• one of the best tortoises for a new keeper, a wonderful pet tortoise
• aka Mediterranean tortoise, European garden tortoise
• subspecies T. hermanni boettgeri (eastern) and T. hermanni hermanni (western)
• old subspecies T. hermanni hercegovinensis (Dalmatian) is now included in the T. hermanni boettgeri
• for a listing of current subspecies, see the IUCN/SSC Turtles of the World Checklist [offsite]
• from southern Europe
• up to 5"-9"
• lives in semiarid plains
• native to temperate (not tropical) regions
• likes to climb and dig
• hardy, easy to care for, mild mannered, personable, outgoing, active, curious, adaptable
• requires the same care as Greek and Russian Tortoises
• should be kept outdoors during the warm summer months
• large, open tubs or tortoise tables are best for indoor housing
• hibernates in the wild

Naturalistic Keeping and Breeding of Hermann´s Tortoises

• by Wolfgang Wegehaupt
• Wegehaupt, Apr 2009
• this book is brimming with beautiful photos, 352 pages
• one of my favorite tortoise books
• ISBN-10: 3980977447
• ISBN-13: 978-3980977449

Russian Tortoises

• by E. J. Pirog
• TFH Publications, 2006
• includes the Hermann's tortoise
• ISBN-10: 0793828821
• ISBN-13: 978-0793828821

Hermann's Tortoise, Boettger's and Dalmatian Tortoises: Testudo boettgeri, hercegovinensis and hermanni

• by Holger Vetter
• Edition Chimaira, 2006
• 326 pages
• ISBN-10: 3899736028
• ISBN-13: 978-3899736021

Web pages

• BCG - British Chelonia Group's care sheet for Mediterranean Tortoises
• Garden State Tortoise - caresheet and photo gallery of Western, Eastern, and Dalmatian Hermann's Tortoises
• Garden State Tortoise - differentiating Hermanns from Greek tortoises and differentiating Western Hermanns from Eastern Hermanns tortoises, at Webshots
• Garden State Tortoise - differentiating T. h. boettgeri, T. h. hercegovinensis, and T. h. hermanni, at TF bb
• Garden State Tortoise - differentiating Hermanns, Greek, and Marginated tortoises, at SW bb
• Riparian Farms - photos & caresheet
• Slowcoach - Mediterranean tortoises, UK
• Testudo Farm - An excursion into the natural habitats of the Dalmatian tortoise, by Wolfgang Wegehaupt, DE (plus many other articles with photos about Mediterranean tortoises and their natural habitats)
• Tlady's - A Guide to Rearing Mediterranean Tortoises, 28-page care booklet by Linda King, UK
• Tortoise Forum - US bb, Hermann's care sheet
• Tortoise Forum - US bb, Western vs Eastern Hermanns
• Tortoise Forum - US bb, Western vs Eastern Hermanns, updated, Feb 2011
• The Tortoise Table - Timmy & Tammy, UK
• Tortoise Trust - care manual for Mediterranean tortoises, a pdf file
• Tortoise Trust - UK bb, photos of Testudo hermanni hermanni habitat in NE Spain
• Tortoise Trust - UK bb, photos of T. hermanni habitat in Spain
• TPG - caresheet by Tortoise Protection Group, UK

Discussion boards

• Shelled Warriors - UK bb, Mediterranean tortoise discussion board
• Tortoise Forum - US bb, Hermann's discussion board