Housing advise please
 

I recently acquired a 7yr old Hermanns tortoise that have lived all his life in a vivarium. How best to acclimatise him to the garden? I have tried and all he wants to do is bury himself. He doesn't seem to like the sun :confused:

If he has spent his life in a viv, then going into open space is scary. If you give it time he will come out and explore, but in his own time.
They also dont like the heat of midday. Mine come out into the garden from first light if its warm. They warm up, then feed then bask in any sun. When it gets to around 12-1 oclock they find somewhere to hide where its shady. Then they come out and graze and bask again. Usually going into their housing from around 4-5 oclock. It does vary but thats a guide:0)
The enclosure needs plants to eat and hide under. Also a bowl of rain water goes down well too.

Thank you for your reply. He has all that and everything he needs. I realise mid day sun isn't liked very much as with my others. It just he doesn't seem to want to explore at all anytime of the day. I just wondered if I should put him back in his viv and introduce him to the garden slowly or just leave him to it

I agree with everything Sandy has said. So just give him plenty of time to adjust to his new environment , tortoises don't like change, but I'm sure over the summer he will get used to it.

No No No please dont do that:0(
He will be far happier when he finds out what is natural for him:0)
But it will take time.
I rehomed some boxies that had been in vivs all their lives, and I dont do vivs. It took two years for them to start laying eggs (which means they are happy) and coming out so I can actually see them. Boxies are a lot more shyer than tortoises:0)
Dont give up:0)

Ok. I will put him back outside in the sunny garden. I was just worrying thinking I was causing him more stress and worried as he hasn't eaten. I put him in the viv and he ate straight away but in the garden he finds his spot and buries down and doesn't come out. I will leave him alone for a week and monitor him without disturbing him

Eating is only a problem for the keeper, as tortoises can go weeks without food, but not water. Its us that think tortoises need feeding every day, they dont:0)
I never worry if I dont feed my tortoises, as they have grass and weeds growing for them to graze.
A week is nothing in a tortoises life.
If you have a house for him, put him in that and let him come out when he wants too.
He also has to adjust to differing temps, as in a viv the temps are the same all the time, where as outside it varies from hour to hour. He will come around if allowed too:0)
My tortoises are out 24/7.

Thank Sandy

When I moved mine outside permanently last year I thought they would be showing signs of excitement - but of course it was a change and it took a while to really settle down. As you found they just want to hide away.

How lovely for him.

Would love to see a photo. What's his name?

Well his still hiding away all the time. I have to find him and pretty much dig him up to make sure he eats. He only eats out of my hand then off to bury himself again. I feel sorry for him to be honest as he doesn't seem to be having a very nice time. I think if I was to leave him he would probably stay there til he died :confused: