New owners help with Herman the Russian, please.

Kelly Jeffery-Grant

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Jun 7, 2015
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14
Hi ya, newly owners help,

Can I just ask if anyone thinks Herman looks inflamed ?

I'm also worried about humidity, how do we set this up, he's in a large guinea pig cage.

Also how do we no if he's eating and drinking enough? The pets shop gave him pellets and lettuce but I've heard these aren't good so we didn't want to give them but he doesn't seem to eat much. We are just giving him some Hawks bit weeds , dandelions when we can find them and rose petals. He ate the dandelion but doesn't seem to eat much else. What should we do ?

Thanks in advance

Kelly & Emily

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johnandjade

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hi there, we've a hermans as well and also made the mistake of listening to pet store :(. you are in the right place, there is an excellent care sheet here for the little ones, i'll try post link. it's amazing how much we had to adjust table and diet, but it dont have to be overnight so all good.

punch in hermmaniheven into google, page from the top man on hermans, hes also on here and facebook and more than happy to help.

quick fix i've heard for humidity is covering top of enclosure with a damp towel but be mindful of lights etc.

have you been told to bath him? also a shallow water dish in enclosure so he/she can hydrate was something we wern't told :(.

the experts will be along soon and you cant go wrong with the people on here, helped us soooo much. happy tortin' :)
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Kelly and Emily:

I think you're mistaken on the species. It looks like a Testudo horsefieldii, or Russian tortoise to me.

No, he doesn't look inflamed.

Humidity - change out the substrate to something you can moisten (coco coir, cypress mulch, orchid bark, etc. even dirt) and partially cover the cage.

Pellets aren't necessary. Feed him fresh greens and veggies. The prepared salad mixes are ok, like Rocket, etc. but you're on the right track looking for edible weeds.

Peeling skin is normal, and will stop once you get the humidity up.
 

Lyn W

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Hi Kelly and Emily
Have a read through the caresheets for your species and the Beginners Mistakes and Enclosures threads are also great for advice and ideas.
You may be better off with a shallow terracotta plant saucer sunk level with the surface of the substrate when you change it so that your baby can get in and out easily to self soak and drink without the risk of tipping over and drowning.
Another golden rule is - don't use coil bulbs - but can't see yours so you may be OK anyway.
So read search and ask as many questions as you want someone will be along to offer good advice in time.
 

Kelly Jeffery-Grant

New Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2015
Messages
14
hi there, we've a hermans as well and also made the mistake of listening to pet store :(. you are in the right place, there is an excellent care sheet here for the little ones, i'll try post link. it's amazing how much we had to adjust table and diet, but it dont have to be overnight so all good.

punch in hermmaniheven into google, page from the top man on hermans, hes also on here and facebook and more than happy to help.

quick fix i've heard for humidity is covering top of enclosure with a damp towel but be mindful of lights etc.

have you been told to bath him? also a shallow water dish in enclosure so he/she can hydrate was something we wern't told :(.

the experts will be along soon and you cant go wrong with the people on here, helped us soooo much. happy tortin' :)
Thank for your advice, I should have mentioned he's a Horsefield tortoise. Though there can't be much difference I would think. I will take a look at the link you put.
 

Kelly Jeffery-Grant

New Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2015
Messages
14
Hi Kelly and Emily
Have a read through the caresheets for your species and the Beginners Mistakes and Enclosures threads are also great for advice and ideas.
You may be better off with a shallow terracotta plant saucer sunk level with the surface of the substrate when you change it so that your baby can get in and out easily to self soak and drink without the risk of tipping over and drowning.
Another golden rule is - don't use coil bulbs - but can't see yours so you may be OK anyway.
So read search and ask as many questions as you want someone will be along to offer good advice in time.
Hi thank you will read through those. Is the long uvb better for the calcium? The heat source will show pic In a mo. We were thinking of changing to a terracotta bowl and have on but didn't no if it was too big?
 

Lyn W

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I don't know about the long tubes sorry. I'm in the UK and through the winter I've used a mvb which gives heat ,light and uv rays, but when its warm enough for Lola to go out to have real rays now I'll probably will switch to a basking/daylight bulb when she's in but need to check if flood or spot bulbs are best first. At night I use a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) on a thermostat to keep temps even. They don't give any light as torts need complete darkness to sleep.

If you do a search and look at examples of Enclosures you will see what others use. Not many people use cages from what I've seen as its difficult to keep heat and humidity in. I would think that possibly a bulb in a lamp holder hanging so the heat is directed down wards over one end would be better but see what others say first.

The diameter of the plant saucer should be big enough for them to stretch out front and rear legs completely in shallow water (bottom of shell was recommended to me) but it's important that the saucer itself is shallow enough for him to climb out of , because it the sides are too steep he could fall back onto his shell; if he can't right himself he will drown, or if he is stuck in the water he may just get too cold and become ill.

My tort is older and about 10.5 inches long so although I do make mistakes they don't impact on him as much as they would a baby.

There's such a lot to learn and it's little things like these that I would never have thought have of without the people here - some of whom have learnt from sad experience. My tort is older and about 10.5 inches long so although I do make mistakes they don't impact on him as much as they would a baby.

As for gender - it's the tail and shape of the plastron around it that's used to determine this but I don't think you'll know for sure fore a few years - if it's a male he'll start to flash his bits at you by then too - so that's something to look forward to;)
 
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