need to know what to buy to set up for my hermanns

[katie92]

I want to buy a Hermann's tortoise but everyone is telling me different things that i need to know. obviously i know the basics and i will be keeping him in a vivarium indoors so could somebody please tell me what lighting i need, what heating is best to use ect? Thankyou xx

[millie_moo]

hello and welcome
well first thing im going to say is a table would be better for hermanns than a viv this is my opinion ofcourse. people have kept torts in viv's and usually convert it to a table. as for light if you dont want a timer combi bulbs are very good and last longer than the uv tubes. zooplus are curently selling the solar glo combi bulbs for £29.99. then you just need a ceramic holder and reflector dome (these usually come combied).
Lighting - Holders
this is a good page to look at as it shows you all the options

[Christy06]

i have a hermanns, i dunno who you been talking too, (prob shop keeper) but vivs arew bad for torts, too much humidity. Your best with a tort table, sand/soil mix. i have a metal halide for heating and lighting, its expensive to start off with but one of the cheapest in the long run as the bulbs last ages. You could go for a combi or a separte uv and heat source. Food wise weeds and flowers are best, make sure you dust with calcium and nutrobal, say 3 days nutrobal and 3 days calcium with one day free. make sure there is a water dish, if its deep have pebble in it so it can get out. Bathe daily, helps with toilet and the intake of fluiids.

Tht all i can think off for now, more people will be along soon to help.

P.s temps shud be around 32-35 hot spot and around 22-25 cold end.

night temps shud not fall below 10

[napoleoncat]

Agree with the above.

I'm no expert, having only got my baby Hermies last summer, but I would say that a tort table is probably better...Not knowing any better we went with a vivarium and are now in the process of trying to get a table sorted.

Although I would say, that having a vivarium won't automatically kill them or give them any serious illnesses, mine are fine, I just make sure that I let them get a lot of fresh air, give them lots of baths and the right food, clean it out regularly etc.. They love to run around on the floor in the lounge so, if you are planning to get a viv, then do, and try to convert to a table but in the meantime make sure it's aired out and doesn't get all humid in there...

Good Luck!! xxx

[Horsfield]

Originally Posted by millie_moo

hello and welcome
well first thing im going to say is a table would be better for hermanns than a viv this is my opinion ofcourse. people have kept torts in viv's and usually convert it to a table. as for light if you dont want a timer combi bulbs are very good and last longer than the uv tubes. zooplus are curently selling the solar glo combi bulbs for £29.99. then you just need a ceramic holder and reflector dome (these usually come combied).
Lighting - Holders
this is a good page to look at as it shows you all the options

I think you will find that exo tubes needs replacing every 6 months the same as a solar glo.... Take a look at the arcadia d3+ reptile lamp they last up to 12 months. You may also like to look at mhbs.

[purplepixie]

For a hermans set up you need.

An open topped enclosure, tortoises need air circulation which you cant get in a viv.
A UV/heat combination lamp (lasts up too two years) or a spotlight and UV tube, the tube needs changing every six months.
Substrate or soil and sand mix.
A piece of thick slate to feed from and help keep beaks down.
A shallow water dish to drink and bathe in.
A house of some sort, can be a broken terracotta pot or cardboard box.
Some calciumcarbonate to sprinkle on their food.
These are the basic needs, that all med tortoises need. You can add other things as you want. But the basics are what they actually need.

[Jon Fish]

There is a sticky thread about indoor enclosures at the top of the Shelled page. Some people have said they created a table by using an old kitchen cabinet or something similar so it doesn't need to be expensive.