I have recently got a Hermanns tortoise hatched June 2020. He is burying himself for a lot of the day, is this normal behaviour? Should I unbury him to put him under his lamp? He also does not appear to be eating, should I encourage this?
Help (hides and doesn't eat)
- Thread starter Laurent
- Start date
Please include photos of your setup and answer the following
1. What are your four temperatures? Basking spot, warm side, cool side, and night?
2. What do you heat with and how do you measure temps
3. Lights (regular & UV) you use and schedule they are on
4. Substrate used
5. Humidity Levels - Overall. Hide
6. Diet
7. Soaking schedule and for how long and at what temp?
BTW welcome to the Forum
1. What are your four temperatures? Basking spot, warm side, cool side, and night?
2. What do you heat with and how do you measure temps
3. Lights (regular & UV) you use and schedule they are on
4. Substrate used
5. Humidity Levels - Overall. Hide
6. Diet
7. Soaking schedule and for how long and at what temp?
BTW welcome to the Forum
Tortoises, being territorial animals, suffer relocation stress when taken out of their territory and moved to a new place. It sometimes takes a couple weeks for them to realize they're in a safe place.
Bring him out every morning and place him into a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes. While he's soaking, prepare his food and place it at the feeding station in the enclosure. Then after his soak, put him in front of the food and move out of his sight. Every so often throughout the day dig him out and place him in front of the food then step out of his sight.
Bring him out every morning and place him into a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes. While he's soaking, prepare his food and place it at the feeding station in the enclosure. Then after his soak, put him in front of the food and move out of his sight. Every so often throughout the day dig him out and place him in front of the food then step out of his sight.
Some experience that may be valuable (although late). I purchased a baby Hermann's that is 6 months old only a week ago. The girl I bought off had him/her for two months and mentioned that he spent much of his day buried. He was being kept in an aquarium with open top. I put him in a PVC enclosure with proper heat (basking light and RHP for ambient), UVB monitored with Solarmeter and misting system maintaining a 80% RH. From day one he was out and about from the morning till early evening where he retires. My guess is that he/she was buried in the other owner's enclosure most of the day because he was drying out. I do not know and only a guess, but from pervious owners experience and mine, this is a totally different tortoise and I suspect he is happy. Tom's care sheet is a blessing for new owners.
