# I finished the redfoot table



## tortania (Apr 19, 2008)

I finally finished the table today. It's functional, maybe not so artistic, lol. It's my first one ever. I think next time I will waterproof each piece before I put it together instead of lining it. The hardest part was getting each piece to fit the way I wanted, but it still came out okay.






The hide side taken without the flash.





The hide side taken with flash.





Thermometer and hygrometer on the hide side. It hasn't completely warmed up in there yet.





Inside the hide.





The feeding and watering side. I put the water dish there because that's where the habbamist hose is, and it drips. It's filled with distilled water so I figured the water dish wouldn't empty as fast.





Habbamist




Entry into the hide side.





Plexiglass covering to maintain humidity.





Feeding side thermometer.





Ceramic fixture for the heat emitter on the hide side, and the hi protein cat food.


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## Itort (Apr 19, 2008)

Looks good. How well does the Habba mist work?


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## cvalda (Apr 19, 2008)

looks GREAT!

do you have that log hide in teh table somewhere? that's the only thing I'd draw attention to - I learned the hard way, those log hides in HIGH humidity grow mold! I had to throw all mine away!


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## tortania (Apr 19, 2008)

Itort said:


> Looks good. How well does the Habba mist work?



I have it set to go off every hour for 45 seconds. It works really well in keeping the humidity up!


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## tortania (Apr 19, 2008)

cvalda said:


> looks GREAT!
> 
> do you have that log hide in the table somewhere? that's the only thing I'd draw attention to - I learned the hard way, those log hides in HIGH humidity grow mold! I had to throw all mine away!



Yes I do. Thanks for telling me Kelly! I think the humidity is high enough, and it is definitely dark enough that they won't need it. Thanks!!


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## Chucky (Apr 19, 2008)

Looking real good tortania! I would suggest that you put the Fluker's meter down by the substrate though to get a more accurate reading on where the redfoot actually is. Unless he walks on the walls


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## jlyoncc1 (Apr 20, 2008)

Looks good! I have not seen one of those types of Flukers meters before. I am going to have to try to find them.


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## tortania (Apr 20, 2008)

Chucky said:


> Looking real good tortania! I would suggest that you put the Fluker's meter down by the substrate though to get a more accurate reading on where the redfoot actually is. Unless he walks on the walls



LOL, you are right! Thanks Chucky


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## tortania (Apr 20, 2008)

jlyoncc1 said:


> Looks good! I have not seen one of those types of Flukers meters before. I am going to have to try to find them.



Thanks Dee . I purchased two of these Flukers meters at my local Pet Smart. They cost me $17 apiece.


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## Crazy1 (Apr 20, 2008)

Carolyn, it looks great ! You are becoming a regular tort house carpenter . The Flukes meter is the one I use also. I get mine mainly on eBay cause they are usually cheaper there even with shipping when they have them.


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## tortania (Apr 20, 2008)

Thanks for the tip on the Flukers, Robyn. I checked Pet Mountain which is where I usually get my supplies when I can wait because they are cheaper even with shipping! But they don't carry this meter. Now I'm going to have to go check out Ebay!


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## Dreamer (May 5, 2008)

Carolyn, I'm building one like yours! Glad I checked back in.Great Idea to make the other half a hide. Hubby & I were discussing
the hole in the shelf, he wanted to see if he cold take it out. What did ya use to cover the hide side?
Hehe thanks for working out all the "bugs" for me. 
Kay


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## redreptile (May 6, 2008)

Hey tortania, looks great. Will have to ceck out Fluker meter also.
I have ? about heat. Is the heat emitter in the hide the only heat in enclosure?
in. What is temp in rest of enclosure?


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## smoke_kush (Feb 9, 2009)

i hope you arent feeding your tort that cat food....


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## Meg90 (Feb 9, 2009)

Redfoots NEED the protein. This is not a thread about a sulcata. And don't you think that if she were doing something wrong, one of the EXPERIENCED members would have caught it?


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## smoke_kush (Feb 9, 2009)

i have just heard that cat food isn't good for torts. and i have seen alot of things regarding proper care of torts and turtles be overlooked by experienced keepers. i know nothing about redfoots. i didnt mean anything by saying that. but i'm glad that i did, so now i know. sorry if i offended anybody. but please know, i meant no harm.


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## tortoisenerd (Feb 9, 2009)

This tort breed is an exception to the rule and I believe on redfoots.com there is a suggested diet plan for them that uses a special/pure high protein cat food (they are not vegetarian torts). No problem! Hope you're enjoying reading through the posts--that kept me busy for weeks.


