confused.com... horsefield or hermann????

[lj82]

hi guys, I'm REALLY confused.... I have a breeder saying the Hermann tortoise has better personality then the horsefield which tends to be grumpy and a pet shop said the horsefield is the friendly and Hermann is prone to disease...
I really want to get this right guys.. so can somebody who is not trying to sell me a tortoise give me some good clear advice please...
I've done all the research just need to choose the right one for a beginner..
also which substrate would be best for them had so many different ones
thank you
lisa

 

[Yvonne G]

Russian tortoises are an aggressive, scrappy little species, however, they can become quite humanized and be very pleasant to have around. I don't have first hand Hermanni experience, but my sister had one and she said Queenie was a very nice tortoise.

I think it all depends upon how you treat and interact with the tortoise

 

[JoesMum]

Alone a Russian is a tortoise with personality. With another tortoise Russians will physically defend territory. This may be the pet shop’s experience of having multiple Russians in one enclosure.

Hermann’s are also territorial. Neither species wants another tortoise in their patch, but Hermann’s are more likely to go for mental bullying. Neither gets lonely. Neither wants a friend.

Care of both species is broadly similar.

Pet shops the world over are unreliable for up to date care information on tortoises ... and on the equipment necessary to keep them.

As you’re in the UK, you’re most likely to be sold a very young tortoise. The care of both species is very similar.

I recommend you read the TFO care guides and base your setup on these rather than what the pet store says.


They're written by species experts working hard to correct the outdated information widely available on the internet and from pet stores and, sadly, from some breeders and vets too.

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Baby Testudo Care - written about Russians but applies to Hermann’s
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/

We are happy to advise on enclosure setup and please run things past us before buying... we can save you expensive mistakes!

 

[Tortgrl43]

I've known plenty of people who keep multiple tortoises together. Probably best for the torts to not have company but I think it's doable if you have the space. Russians are smart, fiesty little buggars. Great escape artists! Hermanns are not as mischievous. Substrate options vary. I use a cypress mulch blend

 

[Yvonne G]

I've known plenty of people who keep multiple tortoises together. Probably best for the torts to not have company but I think it's doable if you have the space. Russians are smart, fiesty little buggars. Great escape artists! Hermanns are not as mischievous. Substrate options vary. I use a cypress mulch blend

The workable suggestion here is ". . . have MULTIPLE torts. . .". Joe's mum wasn't referring to multiples. Many of us have multiples. But having a pair, regardless of sex, is asking for trouble, and we'd be very remiss if we didn't advise new keepers of this.

 

[Tom]

hi guys, I'm REALLY confused.... I have a breeder saying the Hermann tortoise has better personality then the horsefield which tends to be grumpy and a pet shop said the horsefield is the friendly and Hermann is prone to disease...
I really want to get this right guys.. so can somebody who is not trying to sell me a tortoise give me some good clear advice please...
I've done all the research just need to choose the right one for a beginner..
also which substrate would be best for them had so many different ones
thank you
lisa

Both are great species. Both are similar in care and hardiness. Both have great personalities. Neither are fragile in any way.

Stop talking to pet shop people. They usually have no idea what they are talking about and they usually give terrible advice and sell the wrong products. Get your tortoise advice here, from people who keep tortoises and aren't trying to sell you anything.

Most of the sources of tortoise care info out in the world are old, out-dated and wrong. Re-do your research here for the correct info, and before you buy anything.

Here is a russian care sheet, and hermanni care is essentially the same:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[Jimb]

My 25 Month old Female Hermann's (Mudflap) is the sweetest tort I've every owned. You can't go wrong with a Hermanns.