If you are thinking of buying one of these little pets to care for at home there are a few things you will need to consider. At first glance, caring for a Herman tortoise may appear to be straight forward as they are well known to thrive in captivity and they are one of the smaller varieties for you to choose from.
If you have decided the this is the species you want then the next few points will help you to plan your enclosure and what you should place in it in order for your pet to live a happy and illness free life. After all many of these creatures do live for a long time!
Top Five Herman tortoise tips
1. How big should your enclosure be? This depends on the size of your pet. This particular species will grow up to 10 inches in length. The males will average about 5 inches. The basic rule is that you should provide at least 3 square foot of space per inch of tortoise. This can be a considerable area to find spare in your home. At first however, you will be fine with a reasonably sized tortoise table or enclosure. But you must keep in mind how large your pet may grow.
2. What sort of environment should you provide for your Herman tortoise? It's natural habitat is Europe from France through southern Italy and Greece. They naturally live in Mediterranean forests and grasslands so you have to try to mimic this as far as is possible in your enclosure.
3. Make plenty of hiding places inside your enclosure so that your pet has time to hide away at times. If they are constantly on show they become stressed and this often leads to physical illness. The substrate (covering on the bottom of the enclosure) is also very important as some types are dangerous for the tortoises digestive tract.
4. Artificial lighting and heating. All chelonians are exothermic (cold blooded) and have to bask in sunshine and heat in order to function normally. Therefore you will have to provide a special reptile lamp that is placed above the enclosure. This is a critical element in the care of your pet. You will also need to provide appropriate photoperiods for your pet as they need to have a certain amount of light in their day or they will again become unwell.
5. Feeding your Herman? Their natural diet is a varied herbivorous one that should include fleshy vegetables and some soft fruits. There are some naturally growing plants that are toxic to your pet so you should do some research on exactly what you have to feed him for optimum health. This is especially true if you keep your pet in a more natural outside enclosure. It is also advisable to provide a vitamin and mineral supplement to help nutrition.
This is just a snap shot of what you need to consider if you are thinking of getting a Herman tortoise to care for but they do make fantastic pets and will be your companion for many years to come!
Ellie Bear is a tortoise enthusiast and she owns and maintains http://www.tortoisetips.com where you can find more in depth information on keeping and caring for Herman Tortoise
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