Upgrading outdoor enclosure for Hermann

[Albie]

Our 60 year old Hermann has an outdoor enclosure that I’ve been improving each year (based on input from this and other forums).
This year I’d like to focus on the substrate. Right now it is basically the lawn that was always in our garden, although I’ve planted a few edible plants, and added some sand in one section last year although that seems to have mixed with the regular dirt and isn’t so visible now.

The enclosure is outdoors, open top (No cover — he has a hide and I’m getting another one). Should I leave it with the plants and grass (some cut low, some high), or is there something else that would be good to add for variety? I read a lot of posts about orchid bark, and coco coir, Cyprus mulch. I don’t want to have to mist it regularly — I’ve read that is necessary for some substrates, but not practical for us / the enclosure size.

Thanks!

 

[TammyJ]

Our 60 year old Hermann has an outdoor enclosure that I’ve been improving each year (based on input from this and other forums).
This year I’d like to focus on the substrate. Right now it is basically the lawn that was always in our garden, although I’ve planted a few edible plants, and added some sand in one section last year although that seems to have mixed with the regular dirt and isn’t so visible now.

The enclosure is outdoors, open top (No cover — he has a hide and I’m getting another one). Should I leave it with the plants and grass (some cut low, some high), or is there something else that would be good to add for variety? I read a lot of posts about orchid bark, and coco coir, Cyprus mulch. I don’t want to have to mist it regularly — I’ve read that is necessary for some substrates, but not practical for us / the enclosure size.

Thanks!

I would not add any more sand. Sand is not right for any tortoise.

 

[Jacqui]

I would not add any more sand. Sand is not right for any tortoise.

Soil naturally contains sand. A little does not hurt a properly setup and hydrated animal.

 

[Jacqui]

Our 60 year old Hermann has an outdoor enclosure that I’ve been improving each year (based on input from this and other forums).
This year I’d like to focus on the substrate. Right now it is basically the lawn that was always in our garden, although I’ve planted a few edible plants, and added some sand in one section last year although that seems to have mixed with the regular dirt and isn’t so visible now.

The enclosure is outdoors, open top (No cover — he has a hide and I’m getting another one). Should I leave it with the plants and grass (some cut low, some high), or is there something else that would be good to add for variety? I read a lot of posts about orchid bark, and coco coir, Cyprus mulch. I don’t want to have to mist it regularly — I’ve read that is necessary for some substrates, but not practical for us / the enclosure size.

Thanks!

Clarify for me, why add substrate to an outdoor enclosure? Substrates tend to dry out. You have various shades and sunlight?

 

[Albie]

Clarify for me, why add substrate to an outdoor enclosure? Substrates tend to dry out. You have various shades and sunlight?

Okay, that’s a helpful answer, actually! I see pictures people post where part of an enclosure is rock, part is bark (or similar), part is dirt/grass, etc., so thought it to be a better (and certainly prettier) approach. But maybe it isn’t necessary and creates extra work?

Yes, it is mostly sunny but there are shadier parts, as well as a big pot on it’s side as a hide (and we’ve planted more things that will grow and he can go under them).

 

[Jacqui]

Okay, that’s a helpful answer, actually! I see pictures people post where part of an enclosure is rock, part is bark (or similar), part is dirt/grass, etc., so thought it to be a better (and certainly prettier) approach. But maybe it isn’t necessary and creates extra work?

Yes, it is mostly sunny but there are shadier parts, as well as a big pot on it’s side as a hide (and we’ve planted more things that will grow and he can go under them).

Okay, I see what you are going for. First how big is the enclosure?

 

[Albie]

It is roughly 2m by 3,5m. Attached is a picture — from some weeks ago, before things started growing (And missing the hide).

 

[Melymann]

60 years old….!?!

 

[TammyJ]

Soil naturally contains sand. A little does not hurt a properly setup and hydrated animal.

What I said was that I would not ADD more sand. But that's just me trying to share what I have learned here.

 

[Albie]

60 years old….!?!

Yes! (Roughly). My brother-in-law got Anton as a birthday present in 1964, and the family estimated he was 3-5 years old then (he Anton, not my BIL, who was 7). Somewhere my husband has pictures of the tort in my BIL’s hand, to compare for size - he was about a child hand-size then, now he is a bit bigger.

Is that unusual? I know they can live 75-125 years without a problem…we’ve already discussed which of our kids will take him after our time is done.

 

[Melymann]

I know they can live a long time. Mine is only 2.5 years so …. Wow.😁

 

[TammyJ]

Yes, wow. Somebody must have been doing something right!

 

[Maro2Bear]

I think your enclosure looks great just as it is. No reason to add any kind of substrate to your outdoor enclosure.

How about some pix of your old tortoise. Nice that he has been with one family for such a good long time.

 

[Albie]

I think your enclosure looks great just as it is. No reason to add any kind of substrate to your outdoor enclosure.

How about some pix of your old tortoise. Nice that he has been with one family for such a good long time.

He’s in the enclosure photo I posted - just near his food bowl (And about the same size as it). He’s about 15 cm across, so not terribly big. And here’s one from this morning.

 

[Albie]

Yes, wow. Somebody must have been doing something right!

Oddly, I generally think my in-laws (who had the care of him for the better part of 40 years) didn’t know anything about tortoises, and it is amazing he’s done so well. (For example, he mostly only ate iceberg lettuce except in summer.) But we do think he’s healthy, and have been improving his care since the in-laws got too old to care for him and we took over.

 

[TammyJ]

He is wonderful.

 

[lynnefay]

I love him! great enclosure