Vivarium or tortoise table?

Lealea13

New Member
Joined
May 18, 2015
Messages
6
Hi all I am new to this. Had mixed reviews so wondering what's best a vivarium or tortoise table for my new Hermann tortoise?
 

tortdad

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2014
Messages
5,567
Location (City and/or State)
NW Houston TX
I would check out the Hermann section and see what others with your species use.

I have Redfoot and box turtles and use closed chamber for both. My Sulcata lives outside with a heated night box but I'm no help with your species.

Have you checked out Chris' website. Www.gardenstatetortoise.com
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
What size and age? Vivariums are much better for younger smaller ones that have a lot of growing to do. They need some humidity, which is very difficult to provide in an open topped enclosure with cold dry room air circulating about. Vivariums are a much more stable and controlled environment which is much better for babies.

Please read these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

This one is written for Russians, but care is very similar and there are some helpful tidbits in there for you.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
That's not a hermanni. That is a Russian, or Testudo horsfieldii.

You need a large vivarium and the above linked threads will help you understand diet and housing better.

What is happening in that picture is extremely dangerous. Sand substrates should never be used, and the tortoise should never be fed on a sand substrate. They need to eat out of a dish or off of a plate to minimize substrate ingestion. They should also not be fed fruit.

Looks like you have received some bad advice previously.
 

Lealea13

New Member
Joined
May 18, 2015
Messages
6
Was told to mix the food all over the place with the substrate and didn't need bowl. So it does need be in a vivarium and it does need bowl to feed out of.
 

Kapidolo Farms

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
5,172
Location (City and/or State)
South of Southern California, but not Mexico
You can use tile as a feeding platform/area. Natural slate or Terracotta look nice, but glazed clay tile works too, many sizes are available from 4 x 4 to two foot squares, all for less than a plastic 'reptile' food bowl from PetCo. Tiles can also be run through a dishwasher, like a bowl, to clean them. Tom's care thread's are a really good resource. Also, he's correct, it's a Russian Tortoise. They are just as cool as Herman's.

I hope you found here via the Facebook version of your question (if that was you), I may have suggested looking here. This is a better resource for the kind of information you might be looking for. Will
 

crimson_lotus

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
1,385
Location (City and/or State)
Massachusetts
Here's something from the Russian care sheet that Tom linked above about substrate:

...A damp, natural substrate that they can dig into. Plain soil with no guano, perlite or other additives, orchid bark, cypress mulch and coco coir all work. These substrates can be bought in bulk at most hardware or garden centers at a tremendous savings over pet store prices. Regular dirt from your yard will work too, if its of a suitable composition. I don't like to use sand in any amount for Russians, or any other tortoise species. It can be a skin and eye irritant and an impaction risk. Damp substrate will help to maintain moderate humidity and allow them to dig in and create their own little microclimate.
 
Top