I must apoligies now im a new owner well my son is but we both look after Riversong our 3 yr old hermanns tortoies. Just wondered how often should i bath her?

Also would it be a wise move to get a vet check as we have rehomed i have papers for her and i have been told she is well, and ould it be an idea to gether chipped?

Hope you can help xxxx cheers Suz in Plymouth

Hi Suz and son 
No need for apologises on this site, we were all new owners once and still continue to learn from each other.
I have always bathed my one as a Hatchling (baby 0-5) and a Juvenile (5-11yrs) every day, not only does it keep her well hydrated but you can see if their urates (White toothpaste looking substance which is toxin being removed from the body) is not gritty, which would indicate dehydration. You can also make sure that the Poo's are OK, oh yes you have entered into another world now!!
Do you know much about the history of your little tort, e.g how they were housed, fed etc and how are housing your new friend? The care sheets opposite are good, I don't know if you have read them yet, but they help to get you started and understand abit more of what your tort needs.
For piece of mind it never hurts to get a new tort checked over, alot depends as well on how she was kept previously and where she was purchased from originally.
Chipping is a personal choice and well worth reading all the pro's and con's before making your decision. I decided to do what they call finger printing, which is taking a photo of the Carapace (Top shell) and the Plastron (Underneath) the plastron in particular is a unique fingerprint to that tortoise, again it is personal choice and you have to decide what you feel more comfortable with and how much "At risk" your tort would be from theft.
Hope this helps, please keep asking it helps us all
Jane

Hi Jane

Thanks very much i did bath her yesturday and she had the while toothpaste so that was good and yes she seems ok just making sure i give her varied died. The history i have on her is that she was a hatchling of 2008 so that will make her 4 this yr her previous owners have fed her on commercial pellit food with garden vegitation like dandilions and so on also they gave her grapes and strawberrys. her housing is indoor and its open top so she has a sheltered hay bed, calci sand area where she basks and i bought repi turf she doe shave rocks and a shallow water dish and food dish. shehas a uvb light and a heat mat in the haybed.

I am looking into getting her a new indoor enclosure and we have an outdoor one already as we have a dog so can let her wonder around unprotected. Im not sure on how often the bathed her but she likes to climb and not sure if she is big fa of it so have not let my son help yet as figured she needs to get used to it really, however i do let her wonder around the house while the dog is out and she loves that.

Thank you so much for your time Jane really nice ot know someone is on hand with advice xxx many thanks Sue

sorry meant to ask is our torty Riversong a hatchling as she is 4 in the summer of this yr?

Hi Sue
It feels like a lot to learn, but once you have the basics in place the rest is enjoyable to learning trust me I know, I am the Original Mrs worry and belt and braces
Unfortunately you was told unwisely about the heat mat, not your friends fault, this is a classic pet shop seller!! you will need to remove the mat straightaway, and I would remove the hay as well, it can be sharp and might harm Riversong (what a lovely name) what other heat light are using? I am so glad you have taken her off the pellets, nasty things, never seen one of those in the wild
Are you dusting the food with nutrobal or lime flour?  this helps to give them the vitimins and calcium that they need, together with your UVB lighting which helps to synthesize the Vit D3 essential for growth.
Jane

Hiya have removed heatmat and we have uvb strip light and the basking light they are close together as i know they obsorb more when warm. What could i use insted of the the hay? and yes i have the nutrobal my neighbour has a well established garden and droped in some lovely leaves for Riversong ive never seen her move so fast lol And thank you fo the comment on her name my son is massive doctor who fan and other than the doctor riversong is is fav character dear of him.

Hi Sue
I know about Dr Who fans my Son in law is one, he tries to get me converted!!
I use strips of news paper, although really you don't need to put anything in there, as long as they are in a shelter/cave/box. My two burrow underneath it, I guess it feels to them like they are burrowing down. At first I used hemp because that was what I was told to use, until it was highlighted how dangerous it could be to the tort, luckily Keya wasn't hurt and I had learnt my first near disaster by listening to the wrong advice. No problems now I know the right sites to visit
Jane 

ideal just ordered a new indoor set up for her so she has a space to go to to relax lol and has plenty of room our plan is that in next few months she will be outside most of the day as we get lots of sunshine from around 9am to 8 pm and thank you so much for your help i dont feel so bad asking what could be daft questions just given her some mixed leafs as we had saland last night and she likes the italian mix with the weeds and seeds that she need dear of her xxxx