A small, hardy Mediterranean tortoise with a yellow-and-black domed shell, prized for its manageable size and long life. As a CITES-listed species it usually requires legal paperwork to keep and sell.
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Small-to-medium; western form ~13-18 cm (5-7 in), eastern form to ~20-25 cm (8-10 in).
Lifespan
50–90 years
Social needs
solo
Native region
Southern Europe (Mediterranean)
Origin
Old World
Climate
🍂 Temperate
Family
Testudinidae
Genus
Testudo
Part of the Tortoises
Tortoises are land-dwelling chelonians with high domed shells, elephantine legs, and long lifespans. Most are herbivorous grazers needing UVB lighting, calcium-rich low-protein diets, spacious enclosures, and (for temperate species) controlled brumation.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Indoor table
4 × 2 ft tortoise table
Testudo hermanni reaches 6–8 in. Minimum is an open 4×2 table with dry Mediterranean substrate, basking 35 °C, 10–12% UVB, hide. Brumate seasonally if healthy. No glass tanks.
Recommended
Larger indoor table
6 × 3 ft+ table
A 6×3 table with edible Mediterranean weed planting, multiple substrate zones, basking gradient, and varied décor. Add more square footage per additional tortoise.
Schwarzweisz / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Outdoor enclosure (seasonal)
Outdoor predator-proof pen, sunny
Seasonal outdoor predator-proof pen with natural sun, edible weed planting, hides, and dig zones. Hardy and well-suited to outdoor life across much of Europe/temperate US.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Egg / Neonate
Most reptiles lay leathery- or hard-shelled eggs incubated by ambient warmth, though some snakes and lizards give live birth. Incubation temperature can influence sex and development in many species.
Photo coming soon
Hatchling
Hatchlings emerge as fully formed miniatures of the adult, often using an egg tooth to slit the shell. They are independent from birth but small and vulnerable, and may show brighter or different juvenile patterning.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile
Juveniles grow steadily, shedding their skin periodically as they enlarge. Coloration and proportions shift toward the adult form, and growth rate depends heavily on temperature, diet, and basking/UVB access.
Adult
Adults reach the species' full length and mass and become sexually mature. Many reptiles show sex differences in size, coloration, or features (such as larger heads, hemipenal bulges, or femoral pores), and continue to shed throughout life.
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Hermann's tortoises do best with spacious, secure floor space rather than tall enclosures. Indoors, a tortoise table or large enclosure of at least 1.2 x 0.6 m (4 x 2 ft) suits a juvenile, with adults needing considerably more; a secure outdoor pen with sun, shelter, and dig-proof, climb-proof walls is ideal in suitable climates. Use a deep, dry-but-slightly-moist substrate such as topsoil/sand or coir mixes that allows digging and holds a humid microclimate in hides.
Provide a thermal gradient with a basking area of about 32-35 C (90-95 F) dropping to roughly 18-22 C (64-72 F) at the cool end, plus strong UVB lighting across the basking zone. Daytime ambient humidity is moderate (around 50-70%), with humid hides for hydration. Healthy adults from temperate stock typically brumate (hibernate) for 8-12 weeks at about 5-10 C (41-50 F); this should be done only with a well-prepared, healthy, parasite-free tortoise.
Substrate
Use a deep, diggable substrate of topsoil mixed with play sand or coco coir (50/50 soil/sand) that holds a burrow shape, topped with hay in cooler areas; depth should allow digging. Avoid dusty calci-sand and wood chips that can be ingested or cause shell rot if damp.
Equipment & setup
House in a large tortoise table or, ideally, a secure outdoor pen for summer grazing, with a basking spot of 90-95F under a halogen and strong UVB (T5 10-12%) for D3 synthesis and healthy shell growth. Provide ambient mid-70s, a cool night drop, low-to-moderate humidity, and a shallow water dish for drinking and soaking.
Diet
Hermann's tortoises are strict herbivores that thrive on a high-fiber, low-protein, calcium-rich diet of weeds, leaves, and flowers. Offer a rotating mix of broadleaf weeds and greens such as dandelion, plantain (Plantago), clover, sow thistle, mallow, hibiscus, and other edible wild plants, with edible flowers as treats. Grass and hay add useful fiber.
Avoid fruit (occasional only), high-protein or colorful commercial pellets, and goitrogen-heavy or watery vegetables fed in excess. Dust food with a calcium supplement (with D3 if UVB is marginal) and provide a cuttlebone; constant access to clean water and regular shallow soaks support hydration. A diet too rich in protein or sugars causes rapid, deforming shell growth.
Behavior & temperament
Hermann's tortoises are diurnal, curious, and relatively bold for a small tortoise, spending the day grazing, basking, and exploring. They tolerate gentle, infrequent handling better than many reptiles but can become stressed if over-handled; floor-level walking and natural foraging are better enrichment. Males can be persistently aggressive toward other tortoises, ramming and biting.
They are best kept singly or, with great care and ample space, in carefully managed groups that avoid single-male-single-female pairing (which can lead to relentless harassment). Provide varied terrain, plants, hides, and a real or simulated sun for natural basking behavior.
Health
Common health problems include metabolic bone disease and shell pyramiding from poor diet, low calcium, or inadequate UVB; respiratory and runny-nose (RNS) infections; intestinal parasites; bladder stones from dehydration; and shell rot from overly wet, dirty conditions. Improper brumation can cause serious illness, so only hibernate healthy, correctly prepared animals.
Prevention rests on a high-fiber weed-based diet, correct UVB and basking temperatures, proper hydration and soaking, and clean, appropriately dry housing. New or wild-origin animals should have a fecal parasite screen, and any nasal discharge, lethargy, or soft shell warrants a reptile vet. As a CITES Appendix II / EU Annex A species, captive-bred animals typically require microchipping and legal documentation.
Tips, DIY & hacks
These are Mediterranean grazers: feed high-fiber weeds and flowers (dandelion, clover, plantain) and avoid fruit and protein to prevent shell pyramiding. Offer a cuttlebone for free-choice calcium, provide a humid hide to aid hydration and smooth growth, and give as much natural sunlight and outdoor grazing as your climate allows. Healthy adults from temperate stock can be cooled for controlled brumation.
