Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni)

Short answers

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

Daytime 22–30 °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: 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: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 50–90+ years.

Hermann's tortoise: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–30 °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

14–30 cm depending on subspecies (the Dalmatian form the smallest, the eastern form the largest)

Life expectancy

50–90+ years

Origin

The Mediterranean region: Spain, southern France, Italy, the eastern Adriatic, the Balkans as far as Greece and Bulgaria

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, in all subspecies: winter dormancy 2–4.5 months at 4–8 °C in moist substrate. Unlike the Greek tortoise, this is mandatory regardless of subspecies and is decisive for 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

Collective entry for all subspecies of Testudo hermanni — intended for captive-bred animals from mixed pairings and for animals whose subspecies is not reliably known. The subspecies mainly differ in size and origin; care is essentially the same.

Do you keep this species?

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Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni) currently offered

• Weibl. Griechische Landschildkröte 17J mit Cites und Fundtier – Merzig · 250 €

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Related species

• Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni) – Intermediate to expert
• Marginated tortoise (Testudo marginata) – Beginner to intermediate
• Hermann's tortoise – Dalmatian (Testudo hermanni hercegovinensis) – Beginner
• Hermann's tortoise – eastern (Testudo hermanni boettgeri) – Beginner
• Hermann's tortoise – western (Testudo hermanni hermanni) – Beginner to intermediate
• 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 (Testudo hermanni) 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.