Corner hoggers

[Stuart Umbers]

I've just got 2 babe hermans, an in the last few days they just seem to both dig down in cuddle into the corner were my heat lamp is set up. I've checked the temperature an it's 34.4c under my lamp. Are they just sleepy all the time because there young, they only seem to come out for food. An as soon as I've got washed them the walk around the box an then right back to the corner

 

[dmmj]

They are young and small, they know they are prey. They hide to ferl secure. Add a.hide, help rhem feel secure.

 

[Stuart Umbers]

Thanks , I will move there cave closer for them

 

[spud's_mum]

My baby hermanns also had an obsession with corners at first.

He's fine now

 

[Stuart Umbers]

Thanks . Just a bit unsure with them being my first.

 

[johnandjade]

Thanks . Just a bit unsure with them being my first.

welcome to the forum!

have you checked out the care sheet yet, lots of great advice in there

 

[johnandjade]

My baby hermanns also had an obsession with corners at first.

He's fine now

spud is a poster child, way too cute

 

[johnandjade]

great website to check out from the top man on hermanns http://www.hermannihaven.com

 

[Stuart Umbers]

Yes I checked that out before I got them. Thanks for the reply

 

[Tom]

Tortoises should not be kept in pairs. The stress of this is adding to the all their other stress. They should each have their own enclosure.

If they are always over on the warm side, it could be an indicator that its too cool. Your basking area should be closer to 36-37 and the ambient during the day should be 24-27 over on the cool side. A night time drop in temps is fine.

 

[THBfriend]

Tortoises should not be kept in pairs.

Does not apply to hatchling/juvenile Hermann's. Some people even say it's better to keep them in a small group.
Once they get older, this changes, of course, and they need to be separated (or have a huge common enclosure).

 

[spud's_mum]

spud is a poster child, way too cute

Hehe thank you!
He sure keeps me on my toes

 

[Tom]

Does not apply to hatchling/juvenile Hermann's. Some people even say it's better to keep them in a small group.
Once they get older, this changes, of course, and they need to be separated (or have a huge common enclosure).

Absolutely does apply to hatchlings and even more so to juveniles. I've seen it many times both here on the forum and in person.

Groups are not the same thing as pairs. Groups are usually fine, especially when dealing with babies or juvies. Pairs are usually not fine. There is always a winner and a loser and many people mistake the obvious territorial signs as cuddling or following each other around.

 

[THBfriend]

Absolutely does apply to hatchlings and even more so to juveniles. I've seen it many times both here on the forum and in person.

I disagree with you, because I've made other experiences, and was told the same by other breeders. The first four Hermann's hatchlings that I raised were in pairs each, simply because no more than two eggs were fertilized during the first and second year. There were absolutely no signs of bullying or one being a "winner" and the other a "loser", and their weights and sized developed evenly.

 

[Tom]

I disagree with you, because I've made other experiences, and was told the same by other breeders. The first four Hermann's hatchlings that I raised were in pairs each, simply because no more than two eggs were fertilized during the first and second year. There were absolutely no signs of bullying or one being a "winner" and the other a "loser", and their weights and sized developed evenly.

That's fine. You have your experience and I have mine.

I recommend they not be kept in pairs because I have seen it be a problem more often than not. Glad you had success with your two pairs. Not everyone else does.

I'm not saying that it is always a problem 100% of time. Are you saying it is never a problem ever, anywhere in the world in any housing situation? If this poster follows my advice, what harm does it do? If this poster listens to your advice, and their two tortoises don't get along as well as yours did for whatever reason, harm will be done.

 

[jaizei]

I'm not saying that it is always a problem 100% of time. Are you saying it is never a problem ever, anywhere in the world in any housing situation? If this poster follows my advice, what harm does it do? If this poster listens to your advice, and their two tortoises don't get along as well as yours did for whatever reason, harm will be done.

Utilizing this logic, then shouldn't we dissuade people from housing in groups as well since you can not guarantee that there will never, ever be a problem in every situation everywhere? I do not understand the difference in standards.

 

[Tom]

I do not understand the difference in standards.

No. I'm sure you don't. And if history is any indication, you likely never will.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

My group of Russians failed. I would have caught it much sooner perhaps if I'd been on the lookout for it and not been confident that groups work.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hi, Stuart, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise forum to you and your two little Hermann's.
it is perfectly normal for the tortoises to hide when they are young and in a new environment.
With time they should get more confident an explore more and stay awake longer.
Pairs seem to be usually a bad idea, though there are exceptions, separating them will be necessary if you spot any signs of aggression or one seems to be dominant over the other. I do not keep Herrmann's so the signs may be different but have a look at the threads
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/pairs.34837/
and http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...together-a-lesson-learned-the-hard-way.94114/