Hermann's Tortoise — care sheet

Beginner–Intermediate. One of the best first tortoises alongside the Russian — hardy, friendly, and manageable in size. But "beginner" still means real floor space (ideally an outdoor pen), a specific weed-and-green diet, and a decades-long, hibernating animal that can outlive you. The commitment, not the daily care, is the hard part.

A grazing HERBIVORE that needs a high-fibre, LOW-protein, LOW-sugar diet: mostly leafy greens, grasses, and edible “weeds” (dandelion, plantain, clover) plus flowers as treats. NOT the vegetables and fruit from the produce aisle — those are too rich. Fruit and any animal protein are, at most, rare mistakes to avoid.

Floor space matters far more than height. Indoor minimum is about 22 sq ft of floor for one — an open-topped table or large enclosure, never a small terrarium. A predator-proof OUTDOOR grazing pen is ideal whenever the weather allows, with walls ~24 in above ground and sunk ≥12 in below to stop climbing and digging escapes. They’re happiest kept singly; add floor space per extra tortoise.

Basking area 95–100°F (35–38°C) from an overhead halogen flood on a thermostat (some vets suggest a slightly lower 90–95°F).

Cool/shaded zone 75–85°F (24–29°C), giving a full gradient.

Night below ~72°F (22°C); a natural drop is fine and healthy.

Strong UVB is essential for a diurnal grazer: a T5 HO 12% bulb (Arcadia Desert 12% or Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0) giving UVI 3.0–4.0 in the basking area (Ferguson Zone 3), mounted at the maker’s recommended height (~17–18 in above the shell), plus a bright ~6500K LED for daylight. Run ~14 hours in summer, 10 in winter. Replace the UVB bulb every 12 months.

Adults 40–60%; hatchlings higher at 60–80%, with daily misting or a shallow soak — too-dry keeping is a main cause of a bumpy, “pyramided” shell, so don’t keep a young one bone-dry. A humid hide helps.

A deep, burrowable roughly 50/50 topsoil-and-play-sand mix, no less than 6 in deep, that holds a little moisture and lets them dig. They are avid diggers and burrowers. Spot-clean daily; refresh every few months.

Provide a cuttlebone in the enclosure (calcium + it keeps the beak trimmed), and lightly dust food with calcium; a light multivitamin on a rotation.

Typically 6–8 in (15–20 cm); the larger Eastern subspecies can reach ~11 in, and males are smaller than females

50–90 years — a lifelong, potentially multi-generational commitment

See a reptile or exotics vet if you notice: A soft, lumpy, or badly “pyramided” shell, or a rubbery beak (signs pointing to metabolic bone disease / husbandry problems).; A runny or bubbling nose, or open-mouth breathing (possible respiratory infection — common in tortoises).; Not eating with straining, or a female restless and straining (possible impaction or egg-binding).; An overgrown beak or nails, or swollen/puffy eyes.; Lethargy or weight loss going into or coming out of hibernation — see a vet, don’t “sleep it off”..