A newbie with lots of questions

fast-as-a-flash · 06-02-2008, 03:00 PM

Hi, Im new to tortoise keeping and a short time ago was given two hermans which I have called Dolly and Mini !

They were apparently supposed to be Hermans aged between 3-4 and male and female, but after looking on the forum they both look like females, although I am probably wrong.

They are in a viv at the moment

but I do leave one of the doors open and it has 3 large vents at the back. I am looking at alternative accomodation for them.
The set up they now have is a 4ftx2ftx2ft viv with a Repti Glo 8.0 and a Repti Glo heat bulb at the other end. I have also bought a habistat thermostat. They were on bark chippings, so I have changed this to Hemcore and have bought them play sand and topsoil yesterday which I was going to use under the lamp.

I have been giving them floretts crispy salad,rocket,watercress and a small amount of cucumber and weeds if I can find them, also how often sould I give them Nutrobal ?

I dont think that they have had a very good start to life as they have lumpy shells and were being feed on iceburg lettuce and had the wrong UV bulb.
I have them booked in at the vets next week for a checkup.

I have really fallen in love with them and need to know I am looking after them ok.

Rosie_863 · 06-02-2008, 03:07 PM

it sounds like you already have picked up a lot of advice from readin the boards anyhow, and your heart is definitely with them, so i am sure they will be absolutley fine.

sandy · 06-02-2008, 04:02 PM

If they have already had a bad diet, feeding them lettuce and salad food is not going to
improve them I am afraid. They need to be on a weed diet as soon as possible. There are
plenty of weeds around if you look for them.

fast-as-a-flash · 06-02-2008, 05:45 PM

Im doing my best with the weeds, I have planted some seeds today and have a friend who walks her dogs at her local nature reserve so she is also on the look out. Now after seeing the edible weed section I can now look for weeds I know will be safe for them, as I am no Alan titchmarsh when It comes to plants !!
Hopefully the seeds will be sprouting soon.

sandy · 06-02-2008, 06:23 PM

One of the best ways to get used to plants/weeds is going out finding them, taking a picture
and posting on the weeds section. That way plants stay in your mind better.

rachel30b · 06-02-2008, 08:01 PM

you sprinkle nutrabol on there food daily

i also sprinkle limestone flour on there food as well say every other day

i have cuttlefish in there enclosure as well, the type you buy for birds

that is good trimming beak and its calcium as well

well done on getting them out of the viv

post some pics of them

fast-as-a-flash · 08-02-2008, 02:46 PM

Hi, meet Mini and Dolly

mini

dolly

TortMad · 08-02-2008, 05:02 PM

They are beautiful "girls"

If you keep up the good work and keep on improving their diet and conditions they will thrive in your care, I am sure

fast-as-a-flash · 08-02-2008, 05:11 PM

Thank you TortMad
I do hope so as I do worry about there shells being lumpy

They had a good helping of dandilions today and I have ordered them some limestone and some wild flower seeds. They are so friendly and come up to me nearly everytime they see me. I love them to bits !!

linda · 08-02-2008, 09:19 PM

they are both lovely and will thrive with your tlc

06-02-2008, 03:00 PM	#1
fast-as-a-flash Member Incubating Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 130	A newbie with lots of questions Hi, Im new to tortoise keeping and a short time ago was given two hermans which I have called Dolly and Mini ! They were apparently supposed to be Hermans aged between 3-4 and male and female, but after looking on the forum they both look like females, although I am probably wrong. They are in a viv at the moment but I do leave one of the doors open and it has 3 large vents at the back. I am looking at alternative accomodation for them. The set up they now have is a 4ftx2ftx2ft viv with a Repti Glo 8.0 and a Repti Glo heat bulb at the other end. I have also bought a habistat thermostat. They were on bark chippings, so I have changed this to Hemcore and have bought them play sand and topsoil yesterday which I was going to use under the lamp. I have been giving them floretts crispy salad,rocket,watercress and a small amount of cucumber and weeds if I can find them, also how often sould I give them Nutrobal ? I dont think that they have had a very good start to life as they have lumpy shells and were being feed on iceburg lettuce and had the wrong UV bulb. I have them booked in at the vets next week for a checkup. I have really fallen in love with them and need to know I am looking after them ok.

06-02-2008, 04:02 PM	#3
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	If they have already had a bad diet, feeding them lettuce and salad food is not going to improve them I am afraid. They need to be on a weed diet as soon as possible. There are plenty of weeds around if you look for them. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

06-02-2008, 06:23 PM	#5
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	One of the best ways to get used to plants/weeds is going out finding them, taking a picture and posting on the weeds section. That way plants stay in your mind better. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

06-02-2008, 08:01 PM	#6
rachel30b Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: horncastle lincs Posts: 1,168	you sprinkle nutrabol on there food daily i also sprinkle limestone flour on there food as well say every other day i have cuttlefish in there enclosure as well, the type you buy for birds that is good trimming beak and its calcium as well well done on getting them out of the viv post some pics of them __________________ rachel 5 hermans, bob, frank, simpson, marmalade and johnson

08-02-2008, 05:02 PM	#8
TortMad Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lancashire Posts: 2,639	They are beautiful "girls" If you keep up the good work and keep on improving their diet and conditions they will thrive in your care, I am sure __________________ Lea 2.1.0 testudo horsfeldii 0.2.0 testudo graeca ibera 2.0.0 geochelone pardalis babcocki http://www.thehenshouse.co.uk/

06-02-2008, 03:07 PM	#2
Rosie_863 Member Incubating Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bradford Posts: 110	it sounds like you already have picked up a lot of advice from readin the boards anyhow, and your heart is definitely with them, so i am sure they will be absolutley fine.

06-02-2008, 05:45 PM	#4
fast-as-a-flash Member Incubating Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 130	Im doing my best with the weeds, I have planted some seeds today and have a friend who walks her dogs at her local nature reserve so she is also on the look out. Now after seeing the edible weed section I can now look for weeds I know will be safe for them, as I am no Alan titchmarsh when It comes to plants !! Hopefully the seeds will be sprouting soon.

08-02-2008, 02:46 PM	#7
fast-as-a-flash Member Incubating Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 130	Hi, meet Mini and Dolly mini dolly

08-02-2008, 05:11 PM	#9
fast-as-a-flash Member Incubating Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 130	Thank you TortMad I do hope so as I do worry about there shells being lumpy They had a good helping of dandilions today and I have ordered them some limestone and some wild flower seeds. They are so friendly and come up to me nearly everytime they see me. I love them to bits !!

08-02-2008, 09:19 PM	#10
linda Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: west midlands Posts: 17,134	they are both lovely and will thrive with your tlc

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