new member and tortoise keeper

[buddysmate]

Hello, I am the proud owner of a Dwarf Hermann tortoise called Buddy who is about 14 months old and 5cm long. We have owned him for 4 months and are based near Cambridge in the UK.
He is really active and loves to climb...everything and likes being handled and will come to me when he wants picking up.
Here are a couple of pictures so thanks in advance for answers to any questions I may have.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum!

I don't know much about the Mediterranean species of tortoise, however, I don't believe there is a "Dwarf" hermann. But I love your pictures. Thanks for sharing.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome

 

[Sh3wulf]

Hi. Late night roaming of the forum cause I can't sleep and came across this.
Are there really Dwarf Hermans? And if so, how big do these get?

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.


We've just been through this and I looked into it. It seems that in the UK they refer to the western subspecies of hermanns tortoise, T.h.hermanni as "dwarf" hermanns. Over here we just call it the "western hermanni". This subspecies DOES stay smaller than the Easterns, T.h.boettgeri that we are all so used to over here, but I don't know if it fits the actual definition of "dwarf" or not. In any case, "dwarf" IS part of the British common name, apparently.


...and Buddy is a fine looking tortoise.

 

[samsmom]

hello and welcome, dwarf or not buddy is full of cuteness!!

 

[Sh3wulf]

Thanks for clarifying Tom. And I must agree that he, Buddy, is a cutey-pie

 

[buddysmate]

Thank you all for the welcome. And thankyou Tom, I checked with the shop I purchased Buddy from and he is a western hermanni.