Hello,
Yesterday I got my first tortoise, I rehomed him from a family and he's about 6 years old, I will soon be making an appointment with the vet just for a check up, because I dont stop worrying about him!
I haven't seen him drink yet, and he tends to just trail mud through his water bowl, but we are bathing him everyday.
Also on the day we got him he was very active and ate a lot of food and the second day he seemed to want to sleep all day (under his basking light, is this safe??) and I think he has eaten minimal food?
Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right!

Hi Rachael,

What is his set-up like? have you a photo please?

Kindest Regards
Darren

This is a picture (hope it worked!) This was before we put him in it, things have been moved around a bit to stop him climbing, and we added a large shallow bowl as I worried he couldn't reach the other one.
The enclosure is 4x2 ft, and he has a mercury vapour bulb. Let me know if you need more information!

P.s I heard saw him eating this evening and he got more active after his bath, so I'm most worried about the drinking at the moment.

If it is thirsty it will drink. You are bathing lots & I'd suspect it has had a drink. Don't take it to a vet for a check-up. It will stress it for no reason. Just relax & observe it - become aware of normal behaviour. Busy yourself building a nice big outdoor enclosure.
Regards
Tom

Okay thanks, I'm feeling happier today, he has done a wee, which means he must of had a drink and he's also been choosing to sit in his water dish, and I saw him dip his head under the water. So no to the vet check? I don't know much about his background other than he was kept in a vivarium, which is why I was a little worried.
Thanks for the response!

Well Done for getting him out of the viv - your set-up looks fine:-)
As Tom said if he is eating, drinking, there aren't any other problems (nasal passage is clear, no lumps or bumps) - you would no doubt be wasting your money to take him to the vets:-). He's probably just taking a while to settle down.

Hi I also have a Hermanns around the same age. I have had him 3 years now and he is very active and healthy. He does not like to be bathed too much and I bathe him very rarely. He loves a cuttle bone. Your set up looks good but after a while he will be able to climb over the edge so you will have to be careful or get a different set up on the floor. I eventually had to put his set up on the floor ( in a quiet room with wooden floor) with the doors open so that he can climb in and out as he wishes. He gets too hot and sleepy if under his lamp too much, and he is better if I switch the heat off totally at night. He runs after my feet, comes out for his breakfast on a morning ing and is a real member of the family - however it is easy to keep him safe from feet standing on him in my house (not recommended if a big family!). He goes into his outdoor run on warm days with big beach stones to sharpen his beak and nails and improvised rock pools. Good luck with your little tortoise , they are amazing intelligent creatures.

PS I find flat sheets newspaper and straw in his bedding area is better as cannot be inhaled unlike sand etc.

Hello, yes he has already started climbing, so we have used willow around the edges, which has helped a lot, he only has top soil, I didn't like the idea of sand. He has become very active now, and he seems fine now we have determined his typical behaviour. He seems to enjoy baths, and we only do it every other day now, he loves a good run around too, so it means his feet are clean :) He eats a healthy amount now, so i'm fairly happy with how he's doing, I think he just needed some time to settle in :)
Thanks for the information!