Pellets should be a very small portion of their diet, not a bowl full but a few soaked in water nuggets a few times a week. Also now fruit at all.
The best care you can give is in this forums caresheet. Most everything else out there is wrong.
 

Helen03

New Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2021
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Hampshire
Hello, thank you.
Shes not really eating much in the way of pellets anyway. I have since reduced the amount in the bowl as that photo was taken when I first got her and didn’t really know what to expect. She mainly is eating leafy greens. I have been spritzing her viv (it is enclosed) daily and also soaking her twice a day although she tends to get out of the pool quite quickly after she has been put in. Should I be doing something else?
 

Sarah2020

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Mar 16, 2020
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London, UK
Welcome they do sleep alot and daily will go to asleep around 5pm till 6am is depending on the environment. They hate change so as it is new just let it settle in and get a routine. Soaks are great but need to be a deep sided bowl ( i use 2 washing up bowls dedicated to tortoise use)with shallow warm water 35deg C ish let them soak for around 30 mins have a second bowl to move them over as water will get messy but they will drink and hydrate during the soak when hatchlings try to do as often as possible daily I do soaks 3 times a week with a weigh in on Sunday before food. It is rewarding b to keep a weight log to check growth and weightloss etc.. Have a read of the care sheet to check the set up is optimum....
Enjoy
 

Helen03

New Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2021
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Hampshire
Welcome they do sleep alot and daily will go to asleep around 5pm till 6am is depending on the environment. They hate change so as it is new just let it settle in and get a routine. Soaks are great but need to be a deep sided bowl ( i use 2 washing up bowls dedicated to tortoise use)with shallow warm water 35deg C ish let them soak for around 30 mins have a second bowl to move them over as water will get messy but they will drink and hydrate during the soak when hatchlings try to do as often as possible daily I do soaks 3 times a week with a weigh in on Sunday before food. It is rewarding b to keep a weight log to check growth and weightloss etc.. Have a read of the care sheet to check the set up is optimum....
Enjoy
Thank you
 

zolasmum

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 19, 2015
Messages
2,003
Hello, thank you.
Shes not really eating much in the way of pellets anyway. I have since reduced the amount in the bowl as that photo was taken when I first got her and didn’t really know what to expect. She mainly is eating leafy greens. I have been spritzing her viv (it is enclosed) daily and also soaking her twice a day although she tends to get out of the pool quite quickly after she has been put in. Should I be doing something else?
Hello and welcome from Devon. She looks a little sweetie - and I like the tortoise patterned t-shirt ! As well as weighing her regularly, you might like to put her on a piece of paper and trace round her shell regularly - it is amazing how quickly they can grow ! We have a Hermanns too, and he is 21 in July - I wish I had kept a better record of his growth when he was tiny.
Angie
 

Helen03

New Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2021
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Hampshire
Hello and welcome from Devon. She looks a little sweetie - and I like the tortoise patterned t-shirt ! As well as weighing her regularly, you might like to put her on a piece of paper and trace round her shell regularly - it is amazing how quickly they can grow ! We have a Hermanns too, and he is 21 in July - I wish I had kept a better record of his growth when he was tiny.
Angie
I did this just yesterday! She weighs 26g at the moment.
She is so sweet and gentle, the way she eats and takes food from us. I hope she stays that way as I’ve known some nippy tortoises through work.
I’m a Veterinary Nurse but I deal with companion animals (cats/dogs/rabbits) and rarely see exotics. Very very occasionally we will get tortoises in but most people will take them to a specialist Vet so I am still learning the ropes and researching as much as I can.
Awww thanks, I thought the top was adorable. My children are over the moon to have a tortoise and love her already.
 

Jan A

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Joined
Jan 9, 2021
Messages
1,808
Location (City and/or State)
Boulder, CO
I did this just yesterday! She weighs 26g at the moment.
She is so sweet and gentle, the way she eats and takes food from us. I hope she stays that way as I’ve known some nippy tortoises through work.
I’m a Veterinary Nurse but I deal with companion animals (cats/dogs/rabbits) and rarely see exotics. Very very occasionally we will get tortoises in but most people will take them to a specialist Vet so I am still learning the ropes and researching as much as I can.
Awww thanks, I thought the top was adorable. My children are over the moon to have a tortoise and love her already.
Welcome to the forum. She is indeed a sweet looking tort. We are here to help & discuss. Enjoy your little one!!
 

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