Hermann's Tortoise

Adults need a large, escape-proof enclosure, ideally an open-topped tortoise table or, best of all, a secure outdoor pen at least 2 to 2.5 square metres for one animal (bigger is better). Outdoor pens should have walls sunk into the ground and a solid barrier because tortoises dig and climb; provide a deep, dig-friendly substrate such as a topsoil and sand mix. Include a shaded cool hide, a basking area, edible plantings for grazing, and a shallow water dish for soaking and drinking. Avoid cramped glass tanks with poor airflow, which cause stress and respiratory issues.

Strict herbivore needing a high-fibre, low-protein, calcium-rich diet of weeds and leafy greens. Feed a varied mix of dandelion, plantain, clover, sow thistle, mallow, hibiscus and other broadleaf weeds and flowers, plus edible garden plants, and provide grasses and hay for fibre. Avoid fruit, high-protein foods and shop salad staples like lettuce and spinach as regular items. Dust food with calcium (with D3 if UVB is limited) and always provide a cuttlebone; graze-feed most days with the occasional light fast.

A diurnal basker from a sunny climate. Provide a basking spot of 35 to 40 C, a cooler end and ambient of 24 to 29 C, and allow a natural night drop toward 18 to 22 C. Strong UVB is essential for shell and bone health: use a high-output UVB source giving a basking UVI of about 3.0 to 4.0 (Ferguson Zone 3 to 4), or better still natural unfiltered sunshine. Keep humidity moderate around 40 to 60 percent (higher, near 50 to 70 percent, for hatchlings to prevent pyramiding), on a 12 to 14 hour photoperiod. Healthy adults may brumate in cool months under guided, vet-informed conditions.

Best kept singly, especially indoors. Males harass and ram females and each other, and mixing can cause stress, injury and bullying at food, so cohousing needs large outdoor space and careful monitoring. Tortoises tolerate gentle handling and soaking but are not social with people; minimise handling and let them roam and graze.

Provide a large, varied space with grazing plants, digging substrate, basking and shade zones, logs and gentle slopes to explore. Real outdoor time in sunlight, foraging for scattered weeds, and seasonal variation all support natural behaviour and good welfare.