My first tortoise

[spuddy91]

Meet Spud! My two month old hermanns . We put him in the enclosure and he went straight for the dandelion leaves. After a few nibbles he decided to have a roam around (they're surprisingly quick). He spent a while scurrying around, trampling over his food and knocking over a couple of plants in the process . He even had a little nibble on the cuttlefish . Then my worst fear, he discovered the plastic sheeting around the edges and started to bite it. Then also done the same with a little piece of orchid bark (just nibbled at it). He seems to have realized they aren't food and has now settled down and is having a nice bask under the lamp.

I tried to push the plastic down as much as possible, maybe I should just flick some more substrate over it around the perimeter to hide it? Should I be worried about this? I'm also gonna be getting a ceramic heater soon to add to his enclosure, as the weather is gonna be getting colder soon here in the uk.

Any help very much appreciated! I'm looking forward to looking after this little guy and giving him the best life!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I'm also gonna be getting a ceramic heater soon to add to his enclosure, as the weather is gonna be getting colder soon here in the uk.

Both for stable heat and humidity, a closed chamber is best for tortoises under the age of one. You might want to take a look into converting your current enclousure into one useing a greenhouse tent for example.

Check this out: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/housing-young-russian-herman.217806/

 

[spuddy91]

Both for stable heat and humidity, a closed chamber is best for tortoises under the age of one. You might want to take a look into converting your current enclousure into one useing a greenhouse tent for example.

Check this out: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/housing-young-russian-herman.217806/

I forgot to post a Pic of the enclosure . I do have a greenhouse over the top of the table (Thanks to the help from some members on here about that). Here's a list of the equipment I have.

Arcadia t5 uv fixture (plugged into timer)
75w floodlight basking lamp hooked up to dimming stat and timer.
2 digital thermometers/hygrometers
Thermometer gun for quick checks

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I forgot to post a Pic of the enclosure . I do have a greenhouse over the top of the table (Thanks to the help from some members on here about that). Here's a list of the equipment I have.

Arcadia t5 uv fixture (plugged into timer)
75w floodlight basking lamp hooked up to dimming stat and timer.
2 digital thermometers/hygrometers
Thermometer gun for quick checks

Hello and welcome! You’ve done an absolutely wonderful job with this enclosure!! It’s SO refreshing to see new members who have clearly put all the right research in! Love it I’d definitely recommend installing a CHE in the middle like you plan, the uk is definitely dropping cold now.

Other thing is the basking light actually does best off of a thermostat, it’s acting as your ‘sun’ which shouldn’t be dimming/going on&off all day, the aim is to find the right height and watt to create the desired 95-100f basking temperature directly underneath. Then the rest of the enclosure should be raging 75-80 during the day. 70-75 is a good night temp.

To make up your ambient/night heat, set up the ceramic in the middle, this will need running on a thermostat and can remain plugged in 24/7, the thermostat will take care of regulating the temperature for you so no need to have it on a timer or anything.

Feel free to check out that thread linked above, there’s a handy diet link in there!

Oh also, heads up, with the uv timing, every other source of information will tell you 12hours of uv. This is essentially an old fashioned rule that has stuck with a lot of keepers, it stems from the presumption that once the basking light or ambient lighting is on, ie the ‘sun’, that uv must coexist the same amount of hours. Fact is, uv rays only peak for a few hours a day, anyone with a uv meter will confirm this. No tortoise is blasted with 12 hours of uv in the wild, therefore it’s not necessary in captivity.
The uv bulbs are much more expensive to replace once their uv strength diminishes, so it’s definitely best having it on a 4 hour timer that provides them with all the uv they need, saving your bulb life.
Then some cheaper led lighting for your ambient 12 hour light cycle as well as the basking light on the same 12hrs, your ceramics will run 24/7 on a thermostat, hope that all makes sense

 

[zolasmum]

Hello and welcome from Devon. Spud looks lovely.We have a Hermanns tortoise too - Zola - who recently had his 24th birthday. This forum wasn't around then, and what help there was available was pretty conflicting - still, we got by, and he is a wonderful little chap, and full of energy. But you have the advantage of having really knowledgable people on this forum,who are happy to help or discuss things when needed.
Very best wishes from Angie and Zola

 

[spuddy91]

Hello and welcome! You’ve done an absolutely wonderful job with this enclosure!! It’s SO refreshing to see new members who have clearly put all the right research in! Love it I’d definitely recommend installing a CHE in the middle like you plan, the uk is definitely dropping cold now.

Other thing is the basking light actually does best off of a thermostat, it’s acting as your ‘sun’ which shouldn’t be dimming/going on&off all day, the aim is to find the right height and watt to create the desired 95-100f basking temperature directly underneath. Then the rest of the enclosure should be raging 75-80 during the day. 70-75 is a good night temp.

To make up your ambient/night heat, set up the ceramic in the middle, this will need running on a thermostat and can remain plugged in 24/7, the thermostat will take care of regulating the temperature for you so no need to have it on a timer or anything.

Feel free to check out that thread linked above, there’s a handy diet link in there!

Oh also, heads up, with the uv timing, every other source of information will tell you 12hours of uv. This is essentially an old fashioned rule that has stuck with a lot of keepers, it stems from the presumption that once the basking light or ambient lighting is on, ie the ‘sun’, that uv must coexist the same amount of hours. Fact is, uv rays only peak for a few hours a day, anyone with a uv meter will confirm this. No tortoise is blasted with 12 hours of uv in the wild, therefore it’s not necessary in captivity.
The uv bulbs are much more expensive to replace once their uv strength diminishes, so it’s definitely best having it on a 4 hour timer that provides them with all the uv they need, saving your bulb life.
Then some cheaper led lighting for your ambient 12 hour light cycle as well as the basking light on the same 12hrs, your ceramics will run 24/7 on a thermostat, hope that all makes sense

Thankyou that all makes perfect sense!. I was actually reading a thread on here which mentioned about the uv not needing to be on for 12 hours. I've kept reptiles in the past and you're right it is an outdated habit which seems really unnecessary. So I'll change that right away. And I have the CHE ordered and will install it as soon as it arrives, and hook that up to the thermostat instead of the basking lamp