Post Reply  Post Thread 
Pages (2): « First [1] 2 Next > Last »
New tort owner
Author Message
pitsnherps
Newbie
*


Posts: 7
Group: Registered
Joined: Jan 2008
Status: Offline
Reputation: 0
Post: #1
New tort owner

Hello
I recently rescued my Tort from a situation where the person kept him in a closet with carpet and a light bulb for heat and I do not know if there was UBV.
He has seen my reptile vet and there is no shell damage that we can find.He had very teary eyes but the vet said with humidity that would clear up and it did.
He is currently in a 50 gallon with bead a beast subsitrate that is always wet . 150 watt heat bulb and a 10.0 ubv bulb I would like to get a mercry vapour bulb once I build a new enclosure though..
His enclosure is temporary He is almost 10 inches long from front of shell to back and weighs 3.5 lbs.
I want to build an enclosure for him one with sliding glass doors.
If somebody can post pictures and give me measurments that would be great.
He gets alot of excersise out of his cage so a huge is not neccessary and I would love to have an outdoor enclosure for him in the summer.I dont want a tort table as I dont think it would keep very humid for him.

As far as his diet is he eats Romaine,escarole,carrots,endive,little bit of bok choy,
Strawberry,mango,blueberry,alittle rapsberry .
Is there anything that I could find at the grocery store ?

01-29-2008 07:40 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
JustAnja
Tortoises are venomous right?
*****


Posts: 1,374
Group: Registered
Joined: Aug 2007
Status: Offline
Reputation: 7
Post: #2
RE: New tort owner

Here are a few good food choice items for your Redfoot.

GREENS
The following greens are easily found in most local stores:

Romaine lettuce (occasional)
Red and green leaf lettuce (occasional)
Curly Endive
Escarole
Radicchio
Turnip greens
Mustard greens
Collard greens
Spring Mix
Cabbage (only occasionally)
Chicory

VEGETABLES

Zucchini
Winter squash
Pumpkin
Yellow squash
Carrots
Green Beans (only occasionally)

FRUIT

Strawberries
Cantaloupe
Plum
Pineapple
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cactus fruit (pads and fruit)
Papaya
Mango
Apples (remove seeds)
Bananas (only as a treat once or twice per month)

OTHER GOOD CHOICES (always make sure no systemic pesticides were used)

Hosta
Sedum
Mulberry leaves
Hen and Chicks
Ice Plants
Hibiscus (flowers and leaves)
Prickly pear flowers, fruit and pads (burn the spines off)
Dandelion
Cornflowers Plagiobothrys ssp
Forsythia (flowers and leaves)
Dayflower Commelina diffusa (flowers and leaves)
California Poppy
Plantain (not the banana type fruit….the weed plantago major)
Mallow (flowers and leaves)
Henbit
Rose (flowers and leaves)
Chrysanthemum flowers
Grape leaves

hawks bit

mulberry leaves and fruit

thistle

nasturtiums

wild rose flower and hips

MEAT OPTIONS
pinky mice
boiled chicken
shrimp
organ meat
boiled eggs

They will feed on various bugs when housed outdoors during the warm months as well.

Avoid Spinach, Bok Choy and Iceberg lettuce, Rhubard, beet greens.


Anja Buffalo
Crotalus & Company
Venom-Center
Wisconsin Reptiles Site
WI Turtle & Tortoise Society
01-29-2008 07:55 PM
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
JustAnja
Tortoises are venomous right?
*****


Posts: 1,374
Group: Registered
Joined: Aug 2007
Status: Offline
Reputation: 7
Post: #3
RE: New tort owner

Also if you can come up with a low sided 4ft stock tank used to water sheep you can use that for a tank for him. A setup with sliding glass doors would not be suitable as it would not provide good airflow. Here is one I setup for my redfoots when I got them in. Just cover one end and keep it wet, will hold humidity well.



