# Redfoots Basking



## mainey34 (Feb 3, 2013)

This one is at the request of our favorite "REDFOOTSRULE"


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## RedfootsRule (Feb 3, 2013)

To know what he's talking about, and to see all the opinions...
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/post-613035.html
I'm really sad somewhere cared enough about this just to make a thread. The only thing thats going to be accomplished here is a ridiculous amount of insult-hurling....


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## mainey34 (Feb 3, 2013)

Lol...really..im sorry... you requested this thread, did you not? And why did you add the other thread
I see you omitted it to make me look like the bad guy...ok..


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## N2TORTS (Feb 3, 2013)

For my Redfoots and Cherries this space is their yard 365 days a year, the huts in the back are West facing , thus the yard gets sun from sunrise to sunset at different points depending on what time of day it is . It has two main sections to split the different speciesâ€™ of Redfootâ€™s .For this long term captive herd, I have yet on either side seen ANY Redfoots or Cherriesâ€¦ so called basking in the sunlight during the middle of the day. 99% of the time they are cooling off in the hide within the hut and or hiding in one of the many cave/planted areasâ€¦â€¦.not saying it canâ€™t or doesnâ€™t happen just not in my own herd.


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## Baoh (Feb 3, 2013)

My hypo cherryheads do not bask. They will sit under a fogger outlet or bury themselves partially under very moist substrate beneath overhanging foliage. My het hypo animal behaves the same way as the hypo animals in my care. My Gpps and ivories will park themselves under a CHE for a loooooooooooooong time. My Burmese star prefers to sit right under an MVB. My cherryheads prefer it a bit cooler, a bit darker, and a bit wetter.


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## Mgridgaway (Feb 4, 2013)

For what it's worth, I have two redfoots.

Darwin, at 5", spends most of his day in the corner of his enclosure that is dark, permeated with heavy humidifier mist, and has heat rope laid out below him. He sleeps in the same corner most nights.

Harper, at 7", spends most of her day plopped out under the Powersun with her feet sprawled out in full sun worship, or wallows in the watering hole, located underneath the CHE (Jacuzzi, anyone? Harper LOVES it). She usually sleeps in the corner next to the watering hole, mostly underneath the CHE.

Two different redfoots that pretty much inhabit two different sides/microclimates of the enclosure. Without any scientific backing, do you know what this tells me?

Redfoots have personal preferences.

Some redfoots bask, and some don't. In my eyes, both answers are right. Can't we leave it at that?


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## mainey34 (Feb 4, 2013)

Mgridgaway said:


> For what it's worth, I have two redfoots.
> 
> Darwin, at 5", spends most of his day in the corner of his enclosure that is dark, permeated with heavy humidifier mist, and has heat rope laid out below him. He sleeps in the same corner most nights.
> 
> ...


It is a debatable topic. I would like to know others opinions on it and see if they have done their research...


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## RedfootsRule (Feb 4, 2013)

Not much research is needed on it. My red foots bask, most people I talk to say their red foots bask, most red foot care sheets (since "what you read" is so important) say provide a basking spot...Yet at the same time, there are some that do not. Perhaps this is because the ambient temp of the enclosure is to warm, and no basking is needed, and the torts are trying to cool down...Perhaps those torts just don't like sun. This is another one of those "no-answer" debates.

Even though no definite answer can be provided, I agree with mgridgaway....They all have personal preferences. What IS definite, is that you should provide it anyways, in case they decide to use it, as it is beneficial. There is no reason to argue it...


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## Yvonne G (Feb 4, 2013)

Just in case anyone cares - in a debate, each side states their side in a clear and concise manner. The end result doesn't mean that one side now believes the other side's premise. You don't have to convince the other party and change them to your way of thinking. You just have to state your view. It is quite ok for there to be no winners and no losers. 

These types of debate are quite helpful to new tortoise keepers, as long as it is kept civil. Both sides of the coin are presented and the new keeper can choose which side is more suitable to them and their tortoises.

