Loading... Please wait...

Our Newsletter


brands.jpg

 exoterra.gif Lucky_Reptile.gif reptileone.gif komodo.jpg vetark.jpg 632.jpg vivexoticlogo.jpg

Hermanns Tortoise

 

 

Common Name : Hermanns Tortoise
Scientific Name : Testudo hermanni
General Information
The tortoise is literally a living fossil having been on this planet for over 200 million years, they originate from most warmer areas of Europe being found naturally in Spain, France, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Italy, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece and Bosnia. Over the last 100 years they have established themselves as one of the most popular reptiles maintained in captivity, as they are almost considered “cuddly”. In the past the majority of tortoises kept were allowed the free run of the garden and put in a box in the winter to hibernate, although this practice is still carried out by some on the whole it is no longer the way in which tortoises are cared for in the UK; as in Britain with our wet summers and cold damp winters the conditions are nowhere near ideal for these delicate animals. Hermann’s tortoises reach a maximum size of 8-12 inches taking up to 20 years to do so and with the proper care generally live to between 70 and 90 with some individuals reaching in excess of 150 years.
Enclosure and Housing
There is much debate concerning the housing of tortoises in captivity, here at grange reptiles we recommend that tortoises be kept in well ventilated wooden vivariums between 3 and 4 foot in length, with adequate heating and lighting required. It is also recommended that all tortoises have access to an outside area from time to time, for young tortoises under the age of 5 it is recommended that they are only put outside when the weather is warm, past this age they are able to be kept outside for most of the summer only being brought in during extreme weather conditions or for cold nights; whatever the age of the tortoise a strong enclosure is required to prevent your tortoise escaping, or being taken by a predator.
Heat and Light
As Hermann’s tortoises come from a warmer climate than our own and are cold blooded they rely on their environment to control body temperature, so it is essential to provide them with additional heating. When it comes to heating a vivarium for a tortoise the only option is to space heat, and this is achieved using either a spot bulb or ceramic heater, in combination with a thermostat. As with any reptile it is essential to have a temperature gradient within the vivarium, it is recommended that during the day the warm end of the vivarium is maintained at between 85 and 95oF directly underneath the spot lamp with a cool end temperature of around 76-80oF. Hermann’s will benefit from a night time drop in temperature, with 70-75oF being about right. Tortoises are diurnal, meaning that like us they sleep at night and are active during the day, as they come from a sunny environment they have a high requirement for UVB light, so as such this should be provided. A 10.0% UV light is an essential part of the setup, and should be used to provide between 10 and 12 hours of light per day, UV lights have a limited life and should be changed at 5-7 month intervals
Substrate
As with enclosures there is much debate as to what is the best substrate for Hermann’s tortoises but here at grange reptiles we have had much success using either repti-turf™ or beech chips, the substrate should be deep enough to for the tortoise to bury or at least partially bury themselves and should be spot cleaned as soon as possible and completely changed monthly.
Shelter
As with most animals a shelter is essential to allow Hermann’s to feel safe and secure, for a small tortoise a piece of cork bark or a small reptile cave will suffice, as it grows the shelter also needs to become larger, so a change to a larger piece of bark or a habba-hut™ is recommended. When the tortoise is being kept in its outdoor enclosure it is even more important to provide shelter, to protect it from overheating in warm weather and getting cold in wet or windy weather.
Water and Minerals
Calcium and vitamins are essential to proper bone growth and general health in all reptiles, this along with a fresh supply of water should be provided at all times. Contrary to popular belief tortoises do drink from water bowls, so as such this should be provided, the bowl should be large enough to allow the tortoise to fully enter the water, but not so large as it can not get out or offer any risk of drowning. Calcium and vitamins can be included in your tortoises diet by sprinkling a mixed calcium and vitamin supplement on their food every other day and by including a piece of cuttlefish bone in the enclosure at all times
Food
The general requirement of Mediterranean tortoises is for a high fibre, low protein, low fat, low carbohydrate, low sugar and calcium rich
Diet, they are herbivorous and should be offered a diet consisting solely of plant matter, a list of suitable food items can be found in the Tortoise Diet section of this site. Many tortoises are fed “treats” such as dog or cat food or even pizza; this should not be done under any circumstances as it can lead to very serious health issues and even death.
Handling
Although tortoises are very tolerant of handling it is recommended that this be kept to a minimum as an excess can lead to the animal becoming stressed. When a new tortoise is purchased it is recommended that it is not handled at all for the first few weeks, or at least until it has been seen eating and drinking for a least 7 consecutive days.
Hibernation
Please see the hibernation section of this website.
We hope that this care sheet has been of assistance and if you have any further enquiries do not hesitate to contact us by either phone or e-mail.

