Hermann tortoise croak sounds

[swatata]

Hello!

I'm a new owner of a Hermann tortoise for about 2 months now, have not had experience with tortoises before, the tortoise itself is around a year old currently. After a month since I've had it, and it settled into it's enclosure well, I noticed that it has started to make frog like croaks from time to time. Usually those are most common when eating or after drinking (read that it could be just air trying to get out) but sometimes it does it while its just sitting and going around the enclosure with opening its mouth like it is trying to talk to someone. Has been doing that frequently for the last week or so. The most similar video I found of another tortoise making that sound is this: https://youtu.be/l1zvrTzTMgg

She hasn't had any discharge from eyes/nose/mouth or make any other sounds while breathing, has been eating really well with supplements and is enjoying basking (and looks to be happy in general). I only have trouble soaking her in warmer water cause she always try to escape and gets very nervous, but she goes into her drinking water dish and stays there from time to time. Temperatures under the Heat/UVA/B combo lamp are around 32-34 degrees Celsius and at the other part of the enclosure they go down to around 26-28 Celsius at night. I am trying to keep the moisture between 40-60%, once I mist it goes up to around 70%. I am living in a country where it is her natural climate so nothing too much out of the ordinary temp wise. She has been in an indoor enclosure as temps during the night would not have been suitable for her outside.

My main question is, is the croaking which is 99% similar to the one in the video above, something to worry about? I've been trying to record her doing it, but it's at random. Have been reading a lot and see all kinds of different opinions, but really would like someone with more experience to give theirs.

Also, here she is, her name is Terry

[lin]

Hiya, congratulations on becoming a new tortoise owner and what a lovely little one Terry is.

I couldn’t really hear the noise Terry was making but do you find he does it mostly when you’re looking at him or you’re nearby, perhaps made a louder than normal noise. The reason I ask this is because a new tortoise still settling in will display the symptoms you are describing if it is on edge, open mouth (we call it gaping) and gasping to breathe. You could, if you think it might be this, just sit back and very quietly observe somewhere Terry can’t see you and if you think it is this he will be fine. However, what you are describing are also classic symptoms if a lot of illness from RTI (respiratory tract infection) or even worms so for your peace of mind, if you have the slightest hunch that it could be something other than settling in and for your own peace of mind take her along to a vet that is qualified to treat tortoises.
I guess you don’t have a vet yet so here is out list where you can find recommended vets near you.
Please let us know how she gets on over the next day or so and fingers are crossed it just her settling in. X

I forgot to suggest trying to drop the temps a little because Terry could also be a little dehydrated or dry. Aim for 30 deg C. Is Terry in an open top table, inside or outside. He also needs shade for if it’s too hot.
Lin

https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tor ... s-by-area/

[swatata]

Hello and thanks for the reply!

I have not noticed a difference between reacting when me or my girlfriend are nearby, it seems to be pretty confident when we are around it, does not bother it if we are feeding from out hands as well. I managed to record this morning while she was giving a bit of food to start the day before letting her eat from her bowl and managed to capture the exact sound it made https://www.youtube.com/shorts/azAwyPOgSu0

It is around the middle of the vid, could be heard with a turned up volume. It is doing a loud noise when opening and closing it from time to time as it is in the video, never seen it open its mouth for more than a millisecond unless its yawning.

She is placed inside an apartment in an open top enclosure as temperatures are still quite warm. I do have shade for it to hide whenever it needs to, lamp is placed on one end and the other side of the enclosure is quite shady.
Thanks for suggesting vets, but I will need to find one that is in my country as I am not based in the UK.
I have also raised the lamp to get the temperatures lower to around 30 C.

[lin]

Hi
Yes, I caught it that time, thanks for your patience and perseverance
It sounds like a squeak and I don’t think it’s anything to be concerned about. It could be part of the beak rubbing so it might be a matter of looking closely and waiting to try a detect what part of the beak it’s coming from, or just thinking out lout. It might be a noise like we make when we grate our teeth when we wake up and stretch.
What do you think?
Lin

[swatata]

Yeah, I feel like it could be just expressing herself. I do remember hearing it before as well from time to time, but she hasn't been making while sleeping or acting out of the ordinary. Thanks for the responses, will keep an eye on her!

P.S.: The plant database in the website is amazing, it is of so much help!