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Im planning on getting a baby hermanns from a reptile expo in ohio, but i would like some extra info from some hermanns owners about type of substrate you use and what type heat bulb you use for them... PS also if you can i would love to see some pics of your hermanns and there homes

I have a baby Hermann's, although he's almost a year old now, so he's gotten pretty big. His indoor enclosure is a converted bookcase that's 3' x 2', and he also has a 6' x 6' outdoor pen for summer. I'll be building a tortoise table for him for next winter, because I can see already the bookcase won't be big enough--Hermann's are active and need room to roam! I use aspen for him now, because he likes to burrow and it's good exercise for his legs, but when he was smaller I used paper towels--they're cheap and easy to change, so you're more likely to keep the enclosure very clean, and also they make it easy to monitor pee and poop, which is important with little torts. I have a 60 watt mercury vapor bulb for UVB and a plain flood light on a dimmer switch for a little extra heat (the 60 watt MV bulbs don't give off quite enough heat); both lights are on a timer on a 12 hour on, 12 off cycle. In the summer he is outside most of the day. Directly under his basking spot, the temps are 85-90, and in the cooler areas about 73-75.

Sorry I don't have any way to get pictures posted. If you have any other questions, please ask.
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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

Toilet paper is only usefull for quarantene matters. otherwise it is a bad substrate, can be eaten, which isn't any good, claws will grow to much etc.

I said paper towels, not toilet paper--I can't imagine toilet paper being much good! I suggested the towels because it's always a good idea to have a new tortoise go through a period of quarantine and observation, and paper towels make it really easy to keep an eye on "deposits" and keep everything clean. White cloth towels also work well, if you don't mind the laundry.
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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