Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my new baby herman. My first tortoise ever.Check out its little bow tie on its shell by its head. Isn't it the cutest thing ever. It has a great appetite and stomps all around its house.I am so please now I want more......

How cute! Funny, I never noticed that the front of the carapace looks JUST LIKE A BOW TIE. Looks like she is tied up with a ribbon. How adorable.

Very cute little tortoise! I purchased one two years ago and have been absolutely amazed with the speed of growth and drive to eat. My tortoise would eat 1/2 a head(?) of romaine lettuce daily if it were available. To avoid pyramiding, make sure you suppliment his/her food with calcium almost every time you feed. They are also fast little buggers so keep an eye out when allowing for outdoor activity.

Good luck,
Jeff

That sure is a cutie!

I've got one (Archie) that's about 6 months old (it was 2 months when I got it) & it really is the most amazing little tortoise I've ever seen. I'm hoping it'll turn out to be a male so I can breed it with my 3 year old female, who is also a great tortoise.

My CB Russian was little more than a rock with feet until he got to be a couple of years old.

Here's a picture of Archie soon after he arrived here.

Archie is adorable. I think I will name mine Tuttles.
I really am enjoying my little tortoise. Do you keep heat on yours at night time??

Very cute little guy! I have two now--Bruno is about 5 months and still pretty small (33g), and Moxie is about 8 months now, and quite a bruiser (85g). I'm trying to limit Moxie's food a little now, because I think he's growing just a bit too fast. These guys do like to eat.

As far as your question about nighttime heating, I used to use an undertank heater, but I don't anymore. I did a lot of research, and in the UK (where Hermann's are probably the most commonly kept tortoise), no one uses heat at night unless the house temps drop below 60. One U.S. breeder even says no heat above 50 degrees, which is a little chilly for me. So I don't use heat at night now, and to tell you the truth, they seem to like it better (my house is usually about 62-65 at night). They are up and about earlier in the morning. It may cause their appetites to drop a bit during the winter, but I haven't seen evidence of this yet.

Good luck with your new friend!
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Sohni
Northern California

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.2 Hermann's Tortoises
plus my kids' herps:
0.0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

And even if it does cause theie appetites to drop off a little, that is perfectly natural and will not be harmful to them. That is what happens in nature to all cold-blooded animals.

Mammals on the other hand, and to an even larger extent birds, have to eat more (or at least heavier, fattier foods) in cold weather to maintain their body heat.