Hermann's tortoise – Dalmatian (Testudo hermanni hercegovinensis)

Short answers

Hermann's tortoise – Dalmatian: How big does the enclosure need to be?

Keeping them outdoors is essential: a cold frame or greenhouse plus an outdoor enclosure of about 8–10 m² per adult animal; a terrarium alone does not meet their needs.

Hermann's tortoise – Dalmatian: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–28 °C (outdoors / cold frame), basking spot 38–42 °C (basking spot under a heat emitter), at night 15–20 °C (night-time drop).

Hermann's tortoise – Dalmatian: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB essential when kept indoors (Ferguson zone 3, UV index 3–5); outdoors the sun covers it.

Hermann's tortoise – Dalmatian: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 50–90+ years.

Hermann's tortoise – Dalmatian: Is it suitable for beginners?

Yes – it is considered suitable for beginners (difficulty: Beginner).

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–28 °C (outdoors / cold frame)

Night temperature

15–20 °C (night-time drop)

Basking spot

38–42 °C (basking spot under a heat emitter)

Humidity

40–60 % (juveniles need a humid microclimate of 60–80 %)

UVB

UVB essential when kept indoors (Ferguson zone 3, UV index 3–5); outdoors the sun covers it

Enclosure

Minimum size

keeping them outdoors is essential: a cold frame or greenhouse plus an outdoor enclosure of about 8–10 m² per adult animal; a terrarium alone does not meet their needs

Substrate

A garden-soil, sand and loam mix they can dig in; leaf litter or hay for structure

Feeding

Food

Strictly herbivorous: fibre-rich wild herbs (dandelion, plantain, clover, thistle) and flowers; no fruit and no animal protein; calcium (cuttlebone)

Feeding interval

wild herbs freely available every day, no overfeeding, one fasting day a week; juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

14–19 cm (a small-growing local form; males 14–16 cm, females 16–19 cm)

Life expectancy

50–90+ years

Origin

The eastern Adriatic coast: Croatia (Dalmatia), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro

Protection status

CITES Appendix II / EU Annex A: an EU certificate (the yellow CITES form with photo documentation), plus registration and marking duties

Brumation

Yes – brumation of 3–5 months at 4–6 °C (about October or November to March) in damp substrate; essential for its metabolism and life expectancy

Cohabitation

Keeping them singly is straightforward. Group keeping only as one male with several (2–3 or more) females in a large outdoor enclosure with visual barriers; never two males (territorial fights, and constant courtship stresses the females)

Notes

The smallest hermanni local form, often lacking inguinal scutes, and more olive in colour. A common mistake: overwintered too damp or too warm, and overfeeding (pyramiding). The origin matters for the correct winter dormancy.

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Related species

• Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni) – Intermediate to expert
• Marginated tortoise (Testudo marginata) – Beginner to intermediate
• Hermann's tortoise – eastern (Testudo hermanni boettgeri) – Beginner
• Hermann's tortoise – western (Testudo hermanni hermanni) – Beginner to intermediate
• Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni) – Beginner
• Spur-thighed tortoise – Armenian (Testudo graeca armeniaca) – Intermediate
• Spur-thighed tortoise – Golan (Testudo graeca terrestris) – Intermediate
• Spur-thighed tortoise – Iberian (Testudo graeca graeca) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Hermann's tortoise – Dalmatian (Testudo hermanni hercegovinensis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (keeping them outdoors is essential: a cold frame or greenhouse plus an outdoor enclosure of about 8–10 m² per adult animal; a terrarium alone does not meet their needs), substrate (A garden-soil, sand and loam mix they can dig in; leaf litter or hay for structure), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.