First Enclosure

[tyler0912]

sounds good !

 

[hoopalou]

Thats a great idea. In my indoor enclousures I have different grasses and a bamboo plant. In my out door enclousre I have lavender, hostas, lavatera, fuchsia, sedum (they love to eat this) and a variety of weeds that I lifted by the root and transplanted into my enclosure. I have tried to grow pansies and nasturtiums too but my gang gobble them up before they even get a chance to get going.
There are also lists available online to show you which weeds/plants are edible and which are not..... here is a couple of them to get you started:

http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/tortoise_home_1.asp

http://www.tlady.clara.net/id16.htm

Louise

 

[cakebits]

wow, a great response - cheers guys

 

[tyler0912]

ive mailed you back cakebits!
were glad to be of service!

 

[lynnedit]

Hi Cakebits, it's lovely to see someone else here from Ireland. Sure I'm only up the road from you in Wexford. I have 7 hermann tortoises and would be happy to help you in so much as I can with anything you might need.

Louise

Hi Louise

Thats great, I would appreciate that.
Its hard to know at the beginning I suppose.

I just want to go at furnishing the inside of the enclosure and make it as active as possible with tons of hiding places for himself.
I am just afraid of putting in the wrong plant, Im heading out later actually to have a look in a garden centre but I will be shopping blind really.

On a website that Lynne gave me, I saw that flowering currant, fuchsia, lavender, myrtle and rosemary are safe bets but I am not sure what would make a good hiding plant.

Gonna go up the mountains at the weekend looking for bog moss.

Good indoor plants are Spider plant (kind of like a grass), prayer plant, Christmas cactus, Aloe. Some keep them in the original pots and bury the bases in the substrate. Sometimes they still get knocked over!
Remember, a hermann comes from a drier environment, probably with lusher areas only near a stream. So you don't want it to look too foresty, by to have open areas too. The heat lamp will dry out plants, so sometimes it is hard to keep them going in that area of the enclosure. You can use small logs and rocks (not gravel) for interest.
Do make sure you have ventilation, even avoid using the top for all or part of the enclosure. Also, you may want to cover the lower 6" or so of the glass with cardboard or paper taped to the outside, as some torts continually try to escape through it if they can see out.
Can't remember if you have seen this site for care sheets?
http://www.gardenstatetortoise.com/

 

[cakebits]

ah no, just spent 750 euro today on plants, lamps and hides - nice job explaining this to the missus tomorrow

anyway, being honest, as long as I got it right for my wee lad, I dont give a monkeys

 

[lynnedit]

ah no, just spent 750 euro today on plants, lamps and hides - nice job explaining this to the missus tomorrow

anyway, being honest, as long as I got it right for my wee lad, I dont give a monkeys

Good luck with that, of course, with us, it is the torts that rule

 

[cakebits]

Hows tricks.

Getting himself next week and so far I have had a go at putting a few bits together (photos attached).

Just a few questions.

Should I have the water & food bowls fairly flush or should I have it just standing on the suface?

Also, what are the ideal temperatures for both hot and cold areas?

 

[tyler0912]

wow thats' really nice it depends on the size of your tort if it can get in easy keep it high if it cant get it in lower it or if the substrate is falling in then raise them hope this helped!

 

[lynnedit]

Hows tricks.

Getting himself next week and so far I have had a go at putting a few bits together (photos attached).

Just a few questions.

Should I have the water & food bowls fairly flush or should I have it just standing on the suface?

Also, what are the ideal temperatures for both hot and cold areas?

Can't see your pics yet on this computer, but basking area about 95F (can't remember Centigrade, about 30-35C?) and around 70F on cool side, no lower than 60F at night. Might need supplemental heat emitter at night in winter if your house is very cold.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Davitt:

Wow! You put that together all by yourself? GOOD JOB!

Either pile up the substrate so that the top edge of the water dish is level with the substrate, or dig the substrate away and bury it more. Your tortoise is liable to tip over backwards trying to climb into that dish. Too high.

 

[cakebits]

yeah, i got it flat pack last week, just trying to add finishing touches (moss, bedding, ect). Will try to tidy it up by the end of the week.

I am also getting very conflicting results when searching for the correct humidity. Ive got from 30% to 90% so far. Crazy comparison.

Thanks all for your feedback, appreciate it.

---

also, sorry - i know I have already read this but does the basking light and uv lamp stay on for 10 hours per day or do I leave one on the whole time?

Thanks.

 

[tyler0912]

I leave both mine on 12hrs

 

[lynnedit]

Yep, daytime UVB on for 12-14 hours. A timer is great, so it comes on and off automatically. (sometimes you have to lengthen the duration a bit in winter so they don't hibernate. It is always important to make sure you are measuring temps correctly, with a digital thermometer or infared temp gun).
Wow, just saw the pics, nice job!