Common Name : Hermanns Tortoise

Scientific Name : Testudo hermanni

General Information

The tortoise is literally a living fossil having been on this planet for over 200 million years, they originate from most warmer areas of Europe being found naturally in Spain, France, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Italy, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece and Bosnia. Over the last 100 years they have established themselves as one of the most popular reptiles maintained in captivity, as they are almost considered “cuddly”. In the past the majority of tortoises kept were allowed the free run of the garden and put in a box in the winter to hibernate, although this practice is still carried out by some on the whole it is no longer the way in which tortoises are cared for in the UK; as in Britain with our wet summers and cold damp winters the conditions are nowhere near ideal for these delicate animals. Hermann’s tortoises reach a maximum size of 8-12 inches taking up to 20 years to do so and with the proper care generally live to between 70 and 90 with some individuals reaching in excess of 150 years.

Enclosure and Housing

There is much debate concerning the housing of tortoises in captivity, here at super pets we recommend that tortoises be kept in well ventilated wooden vivariums between 3 and 4 foot in length, with adequate heating and lighting required. It is also recommended that all tortoises have access to an outside area from time to time, for young tortoises under the age of 5 it is recommended that they are only put outside when the weather is warm, past this age they are able to be kept outside for most of the summer only being brought in during extreme weather conditions or for cold nights; whatever the age of the tortoise a strong enclosure is required to prevent your tortoise escaping, or being taken by a predator.

Heat and Light

As Hermann’s tortoises come from a warmer climate than our own and are cold blooded they rely on their environment to control body temperature, so it is essential to provide them with additional heating. When it comes to heating a vivarium for a tortoise the only option is to space heat, and this is achieved using either a spot bulb or ceramic heater, in combination with a thermostat. As with any reptile it is essential to have a temperature gradient within the vivarium, it is recommended that during the day the warm end of the vivarium is maintained at between 85 and 95oF directly underneath the spot lamp with a cool end temperature of around 76-80oF. Hermann’s will benefit from a night time drop in temperature, with 70-75oF being about right. Tortoises are diurnal, meaning that like us they sleep at night and are active during the day, as they come from a sunny environment they have a high requirement for UVB light, so as such this should be provided. A 10.0% UV light is an essential part of the setup, and should be used to provide between 10 and 12 hours of light per day, UV lights have a limited life and should be changed at 5-7 month intervals

Substrate

As with enclosures there is much debate as to what is the best substrate for Hermann’s tortoises but here at super pets we have had much success using either peleted straw or beech chips, the substrate should be deep enough to for the tortoise to bury or at least partially bury themselves and should be spot cleaned as soon as possible and completely changed monthly.ShelterAs with most animals a shelter is essential to allow Hermann’s to feel safe and secure, for a small tortoise a piece of cork bark or a small reptile cave will suffice, as it grows the shelter also needs to become larger, so a change to a larger piece of bark or a habba-hut™ is recommended. When the tortoise is being kept in its outdoor enclosure it is even more important to provide shelter, to protect it from overheating in warm weather and getting cold in wet or windy weather.

Water and Minerals

Calcium and vitamins are essential to proper bone growth and general health in all reptiles, this along with a fresh supply of water should be provided at all times. Contrary to popular belief tortoises do drink from water bowls, so as such this should be provided, the bowl should be large enough to allow the tortoise to fully enter the water, but not so large as it can not get out or offer any risk of drowning. Calcium and vitamins can be included in your tortoises diet by sprinkling a mixed calcium and vitamin supplement on their food every other day and by including a piece of cuttlefish bone in the enclosure at all times

Food

The general requirement of Mediterranean tortoises is for a high fibre, low protein, low fat, low carbohydrate, low sugar and calcium richDiet, they are herbivorous and should be offered a diet consisting solely of plant matter, a list of suitable food items can be found in the Tortoise Diet section of this site. Many tortoises are fed “treats” such as dog or cat food or even pizza; this should not be done under any circumstances as it can lead to very serious health issues and even death.

Handling

Although tortoises are very tolerant of handling it is recommended that this be kept to a minimum as an excess can lead to the animal becoming stressed. When a new tortoise is purchased it is recommended that it is not handled at all for the first few weeks, or at least until it has been seen eating and drinking for a least 7 consecutive days.

Hibernation

Please see the hibernation section of this website.We hope that this care sheet has been of assistance and if you have any further enquiries do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail. info@superpetsdirect.com