Six Month Old, Large for Age?

[robopeen]

So I asked the breeder and found out Ellington was born in August. I've been looking at other pictures of Hermann's around the same age and he/she seems really large to me.

What does everyone else think?

http://i.minus.com/ibseAnAVzuCySb.JPG
http://i.minus.com/ibbEvKE360Afh3.JPG
http://i.minus.com/irU7ySmkyVUfp.JPG

 

[GBtortoises]

It's not possible to tell the actual size of the tortoise by the photos. Can you post a photo looking straight down at the tortoise with a ruler next to it to show the actual size?

 

[robopeen]

It's not possible to tell the actual size of the tortoise by the photos. Can you post a photo looking straight down at the tortoise with a ruler next to it to show the actual size?

Sure, I'll do that as soon as he/she gets up. It's almost noon and he/she is still out. Is that normal?

 

[Pokeymeg]

Not if your tort hasn't gotten up for the day yet...If your tort is napping, that is perfectly fine and expected. Is it warm rnough in your enclosure?

 

[robopeen]

Not if your tort hasn't gotten up for the day yet...If your tort is napping, that is perfectly fine and expected. Is it warm rnough in your enclosure?

It's about 93-103 under the basking light and 78 on the warm side, it cool down to around 65 on the cool side. It's been hard to keep it warm during the winter. Ellington has been sleeping on the warm side under the sphagnum moss mound. I've had him/her four days and I've had to wake him/her up every morning so far.

Here is the picture of him/her. I thought you could tell how much Ellington grew from the scutes, lol sorry.

 

[GBtortoises]

Eastern Hermann's are about 1 1/8-1 1/4" when born. To be about 3" at only about 5 months old is a bit larger than would be expected.

When you say that it cools down to 65 on the cool side do you mean at night? If so, that is fine, as well as even up to 8 degrees cooler at night. As long as the daytime temperatures reach normal activity levels 15-20 degrees cooler at night is actually desirable.

What time do the lights come on in the morning? What is the ambient humidity level in the enclosure?

 

[robopeen]

Eastern Hermann's are about 1 1/8-1 1/4" when born. To be about 3" at only about 5 months old is a bit larger than would be expected.

When you say that it cools down to 65 on the cool side do you mean at night? If so, that is fine, as well as even up to 8 degrees cooler at night. As long as the daytime temperatures reach normal activity levels 15-20 degrees cooler at night is actually desirable.

What time do the lights come on in the morning? What is the ambient humidity level in the enclosure?

The cool side is always about 65-68 and at night it gets to be about 58-60. I turn the lights on at 7am. The humidity is always around 50-60%.

Just checked the warm side and it's 78-83, warmest right under the CHE of course lol, and it's a gradient all the way down to 65 and the end farthest from the CHE and basking light.

 

[Pokeymeg]

Not if your tort hasn't gotten up for the day yet...If your tort is napping, that is perfectly fine and expected. Is it warm rnough in your enclosure?

It's about 93-103 under the basking light and 78 on the warm side, it cool down to around 65 on the cool side. It's been hard to keep it warm during the winter. Ellington has been sleeping on the warm side under the sphagnum moss mound. I've had him/her four days and I've had to wake him/her up every morning so far.

Here is the picture of him/her. I thought you could tell how much Ellington grew from the scutes, lol sorry.

If you've only had your tortoise for 4 days, give him some time to settle in and develop a routine. Some tortoises take a while to get over the shock of moving/shipping.

You are using both a CHE and basking light at the same time? What kind of basking light are you using?

 

[GBtortoises]

Eastern Hermann's are about 1 1/8-1 1/4" when born. To be about 3" at only about 5 months old is a bit larger than would be expected.

When you say that it cools down to 65 on the cool side do you mean at night? If so, that is fine, as well as even up to 8 degrees cooler at night. As long as the daytime temperatures reach normal activity levels 15-20 degrees cooler at night is actually desirable.

What time do the lights come on in the morning? What is the ambient humidity level in the enclosure?

The cool side is always about 65-68 and at night it gets to be about 58-60. I turn the lights on at 7am. The humidity is always around 50-60%.

Just checked the warm side and it's 78-83, warmest right under the CHE of course lol, and it's a gradient all the way down to 65 and the end farthest from the CHE and basking light.

The night temperatures (58-60) are fine, even up to 65 degrees is okay. The humidity is good too. The time the light comes on should be fairly consistent, it's always good to put them on timers. But 7 am is fine for this time of year. They should remain on about 15 hours per day for the tortoise to remain active.
The cool end could stand to be a little warmer during the daytime, around 70-75 degrees. The warm end ambient temperature is irrelevant as long as the temperature directly under the basking light is about 95-105 degrees.
I didn't realize from your original post that you've only had the tortoise for a few days. It generally takes a few weeks or longer, for a tortoise to settle into a new environment and establish a routine.

 

[robopeen]

Eastern Hermann's are about 1 1/8-1 1/4" when born. To be about 3" at only about 5 months old is a bit larger than would be expected.

When you say that it cools down to 65 on the cool side do you mean at night? If so, that is fine, as well as even up to 8 degrees cooler at night. As long as the daytime temperatures reach normal activity levels 15-20 degrees cooler at night is actually desirable.

What time do the lights come on in the morning? What is the ambient humidity level in the enclosure?

The cool side is always about 65-68 and at night it gets to be about 58-60. I turn the lights on at 7am. The humidity is always around 50-60%.

Just checked the warm side and it's 78-83, warmest right under the CHE of course lol, and it's a gradient all the way down to 65 and the end farthest from the CHE and basking light.

The night temperatures (58-60) are fine, even up to 65 degrees is okay. The humidity is good too. The time the light comes on should be fairly consistent, it's always good to put them on timers. But 7 am is fine for this time of year. They should remain on about 15 hours per day for the tortoise to remain active.
The cool end could stand to be a little warmer during the daytime, around 70-75 degrees. The warm end ambient temperature is irrelevant as long as the temperature directly under the basking light is about 95-105 degrees.
I didn't realize from your original post that you've only had the tortoise for a few days. It generally takes a few weeks or longer, for a tortoise to settle into a new environment and establish a routine.

She woke up bright and early this morning shortly after I turned on her lights so I think she's getting used to the schedule. I wondering if I should add an undertank heater for the cool side but I'm not sure those work under a Rubbermaid.

---

Not if your tort hasn't gotten up for the day yet...If your tort is napping, that is perfectly fine and expected. Is it warm rnough in your enclosure?

It's about 93-103 under the basking light and 78 on the warm side, it cool down to around 65 on the cool side. It's been hard to keep it warm during the winter. Ellington has been sleeping on the warm side under the sphagnum moss mound. I've had him/her four days and I've had to wake him/her up every morning so far.

Here is the picture of him/her. I thought you could tell how much Ellington grew from the scutes, lol sorry.

If you've only had your tortoise for 4 days, give him some time to settle in and develop a routine. Some tortoises take a while to get over the shock of moving/shipping.

You are using both a CHE and basking light at the same time? What kind of basking light are you using?

A 100 watt basking bulb and a 100 watt CHE.