I ended up using a partial sheet of shower board to cover half of the cage with instead of the boards in this pic.


Anja Buffalo
Crotalus & Company
Venom-Center
Wisconsin Reptiles Site
WI Turtle & Tortoise Society
01-29-2008 07:58 PM
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
pitsnherps
Newbie
*


Posts: 7
Group: Registered
Joined: Jan 2008
Status: Offline
Reputation: 0
Post: #4
RE: New tort owner

Thanks I forgot to mention
Radicchio
Spring Mix
Collard greens
I have added spring mix before from the Grocery store aswell.

01-29-2008 07:59 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
JustAnja
Tortoises are venomous right?
*****


Posts: 1,374
Group: Registered
Joined: Aug 2007
Status: Offline
Reputation: 7
Post: #5
RE: New tort owner

pitsnherps Wrote:
Thanks I forgot to mention
Radicchio
Spring Mix
Collard greens
I have added spring mix before from the Grocery store aswell.


Im not sure if they ship to Canada but I get orders in from http://www.reptileeats.com bi-weekly and Ive been very pleased with their foods. They do offer a forest tortoise mix that would be good for redfoots plus you can order extras to mix in with the mix. Smile


Anja Buffalo
Crotalus & Company
Venom-Center
Wisconsin Reptiles Site
WI Turtle & Tortoise Society
01-29-2008 08:03 PM
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
pitsnherps
Newbie
*


Posts: 7
Group: Registered
Joined: Jan 2008
Status: Offline
Reputation: 0
Post: #6
RE: New tort owner

Thanks.
The enclosure I was thinking of making has vents on either side to have airflow and possibly peice of screen or wire at the top of the enclosure.
I do not know if I have room for a stock tank How much did purchase it for ?

01-29-2008 08:05 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
JustAnja
Tortoises are venomous right?
*****


Posts: 1,374
Group: Registered
Joined: Aug 2007
Status: Offline
Reputation: 7
Post: #7
RE: New tort owner

I picked that one up for $55 I think. They are very reasonable. Its 4ft long, about 2ft wide and about a foot tall. Thats the very least amount of space you probably want to give a 10" Redfoot even if he gets lots of out of cage exercise. Good thing about these tanks is you can move him outside in it in the spring while you get an outdoor pen ready for him and move it in at night to avoid predators. Smile


Anja Buffalo
Crotalus & Company
Venom-Center
Wisconsin Reptiles Site
WI Turtle & Tortoise Society
01-29-2008 08:14 PM
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
cvalda
Violet Rooster
*****


Posts: 1,561
Group: Registered
Joined: Sep 2007
Status: Offline
Reputation: 6
Post: #8
RE: New tort owner

Anja has given all sorts of good advice!

So I just wanted to say WELCOME! I'm glad you are given this tortoise a good home and taking the time to try to get things RIGHT for him! Good job!!!


--Kelly--
http://arataday.blogspot.com
01-29-2008 08:21 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
pitsnherps
Newbie
*


Posts: 7
Group: Registered
Joined: Jan 2008
Status: Offline
Reputation: 0
Post: #9
RE: New tort owner

Thank you.
Well I will call the feed& supply store tommorow and ask about them .
Do red foots need hay or alphlfa ?

01-29-2008 08:49 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
cvalda
Violet Rooster
*****


Posts: 1,561
Group: Registered
Joined: Sep 2007
Status: Offline
Reputation: 6
Post: #10
RE: New tort owner

Nope!!

Stick with the list Anja gave you!

You can also see a good "week at a glance" feeding schedule for RF's here:
http://www.redfoots.com/ydiet.htm


--Kelly--
http://arataday.blogspot.com
01-29-2008 08:54 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Pages (2): « First [1] 2 Next > Last »
Post Reply  Post Thread 

View a Printable Version
Send this Thread to a Friend
Subscribe to this Thread | Add Thread to Favorites

Forum Jump: