Getting everything ready-- Have some questions

[Wndwlckr]

Hi Everyone,

I have Hermann's specific questions--
I'll be getting my 2 little guys pretty soon. The enclosure is all set up and ready to go, so now I'm fine tuning everything else--

Did I buy the right stuff?

-cuttle bone
-repcal ulrafine calcium with D3, no phosphorous
-repcal herptivite supplement
-zoomed water conditioner
-Living World timothy hay
-Carolina Pet Supply organic herbal salad mix
-oat grass seeds (for planting at home)

I've also come to the conclusion that I should be feeding my new torts the following:

85%:
-spring mix minus the spinach
-organic herbal salad mix (carolina pet supply)
--escarole
--bok choy
--mustard greens
-romaine
-green leaf lettuce

10%:
-dandelion
-apples
-peaches
-plumbs

the occasional:
-melon
-carrot
-squash


Do I have this all right?

Also--
How much of the calcium supplement do i use for 1 month old torts?
How much of the reptivite do i use?
If you have a happy, healthy Hermann's -- What do you feed them?
I have access to a weekly farmers market and a regular grocery store. What can I buy there that will be healthy for my new torts?
Can I grow food at home that makes up a vital portion of their diet? Do you know of any websites that I can order seeds from? Or maybe a nursery?

Thanks so much for helpin' me out!

 

[GBtortoises]

Cuttlebone is good, broken into small pieces for small tortoises, powdered calcium carbonate, brand name doesn't matter, it's all basically the same stuff. I personally have never used supplemental vitamins, shouldn't need them with a good balanced diet (you'll get other opinions on this). No need for water conditioner, unless your tap water is so bad that it's not drinkable. In that case just use a little bottled water. Timothy hay is fine, but most young tortoises won't eat it. Again, brand doesn't matter, Timothy hay is Timothy hay, regardless of source. I don't buy packaged "tortoise" foods, only natural weeds and foods and Mazuri Tortoise chow once a week so I can't comment on the Carolina Pet Supply stuff but adequate, quality foods should be available locally. Oat grass? That's a completely new one to me! What's it for? I doubt your tortoise will have any interest in eating it. I feed mine a diet that consists of approximately 85% mixed, good quality greens which includes but not limited to: Clover, plantain, lambswort, dandelion, crown vetch, romaine, green leaf, red leaf, escarole, endive, mustard, beet and carrot greens and much more. The other 15% of their diet is made up of a good variety of vegetables which include but not limited to: squashes, pumpkin, sweet potato, green & yellow beans, peas, carrot, corn and more. I do not recommend feeding any fruit as part of their regular diet. Especially to young tortoises. Simply put, they're digestive systems do not process fruit well. The few advantages that the fruit provide simply aren't worth it. I do not coat food with calcium powder either which is essentially force feeding it to them when they may not necessarily need that amount at that time. Again, you're going to get other opinions on this too. I make calcium powder available for them to consume whenever they need to by offering it in a small, shallow dish (container lid) along with small pieces of cuttlebone scattered throughout their enclosure. I've found that different tortoises consume calcium in different amounts at different times of the year. Some will consume it often, some will go for weeks or months and never eat any then eat it for a few days only to stop again for weeks. Based on that and over 25 years of observation it's my opinion that they know when they require more calcium. Keep in mind many of the foods that you will be feeding are also contain calcium. In that time I have never had issues with kidney stones or excessive chalky urates. It is possible to raise your own food, but you will probably find that as your tortoise reaches adulthood, the home food supply isn't going to keep up with the tortoise's demand!

I actually have several (over 20) "happy, healthy Hermann's" ranging in age from a couple of months old to half century or more. Most of my adults have been maintained in the above manner for over 20 years here with very good sucess.

I always like to suggest to people that they research several different husbandry methods from various sources and then tailor their own methods to what they feel will work best for them based on their resources, schedule and environment while keeping the tortoise's best interest in mind.

 

[greeks]

Congrats on your soon to arrive babies! And way to prepare!

If you're going to use calcium and vitamin supplements, the first thing I would recommend is not to supplement calcium WITH D3. The tortoises will produce it on their own so long as they are getting appropriate UVB or sun exposure. I personally dust food every day to every other day with calcium powder (dust means a few sprinkles, like how you might add pepper to your food). I supplement liquid vitamins once or twice a month in a soak.

Good luck

 

[moswen]

oh how wonderful of you to do your research and be totally prepared before you bring your tort home!! cheers to you!! sounds like everyone's already got your questions covered, i just wanted to add that like gb said, everyone's husbandry is a little different, so decide what works best for you and your torts. i also agree you don't need to treat your water, i don't. and packaged foods and fruits really are a waste of your money and not the healthiest for your tort! (pretty much i'm just here to re-inforce what's already been said lol) i know you have a hermann's but i like to give new owners who are interested in growing their own food this site: www.sulcatafood.com they have great grasses that are healthy for your tort.

i have a little area behind my sink that i put several containers of growing cacti and other succulents, and i change out the pendant light over that area for a uv bulb. also i have a 2'x4' plastic tub right next to my tort enclosure that grows more plants that i have to bring inside for winter, and i have shallow dishes in their enclosure that i grow turnip and mustard greens, pumpkins, and that sulcata seed mix. they gobble those little sprouts right up the second that they open up. these are some excellent ways to get the most nutrients to your tortbecause they are picked that day. most vegs and greens lose 50% of their nutrients 3 days after they've been picked.

good luck and give us some pictures of those little ones when you get them!

 

[Isa]

That is very nice, You are all ready to welcome your little ones.
I agree with others for the water conditioner, tap water should be just fine. IMO you should forget about apples, plums amd peaches, they do not digest fruit very good so it could give them diarheoa and tummy aches. I also think you should forget about the Bok choi, I never feed Cabbage to my Hermanns. I use the reptocal supplement calcium with D3. My baby Hermann is 3 months old and I sprinkle his food everyday until he will be 6 months old, after it is going to be every other day. My older Hermann is around 4 or 5 years old, I sprinkle his food twice a week. I give calcium with D3 to my tortoises since they live indoor, and even if they have the T-rex MVB, IMO it is not as if they were living outside, but that is my opinion . I also put my baby of of 3 months old in a bath with a couple of drops of vitamin birds (vitalsol) in it. I will do that until he is 6 months old. Is there water available for them in the enclosure?
You must be very excited Please post pics when you get them.