Hello, for Hermann tortoise indoors, how long do they need a humid hide? I just got a healthy 2-year old male and he’s in a large open table. I spray the substrate daily but I’m wondering if he also needs the humid hide at this age? His skin looks a little dry and we live in an area that isn’t very humid. He seems happy though.
Hermann humid hides age?
- Thread starter ErinInCA
- Start date
Hamiltondood
Active Member
spraying does basically nothing to the substrate. i do still spray my sulcata's shell with rainwater everyday. you should do daily soaks (if you aren't) for 30 minutes. if you want to, add a few drops of coconut oil onto a paper towel and rub it onto the shell a bit. dont forget to dab off any residue. you can add a few cups of water into the substrate and mix it up every week for every humidity. i'm not sure if you have to get a closed enclosure for 2 yo hermanns tortoises so somebody can probably provide more info. i would provide a humid hide (mine is a small tubberware tub), but don't use moss since it'd impact him
make sure you read this caresheet written by tom https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/
good luck
Thank you SO much! I read that care sheet but just still wasn’t clear. This is beyond helpful. I’ll start the humid hide (without moss) and will mix the substrate with some water. On the soaks, it’s been so challenging. He hates it - claws at the side, slips down into the water (shallow and safe but looks upsetting) and just kind of freaks out. I’ve tried covering it and that doesn’t help much. Any hints on the soak?! Thanks again!
Hamiltondood
Active Member
I make sure the water is about 3/4-1 cm deep. dont worry about him trying to walk out, it's also a good exercise haha. mine usually tries to walk out after the water gets cold so maybe put the soaking tub under the basking bulb/in the enclosure
A humid hide is good for any age.
If the tortoise isn't used to being soaked, they sometimes freak out like that for a while. It doesn't hurt them, and they all get used to it. Try different water temps and different times of day, but one way or another, its good for him, so don't worry too much about the tortoise treadmill action.
Ahhhh, that's genius. I'll try that! Thank you SO much.
Your tort will get used to the soaks if you make it a routine. My guy was the same way at first and now he just lounges.
Thank you, that’s so encouraging. Today I gave it a try in a warm area. After about 10 min he pooped in the water! Such a beginner question, I’m sorry: do you then take them out and end the soak?
Also, I have these treatment drops for his water dish. For the water you use in these Soaks do you worry about that (chlorine, etc)?
Again, I’m very grateful for the help!
You can refresh the water if you want, but its not needed. I like to soak for at least 20-30 minutes.
You don't need those water treatments. Totally unnecessary. If the tap water is safe for you, its safe for your tortoise. Those drops are only needed for fish or amphibians that are actually breathing the water.
Use the tap for soaking and drinking, but rinse the tortoise and spray the enclosure with demineralized water like distilled, reverse osmosis, or collected rainwater. This will prevent hard water stains.
Wow Tom, thank you again! I was wondering why I wasn’t hearing about those treatments on here. It was actually keeping me from soaking because I was afraid he would drink the untreated water. Now I know!
I wanted to thank all of you for the help and share an update. I soaked him the past two days (previously was less than one per week) and today after about 10 minutes he actually calmed down and just sat in there! Like you said, he might be getting used to it. I have been doing it in a warm part of his enclose to keep the water warm. I also started soaking the substrate and got a humid hide container today. Thank you!!!
