I have acquired a redfoot 4 days ago. He is about 7" long. Don't know the age. He is in one of those large plastic kid pools with deep substrate of Cypress mulch, moist. A large "pool", chow, a hide and heat. He is in the spare bedroom on the bed for now. His table is being prepared. He ate this morning only because I coaxed him to. Then he went right back to his favorite spot next to the hide and close to the heat emitter. The room itself is about 75-78 deg and has a window that he is close to for natural light but nothing direct or strong. He appears to be unhappy. What do you think?

first off his temps need to be higher - ambient temps of at least 80 degrees ALL the time, with a warmer hide in the low 90's. also humidity needs to be DRIPPING.

after all that is resolved... five of my red-foots are just like that. they come out to eat, and then go back to their hide. all the time. that is all they do. there are signs that they might be out a little when i'm sleeping. but i rarely see them except for meal time (and for four of them, it took me about 2 months to get them to come out and eat on their own.)

now my last RF is a freak - he is out ALL the time, banging around, climbing, moving things, splashing in his water! I think he's not normal! ROFL!

Yes, the temps are too low and I would raise them as cvalda said. Also, you didn't say how much light is in his enclosure except for light coming through the window. Redfoots like it on the darker side especially where the hide and heat is.

I have 8 redfoots and they all stay in the hide during the day and come out for food or water only then go back to the hide. Now at night when the lights go out, they all come out and I find them every morning all dug in on the other side of the enclosure.

If your concerned about them never coming out, try making the substrate nice and even or smooth so if they do come out, you will see their tracks or eveidence of where they were.

Is your last one a cherryhead?? Terry told me they don't act "normal". I know that's how my cherryhead acts. Out all the time, looking around, in and out of the water bowl, accept for after meals, then it's nap time

Nope he's not a Cherry-head! He's just a freak is all! ROFL! Even when I take him outside on nice afternoons, he follows me around the yard! It's way too funny!

Any update on your redfoot torts4me?

my new cherryhead hangs out in his cave most of the time, but does walk around every so often and does bask a little bit, which i know is atypical of RF's.

My little Cherry Head is 10 months old now. He used to eat and sleep in his hide until the next feeding. The last couple of months he is roaming around more, drinking more and just sitting....looking around a little.