And it doesn't have to keep going on and on. Once you've stated your side of the story, if you have no more to add, it is perfectly ok to stop. There are no points for having the last word.


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## mainey34 (Feb 4, 2013)

My opinion on my Redfoot and basking...my redfoot chooses not to bask. I do not have a basking bulb in my enclosure. I simply keep a 60watt household bulb. There is also a 150 watt CHE for heat and a hide which he spends most of the time in when the light is on. For my tort basking is not needed...
Thats my opinion...im entitled to it. No reason to argue. Its not a myth, its my opinion


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## ascott (Feb 5, 2013)

All four of the redfoot tortoise here will bask both indoors as well as outdoors throughout their day.....


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## shelloise (Feb 5, 2013)

emysemys said:


> Just in case anyone cares - in a debate, each side states their side in a clear and concise manner. The end result doesn't mean that one side now believes the other side's premise. You don't have to convince the other party and change them to your way of thinking. You just have to state your view. It is quite ok for there to be no winners and no losers.
> 
> These types of debate are quite helpful to new tortoise keepers, as long as it is kept civil. Both sides of the coin are presented and the new keeper can choose which side is more suitable to them and their tortoises.
> 
> And it doesn't have to keep going on and on. Once you've stated your side of the story, if you have no more to add, it is perfectly ok to stop. There are no points for having the last word.



Amen to that, well said! I am always interested in reading people's different points of view, but lately have decided to not bother reading the posts when they turn into "I'm right, you're wrong"


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## Cowboy_Ken (Feb 5, 2013)

I've zero experience with red foots, so this maybe out of line on my part. To me, logic would dictate these being a forest tortoise, their need to bask would be very different than say a desert specie that comes from an area lacking a forest canopy.


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## tyler0912 (Feb 5, 2013)

Well, Each Tortoise Has A Difference Preference. My Parents Say- Dad Loves To Sunbathe On Holiday , Mum Prefers Stay In Shade Keeping Cool. Its Personal Preference. TietÃ¡ My Female Basks Most The Day, Where As Tiago Stay Hidden In A Corner Under A Plant Keeping Cool. Same Species, Different Personalities This Is The Way It Is And The Way It Is Going To Be, You Are Both Right. It All Depends On Your Tortoises, Its Not Worth Insulting Over Something Such Petty...


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## mainey34 (Feb 5, 2013)

Let me just clear this up. I did not start this thread to see who was right and who was wrong. There was a heated debate between a few of us on. Another post that some of the posts got deleted. Peter aka"Redfootsrule" requested someone start a thread as a debate on this subject. He believes that redfoots not basking is a myth. So therefore I started this debate.


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## Jacqui (Feb 5, 2013)

mainey34 said:


> Let me just clear this up. I did not start this thread to see who was right and who was wrong. There was a heated debate between a few of us on. Another post that some of the posts got deleted. Peter aka"Redfootsrule" requested someone start a thread as a debate on this subject. He believes that redfoots not basking is a myth. So therefore I started this debate.



I think it was good you started this thread. It has been nice to see the experiences of others in here. Me, I could care less who is seeing themselves as "right" or "wrong", it's all about just getting to read each other's experiences and hopefully folks realizing there is a difference depending where you live, but more dependant on the individual animals.

My redfooted and cherryheads all seem to bask at one time or another. Some bask more and more often, some less. I have to be honest, during the hot days of summer (temps 90-100s) in the highest heat point of the day, I can't recall ever seeing any of mine coming out to bask or even eat or soak. Then again at those temps even the sulcatas tend to be under the shade.


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## RedfootsRule (Feb 5, 2013)

mainey34 said:


> Let me just clear this up. I did not start this thread to see who was right and who was wrong. There was a heated debate between a few of us on. Another post that some of the posts got deleted. Peter aka"Redfootsrule" requested someone start a thread as a debate on this subject. He believes that redfoots not basking is a myth. So therefore I started this debate.



Redfoots not basking is a myth. The reason for denying it is worthless. Several testaments on this thread itself prove that red foots do bask...And there are a few torts out there that don't. 
I currently have 10 red foots (not including hatchlings)...and they all bask. And yeah, south florida. They even bask in the mornings during summer.
There are those few ones out there that don't bask....There is many sulcatas out there that don't' graze, when they are a grazing species...Get it? Some tortoises are just plain odd.
And the most worthless argument I know of..."Redfoots don't bask because they are deep forest tortoises!". Well, guess what...they inhabit a large variety of habitats. A large part of it is made up of grassland...Lots of sunlight there. There are several small parts, inhabited by certain locales (I believe Brazilians) that are more forest. (If you really want to get into that discussion, in the parts where ranges of _denticulata_ and _carbonaria_ over-lap, there is very little to no red foots in the forest, as the yellow foots inhabit it). There are only one or two locales that ACTUALLY inhabit a deep-forest, or even a forest.
And number 2...I don't care whether a hatchling in the wild lives under a pile of leaves, that is under a bush, that is under a tree, that is under a canopy of huge trees (nobody has a clue, the number of times a wild hatchling has been found is microscopic); they aren't in the wild anymore. They are in a completely altered habitat. Most keep them in rather open terrariums; and they acclimate to it. In these open terrariums, they ARE NOT forest tortoises anymore. They are an open grassland tortoise; and oh yeah, they're gonna bask.
So do you know what the verdict is? Supply a basking spot anyways. If they choose to use it, then it will be beneficial to digestion and thermoregulation. If they don't use it, it won't harm them (and how do you know they don't use it when your not watching?).
And to clear up a lie...I said on the other thread that whoever wanted to argue the obvious should start their own debate thread, as it wasn't needed to contaminate the thread of a new owner asking an innocent question. (And being that this is directly replying to a statement, yes it is on-topic.)


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## tyler0912 (Feb 5, 2013)

When Reading This Are You Not Both Arguing For The Same Side. Above Me You Said Redfoots Do Bask, But The Thread Was Because You Said They Dont Bask. So Are You Not ''Debating'' Over The Same Side?
Therefore Is This Not Solved?


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## RedfootsRule (Feb 5, 2013)

tyler0912 said:


> When Reading This Are You Not Both Arguing For The Same Side. Above Me You Said Redfoots Do Bask, But The Thread Was Because You Said They Dont Bask. So Are You Not ''Debating'' Over The Same Side?
> Therefore Is This Not Solved?



Sorry for the confusion. The OP believes red foots do not bask, and don't need to. I believe that is a total myth. (Which it is...)


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## tyler0912 (Feb 5, 2013)

Oh. Okay I Got Confused. OP Said It's You That Thinks Its A Myth So You Have Both Got The Wrong End Of The Stick?


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## theelectraco (Feb 5, 2013)

Here is my RF basking under his night light last night.


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## mctlong (Feb 5, 2013)

I know very little about redfoots, so please forgive me if my question sounds super ignorant, but how do redfoots get their Vitamin D requirements if they don't bask and/or bask minimally? Just curious, since we're talking about basking.


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## Jacqui (Feb 5, 2013)

Folks it seems you are now no longer debating the topic, but debating each other. Stop! I suggest a couple of you to turn off your computer/laptop and go take some walks outside or go spend some time observing your tortoises. Then perhaps you can come back and be civil to each other.


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## theelectraco (Feb 5, 2013)

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-62607.html here is a thread I had posted that has a few more opinions on basking also...


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## mainey34 (Feb 5, 2013)

Agreed. They Dont need a basking light..mine will lay under a 60 watt household light. Ust like i stated in the last posting..


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## theelectraco (Feb 5, 2013)

mainey34 said:


> Agreed. They Dont need a basking light..mine will lay under a 60 watt household light. Ust like i stated in the last posting..what exactly are you getting at? Are you now trying to start an arguement?



I am don't 'debating' on this matter with you, further posts and Pm's will be ignored.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 5, 2013)

It sounds like we're now talking apples and oranges. Semantics? Whatever you call the light, if a tortoise lays under it to warm up, he's basking. I think its time for this thread to be closed.


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