New baby Hermann's tortoise, Hermoine

[elf2hats]

I just received a baby Hermann's tortoise from tortoisesupply.com. He/she is only about 1.5" long, but started crawling around and eating pretty voraciously after a brief soak. I'm calling it Hermione, in hopes it's a girl.

Food: I offered it a shred of organic romaine lettuce, dandelion leaves, a hibiscus flower petal, and some Critical Care mixture. Hermione seemed interested only in the romaine and dandelions.

Habitat: I set up a 2.5' x 1.5' plastic container with about 4" of coco coir and composted soil from my garden, with moistened sphagnum moss within the wooden hide area (where Hermione retreated after the first big meal). I also added a few pill bugs because I read a post that they will help to clean up the feces and left-over food. I also planted some live mallow root, aloe vera, and hens/chicks plant.
-- This is NOT a "Rubbermaid" brand plastic container, unlike what I keep seeing recommended....is there anything special about that brand?

Temp/Lighting: I can take her out in the sun when I'm home (weekends), but otherwise have a Mercury Vapor Bulb for daytime and a ceramic heating bulb for nights. The container temp today was 85 degrees Fahrenheit around the water dish and basking area. It seems like it's only about 78 degrees with the ceramic bulb. Humidity is 95% within the hide area (likely because the coco coir is still pretty moist).

Hermione has eaten twice today, gotten two soaks, basked in both sun and under the lamp, and has been burrowed on and off for about 7 hours of the first 9 hours with us. I feel like he/she is off to a good start! Many thanks to tortoisesupply for such a cute little tortoise!

 

[Pearly]

Congratulations of this Little Cutie. She is very tiny and in those first months will need to be kept very humid and very warm. Depending on how your room temp is where the tort is being housed you may need to cover the top of her enclosure to keep warm humid air from escaping. She also needs a food dish to keep her from dragging her food through substrate and eating all that. Most of us like slate tile big enough to give her the clean feeding area. If you already have one and I didn't notice, my apologies. Your Hermione is very pretty and indeed off to a good start. Now just keep her warm, humid, hydrated, well fed good calcium rich diet, make sure she has good source of UVB and she'll be growing very well for you. I forget how tiny those baby torts are. Mine are monsters at 2 and 2.5 lbs. How I would love to hold a tiny baby tort like they were 2 yrs ago, or like your little Hermione is now. Enjoy those early months. There are many challenges but once you get a hang if it it's very much enjoyable and fulfilling

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Congratulations to you and Hermione.

 

[Jimb]

Congratulations! Hermann's are super awesome torts! I've had my Eastern since she was a hatchling and she's now almost 21 months old. I couldn't be happier and I know you've got a lot of wonderful years of enjoyment ahead of you.

 

[elf2hats]

Thanks for the suggestions and support -- I was combining the food and water dish, but will separate the food onto a rock.

 

[Pearly]

Thanks for the suggestions and support -- I was combining the food and water dish, but will separate the food onto a rock.

Great, land tortoises don't need to eat in water like water turtles do. I usually put few munchies in bathtub for mine to graze during their longer baths, but they usually just MUNCH, rather then EATING like they do on dry land on their big slate tiles.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome to the forum!