Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am thinking of getting a baby hermanns.
I was wondering if anyone could tell me about their personality/nature?
Are they nice tempered animals? I am guessing yes, but thats just passing a judgement.
Do they have a tendency to bite?

Do you guys just love keeping them?
Ive never kept a tortoise before (although i have kept many types of other reptiles.)

For indoor housing times, I would need a uv bulb, a heat lamp, undertank heater, substrate (such as hay or playsand/soil mix, or paper towels... -- it is a 4 month old baby that i have my eyes on.) A hiding place as well, and small shallow water dish.
THe size of the tank should be.....??? (for now, as he is very small)
Thanks!
Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Hermann's have nice personalities--not too shy. Once they are used to you, they will come right over to be fed or scratched. The only time they bite is when they think you are food, but a baby is too small to hurt you.

Tortoises need a lot of room to roam, even a small baby. If you can build a tortoise table, that would be great, but for now, a large Rubbermaid container is OK. I keep mine in a 3' x 2' melamine bookcase (laid on its back with the shelves out), and that works really well, although I'll probably build him a table for next winter. I also have a 6' x 6' outdoor pen, and he cruises over every inch of it (again, I'll expand it when he's a little bigger).

Paper towels are a good substrate for at least the first few weeks, because you can monitor fecal/urine output easily, and they're easy to change, so you can keep things really clean. Make sure you have everything set up at least a few days before you get your tortoise, so you can make sure the heat gradient is OK. Also don't forget the vet!
-----
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

I got a baby herman and I have to tell you they are wonderful !
My little Tuttles is so cute. At night I turn her light off and she sleeps all night in her little flower pot. In the morning I turn her light on and she wakes up and starts stomping all over ready for her bath. Then her breakfast. I have her on a schedule and she is doing great.She has never tried to bite. Of course she is only an inch and a half. She is my first tortoise and I am enjoying her so much. She takes her little front feet and rubs her face with them like shes rubbing her eyes in the morning. The cutest thing you ever seen. I highly recommend hermans. Great little tortoises.. Good luck.

oh!! that is so cute. I am really debating over whether or not I should get this one. That story makes me want one even more, but Ive got to get some things figured out first. I understand that they are not so common to come across as hatchlings, and this little one fits right in my hand. It is so adorable. We will see....