Hi, just joined SW today!  I wonder if you guys can help me?  I have three Hermans:
A 10 year old female called Shell who is mother to 4 year Angel.   We lost her father last year so we have a new addition to the family 10 year old Terry. 
I took all three to the Vet last week to get Angel chipped and asked about hibernating as I have never done this before.  To be told that even though I have had Shell for six years I am feeding her and the others incorrectly (they mainly eat pellets), I was told to feed them cactus, weeds and no fruit (which they won’t touch any way, fruit and weeds that is).  They live in an outside enclosure in the summer, which has grass and weeds in and I have planted things in there that they are supposed to like to eat (by the books) i.e. lavender, strawberries, hibiscus etc.  Their house has a lamp and is heated by heat pads 24/7 (not the lamp), but the Vet said that this is wrong and that the heat pads can burn them and the lamp I have is wrong!
In the past I have gone by the books and what previous Vets have told me, which by what I have been told is wrong can anyone advice me on hibernation, feeding and what is the best heat source to use?  The Vet also said that I should have a tortoise table to put the tortoises in before hibernation and afterwards before they can go out into the garden, he also said 8 weeks maximum for hibernation as this is the first year.
HELP!!!!!

Hi lynn, to the site.

For a starter please read our Hermanns care sheet which does cover a lot of your questions, here is the link, you can access this from the left hand column  http://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/site/88.asp together will details on the different methods of hibernation, http://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/site/78.asp and members enclosures http://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/site/58.asp

I hope this helps, any queries just ask away, regards Vivienne

Hi there,

There is so much, often conflicting advice available on how to keep tortoises even amongst vets. I keep Hermanns myself and the caresheet linked to by Viv is pretty how I've always done it. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you like, happy to help.

Yes I agree with Dave , after all my research and  reading, I found the TPG sites care sheets to be easy to understand, and spot on. After all my reading and research, I use the TPG hibernation care sheet very successfully and with confidence. The other care sheets make the whole experience of keeping torts so much less complicated, giving the necessary equipment needed to keep their health good. If you decided to understand why in more detail? then  there are good courses and books out there, if I was you I would just get the immediate things under my belt and go from there.
Look forward to future posts
Jane, Keya & Molly