Questions about care

[ckd3tc]

I recently purchased a young hermanns tortoise and am wondering what the normal feeding schedule is for the young ones. Any tips such as what to rinse veggies in or what brand of pellets is most trusted? Also, I am concerned about what water I soak him in. Should it be purified water or is it ok to let him be around regular tap water?
Thank you

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Most will feed their torts after the tort wakes and has a warm soak, then feed. I rinse my greens with regular tap water and also use tap water for soaking and their drinking water. Most like Mazuri tortoise diet for the pellets. Also, feed a large handful and if all is eaten, then give a little more. I always like mine to have some left over for snacking on later.

 

[ascott]

Welcome to the Forum you have been given great advise here ...

 

[ColinF87]

If the water's safe for you to drink then it's safe for your tort to drink. My little guy gets his food in the morning after his soak, split into a couple of piles in different spots in his table to keep it interesting for him. He normally eats a few leaves when we take him out of the bath then goes back and forth to snack for the rest of the day. We mostly use a mixture of weeds we've grown/found and shop-bought stuff like kale and rocket, but we've got some komodo tortoise diet pellets too and he loves them.

 

[ashleydejuliannie]

If I want to get a tortoise but am still in high school. Would the best time be in the summer? Because then when he/she is 3 months would it then be okay for me to feed it in the morning, give It a quick soak if needed, then lay it's snacks out for the day. During school most days I'll be home around 6:30-7:00. Is that to late to serve its dinner?

 

[GBtortoises]

I recently purchased a young hermanns tortoise and am wondering what the normal feeding schedule is for the young ones. Any tips such as what to rinse veggies in or what brand of pellets is most trusted? Also, I am concerned about what water I soak him in. Should it be purified water or is it ok to let him be around regular tap water?
Thank you

The most natural time to feed any age tortoise would be within an hour of the lights coming on indoors which for the tortoise would be the same stimuli as the sun coming up if outdoors. Tortoises begin their activity and establish a routine in conjunction with light and temperatures. Generally a tortoise will come out of hiding shortly after the sun has come up to bask in in the heat in order to increase it's core body temperature. How long it may bask depends upon several variables such as species, age (size), air temperature, ambient humidity and season. They will most often bask for the time necessary for the individual and once warm enough, begin foraging for food and water. Once the ambient air temperature becomes too hot they will typically retreat to a shelter again until early evening when the temperatures begin decrease. At this point they will often come out to forage for food again, usually for a shorter period of time than earlier in the day. The above process is an overall generalization of actions of most tortoises species as a whole. Individual habits will vary some.

Feeding tortoises in the evening is okay too but not really as in tune with what their routine would normally be. Although not really a major concern with tortoises in captivity, feeding in the morning allows them to better process their foods throughout the daytime when the core body temperature is warmer and more efficient. Feeding in the evening, especially later at night, is a time when they're cooling off and preparing to rest. Tortoises in the wild use their energy more efficiently based on food availability and seasonal environmental conditions. Whereas tortoises in captivity are typically not exposed to those adversities.

 

[ckd3tc]

Thank you so much everybody! This is all fantastic advice. I am so thankful for this forum as a resource! I will definitely follow your suggestions. Anything for the tortoise, right?

 

[Andrea M]

I grow weeds in old plastic tubs then plant them in Hokies table, he decides what to eat and when, I've found it's far more natural and prefer it that way, when one clump of weeds has gone, I just replace it with a new one

 

[Raymo2477]

Don't use tap water if it is city water that is chlorinated! The chlorine is harmless to you and me but can be dangerous to reptiles-especially young ones. Use spring water or purified water or dechlorinator.

 

[ashleydejuliannie]

Hello, I asked a question earlier in this and I'm wondering if anyone has any answers to it..

 

[GBtortoises]

Hello, I asked a question earlier in this and I'm wondering if anyone has any answers to it..

Did you read my response? I think your answer is in it.

 

[ashleydejuliannie]

Okay, so we only feed them once a day?

 

[Raymo2477]

I feed my juveniles 2x per day and my adults get feed every 2 days but they have plants to forage on in their outdoor habitat.

 

[GBtortoises]

Okay, so we only feed them once a day?

There is no real reason to feed them more than once a day as long as they're fed enough once a day. Morning feedings are better because not only does it enable them to establish a normal routine but it also allows them to have food to go back and graze on throughout the day if they wish to.

 

[Tom]

Don't use tap water if it is city water that is chlorinated! The chlorine is harmless to you and me but can be dangerous to reptiles-especially young ones. Use spring water or purified water or dechlorinator.

I don't agree with this. It has exactly the same effect on any mammal or reptile. I've soaked hundreds of brand new hatchlings in chlorinated tap water for decades with no issues whatsoever. For a time I lived on a ranch and used well water that was not chlorinated and saw absolutely no difference.

 

[ashleydejuliannie]

Okay! Thank you

 

[Raymo2477]

do some research. I would not use it for juvenile reptiles and definitely not use it in an incubator. Chloramine absorbed through the skin can be deadly. Why risk even the chance of a problem?