Is My Young Hermann’s Trying Brumation?

Quixx66

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Hi, All. My Hermann’s is young, only seven months old. I expected him to sleep a lot at first since was a baby, and he did. Just recently Matteo had been out and about a lot.

Now he eats after I soak him, and that’s the only time he’s out. Otherwise he buries himself in the substrate.

During the day, his basking area is 90-95F. If it reaches higher, he stops and lifts his body off the substrate. At night, it’s room temperature.

Our house is not heated unless the outside temp gets into the 40s F or lower and sometimes not even then. I have NO control over this, so this cannot be changed.

I think I might have injured him by accidentally flipping him too hard a few weeks ago. Could this be the problem?

Given all this, is Matteo trying to enter brumation, and if so, how should I prevent this?

Thank you.
 

Quixx66

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Can you post pictures of him and the enclosure?
Here’s Matteo’s enclosure. It’s the Christmas tree box. He roughed up the big coir at the end himself. He likes to sleep there. I’m waiting on a much bigger hide which should be here tomorrow. I don’t yet have a thermostat, that’s next on my list, but I check the area often with my temp gun. Is a $40 thermostat reliable?

I woke just now him in the second pic.
 

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Last edited:

KarenSoCal

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The usual way to warm them at night is to use a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). It's a bulb that screws into a socket and produces heat but no light. You can buy a CHE at Petco or Petsmart. I saw one at Walmart one time.

Because they get really hot, you need to use a ceramic socket. Then the thermostat controls it. Set the thermostat to 80°F. Then it will turn on the CHE when the temp drops to 80°. The ceramic socket can be bought at Home Depot or Lowe's for a few dollars.

A $40. dollar thermostat should be fine. Preferably it will be rated for 1000 watts or higher.
 

Quixx66

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The usual way to warm them at night is to use a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). It's a bulb that screws into a socket and produces heat but no light. You can buy a CHE at Petco or Petsmart. I saw one at Walmart one time.

Because they get really hot, you need to use a ceramic socket. Then the thermostat controls it. Set the thermostat to 80°F. Then it will turn on the CHE when the temp drops to 80°. The ceramic socket can be bought at Home Depot or Lowe's for a few dollars.

A $40. dollar thermostat should be fine. Preferably it will be rated for 1000 watts or higher.
Thanks so much for the info and the thorough explanation. I need things about tortoises explained to me just that way. ?

Is a ceramic socket something plug-in or does it need rewiring? I’ll be moving to an apartment soon, and I don’t believe they’ll allow the latter.
 

KarenSoCal

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The ceramic socket needs an electric cord attached to it to be able to plug it in. It's a simple one-time job. Home Depot or Lowe's would tell you how to do it.
 

Quixx66

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The ceramic socket needs an electric cord attached to it to be able to plug it in. It's a simple one-time job. Home Depot or Lowe's would tell you how to do it.
Thanks. I don’t think an apartment building will allow that. I’ll have to find another solution.
 

KarenSoCal

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Thanks. I don’t think an apartment building will allow that. I’ll have to find another solution.

Well, you could buy a dome with a ceramic socket. They already have a cord attached. This one says you can use a CHE in it up to 150 watts. You don't need a CHE that's 150 watts. Try a 100 watt. Only your thermometer can tell you what size will work best.

You will have to figure a way to hang the dome from above the enclosure. There are clamp domes, but they are very unsafe. Here's the one for you..

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OCWP1Q/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

To hang it, you could make something like this. You hang your lights from the overhead bar.

IMG_1511635956.495114.jpg
 

Quixx66

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Messages
377
Location (City and/or State)
Louisiana
Well, you could buy a dome with a ceramic socket. They already have a cord attached. This one says you can use a CHE in it up to 150 watts. You don't need a CHE that's 150 watts. Try a 100 watt. Only your thermometer can tell you what size will work best.

You will have to figure a way to hang the dome from above the enclosure. There are clamp domes, but they are very unsafe. Here's the one for you..

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OCWP1Q/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

To hang it, you could make something like this. You hang your lights from the overhead bar.

View attachment 312258
Thanks so much for the info. Ill get right on it.
 

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