Hermann's tortoise enclosure

[ShockerFX]

So the first picture is my first attempt at a good habitat for Thortoise which went pretty well for the first month but he quit using his house (I assume because it was too small) the grass in the corner made a nice decoration and became where he would sleep but then he began to crawl on top of it and flipped himself several times so I took it out his next victim was the tree again he would knock it down and sleep under it instead of his house so today I purchased a bigger house in hopes he will sleep in it and removed the tree so he wouldn't just go get under it(he also had it mashed flat to the ground) finally I added more substrate material because he'd showed some interest in burrowing any suggestions are more than welcome how you enjoyed it thanks for reading

 

[Gillian M]

So the first picture is my first attempt at a good habitat for Thortoise which went pretty well for the first month but he quit using his house (I assume because it was too small) the grass in the corner made a nice decoration and became where he would sleep but then he began to crawl on top of it and flipped himself several times so I took it out his next victim was the tree again he would knock it down and sleep under it instead of his house so today I purchased a bigger house in hopes he will sleep in it and removed the tree so he wouldn't just go get under it(he also had it mashed flat to the ground) finally I added more substrate material because he'd showed some interest in burrowing any suggestions are more than welcome how you enjoyed it thanks for reading

An adorable little tort. GOD bless. Mind you, I do think his/her enclosure is rather small: please keep in mind that these cute little animals are used to roaming around in the wild without border/boundaries. Therefore a tort's enclosure should be as large as the owner can have it made.

Please give your tort daily soaks in warm water and read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread. Ask any question when in doubt.

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome.

What type of bulbs are you using? I will post a lighting summary next which explains what we are looking for.

Here are some guides you should read to help you get your setup right.

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Hermann's Care Guide
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

You should get rid of the reptile bowls; they're not suitable for torts and are a tipping hazard. Use a terracotta plant saucer for water and a piece of flat slate or rock for food which will also aid beak maintenance.

What is your substrate? It looks quite dry. Do you dump water in it to raise humidity?

 

[JoesMum]

Here's a lighting summary:

Your tort needs:

1. A basking lamp
This must hang vertically, not at an angle. Basking is essential to raise your tortoise's core temperature so it can digest food.

2. UVB light
Read the instructions for the source to see how close to the substrate it must be. UVB is essential so your tort can process dietary calcium and have healthy bones and shell.

Both 1 and 2 are available from the sun for those able to live outside.

UVB does not pass through glass or perspex(plexiglass) - light must be direct to be effective not through a window. Mesh screening can also interfere with UVB.

3. A minimum overnight temperature (see the care sheet for your species) and complete darkness at night to sleep.


Notes

(a) A Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB) provides combined UVB and Basking. Alternatively you can use 2 bulbs: a tube UVB and a reflector bulb for basking (a household reflector - not low energy or halogen - from a hardware store will do the job; it's the wattage that counts)

(b) Ignore any references to UVA you may read - it's misleading marketing speak.

(c) Compact coil UVB harms tortoise eyes and must not be used.

(d) Basking and UVB should be on a timer so the light(s) are on for 12 hours a day. Temperature under the basking is regulated by its height above the substrate.

(e) Overnight, depending on your home, you may need additional heat. You get this from a CHE (Ceramic Heat Emitter) which must be on a thermostat.

(f) Torts have outstanding colour vision and love red and purple food. Coloured heat lamps colour tank decor and torts don't always apply intelligence to what they eat, resulting them in eating tank decor. Coloured bulbs should not be used.


Measurements

There are 4 important temperatures that you must know for an indoor enclosure.
- Directly under the basking lamp
- Warm side
- Cool side
- Overnight Minimum

You will need digital thermometers for accuracy.

A temperature gun thermometer (inexpensive from Amazon) measures temperature accurately in specific places like directly under the basking lamp.

A min/max thermometer so you know the min/max temperatures in your home by day and night.

You should also get a good digital probe hygrometer to measure humidity.

Thermometers and hygrometer that stick to the side of the enclosure tend to be less accurate.

 

[JoesMum]

Currently for lighting my UVB bulb isn't one of the spring looking lights rather it loops up and down is that the correct bulb?

Your UVB is still a compact type that isn't recommended. Only MVB and the long straight tubes are safe.

Also as far as a basking light do you have a recommended wattage it would be roughly a foot above the substrate.

This is hard because the temperature is controlled by height and is affected by the room temperature and the enclosure. As you have a viv, I'd suggest 60 or 75W, but you will still have to adjust the height up or down to get it just right underneath.

I'm using an infrared thermometer to check temperatures in the enclosure so that I'm accurate at the torts level

Well done

,and yes I'm adding water to the substrate daily to keep the humidity up, it's the ground up coconut kind of substrate

The best way to keep the substrate moist is to dump water in and then mix it with your hands so all the substrate is evenly damp, but not wet. Mist spraying with water should then be enough to keep it humid and damp for several days.

 

[ShockerFX]

Thanks JoesMum I'll make some necessary changes and repost when I get it all taken care of

 

[GingerLove]

Your tortoise is beautiful and so is your enclosure! Great job! Eventually, your tort will most likely need a larger cage, but I think for now it will do fine. Let me know if your tort eats the fake plants. I've been thinking of getting fake plants but I'm afraid mine will eat them!

 

[ShockerFX]

They are not fake they are pineapple plants and he does not eat them just runs them over it's kind of a hobby of his

 

[Gillian M]

Thanks JoesMum I'll make some necessary changes and repost when I get it all taken care of

Keep up the good work.

 

[Gillian M]

Your tortoise is beautiful and so is your enclosure! Great job! Eventually, your tort will most likely need a larger cage, but I think for now it will do fine. Let me know if your tort eats the fake plants. I've been thinking of getting fake plants but I'm afraid mine will eat them!

I did not get fake plants so as to remain on the safe side. "Better be safe than sorry."

 

[GingerLove]

They are not fake they are pineapple plants and he does not eat them just runs them over it's kind of a hobby of his

Oh, they're not fake!!! They look so good I thought they must be! And I understand, my tort likes to trample over everything.

 

[ShockerFX]

So one big change I made to my enclosure this last weekend was adjusting the temperature in his enclosure I upped the temp on the baking with the addition of a different light it brought the substrate temp up to 87 degrees under the basking lamp I used my infrared thermometer the other day when he was basking and his shell was98 degrees from what I have read that's about right the cool side is still at 75 degrees if he gets to hot but really seems to enjoy the heat he lays there and almost looks dead but is very alive just relaxed I also have noticed that he is eating much more than before here's a picture of the light that I bought

 

[ShockerFX]

Basking lamp

 

[ShockerFX]

The plants didn't make it by the way he successfully mashed them into the ground

 

[GingerLove]

The plants didn't make it by the way he successfully mashed them into the ground

Awwww.... sorry. At least you tried to give him something yummy.