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## nrfitchett4 (Feb 9, 2009)

Meg90 said:


> Redfoots NEED the protein. This is not a thread about a sulcata. And don't you think that if she were doing something wrong, one of the EXPERIENCED members would have caught it?



you know, your quick to point out when a newbie has an attitude. 
How about YOU look in the mirror???
(see, I know where capslock button is too)


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## smoke_kush (Feb 9, 2009)

woah guys, it was an honest mistake. and in my defense, there was no attitude to my statement. i was unaware of the diet that is needed for a redfoot. i am glad i asked though. now i am informed


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## nrfitchett4 (Feb 9, 2009)

smoke_kush said:


> woah guys, it was an honest mistake. and in my defense, there was no attitude to my statement. i was unaware of the diet that is needed for a redfoot. i am glad i asked though. now i am informed



it's o.k. your right there was no attitude in your statement, just in the response by someone else. We are all here to learn about these neat "little" guys.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 10, 2009)

smoke_kush said:


> i have just heard that cat food isn't good for torts. and i have seen alot of things regarding proper care of torts and turtles be overlooked by experienced keepers. i know nothing about redfoots. i didnt mean anything by saying that. but i'm glad that i did, so now i know. sorry if i offended anybody. but please know, i meant no harm.



This is the way we learn. No need to apologize. No offense taken. Keep on questioning and never stop learning. I've been rescuing turtles and tortoises for over 35 years and I'm still learning!

Yvonne


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## Maggie Cummings (Feb 10, 2009)

smoke_kush said:


> woah guys, it was an honest mistake. and in my defense, there was no attitude to my statement. i was unaware of the diet that is needed for a redfoot. i am glad i asked though. now i am informed



Don't worry about it you were fine. I certainly would also speak up if I saw a red flag like that, thinking someone was going to feed their tortoise something that they shouldn't. This species needs the protein from the cat food and they also use less UVB rays then other tortoise species...


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## Crazy1 (Feb 11, 2009)

Smoke_Kush, I am glad you were reading back posts and brought the subject up. Yes there are torts out their that eat meat like the cat food (which is high in protien) and worms and even pinky mice, and small chickens. Redfoots are omnivors. They actually get there D3 from the animal protien so they don't need the uvb to efectively utilize calcium in their bodies. Yvonne has some Mountan Browns (?) that also eat some foods (Plants) that are toxic for other torts. Let us not forget we can't paint all torts with the same brush, or lump them in the same bunch.


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## Meg90 (Feb 11, 2009)

smoke_kush said:


> i hope you arent feeding your tort that cat food....



I did find an "attitude" in this post.

To say "I hope you aren't doing that" is to already _know_ that what a person is doing is wrong. I use the very same sentence when I babysit my brother. As in "I hope you aren't on your laptop, because you are supposed to be doing your homework" Usually, he is on the laptop, or I wouldn't have had to say anything at all.

Also, using the disclaimer that you "know nothing about red foots" yet you think that experienced keepers mistreat and overlook health concerns of their tortoises is a completely hypocritical statement. 

If you were unsure of what a RF's diet included, you should have just popped over to the RF and YF section and checked, or simply googled it. When I was new, I did alot of that to help speed up the tortoise "education" process and avoid looking like a newbie.

When you phrase your posts in such a way, in which you already seem to know better, it makes me bristle. I've been on edge since you emailed, and posted for keepers here to "stop harming" their animals by supplementing D3.

I have NEVER tried to cause harm to any one of my pets. And to imply that I did, left a really bad taste in my mouth. But I should have just talked to you about it, and been kinder to you in this thread. I wasn't, but I hope you can see my reasoning. 

All that I ask is that in the future, you try to phrase your questions _as_ questions, instead of insinuating mistreatment when you are not completely knowledgeable on the subject.


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## nrfitchett4 (Feb 12, 2009)

i guess your trying to get this guy's thread locked too? man you just won't quit. Just because someone has 400 posts on here doesn't make them an "expert".


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## Jacqui (Feb 12, 2009)

Okay guys time out!!! 

The one thing you all need to realize that with everything dealing with the care of tortoises (reptiles in general for that matter) is it will be open to debate. Feeding catfood is no exception. Even many breeders of redfoots will tell you not to use catfood. Nothing is written in stone. I think the use of a heatrock (not to use it) is about the most widely agreed on thing out there.

Getting into these mini debates doesn't really help anybody. I know I love debating more then most in here and yes, I slap my own hands way too often for allowing myself to be pulled into them. If you want to debate something, let's try to remember to use the debate section...and then once there remember to not lower yourself to name calling or being abusive.

Also let's not pulled harsh feelings that started in one thread into another completely innocent thread...okay?


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## smoke_kush (Feb 12, 2009)

i really meant no harm. i am very new to the whole tortoise business. i was just concerned because i know that i can't feed cat food to my tort. if you go back and read what i wrote, it's rather innocent. i have apologized many times. it's difficult to communicate with just words. it has no emotion to it!  again, i am sorry if i offended you. it's okay to ask questions , that's what the forum is for.


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## Meg90 (Feb 12, 2009)

I say bygones be bygones! 

I myself can be a little zealous when it comes to my animals...its understandable that you posted the way you did. In your shoes, I might have done the same! The two of us must have very similar personalities lol!

I really liked this table btw. I bet this RF is still very happy!


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## nrfitchett4 (Feb 12, 2009)

smoke_kush said:


> i really meant no harm. i am very new to the whole tortoise business. i was just concerned because i know that i can't feed cat food to my tort. if you go back and read what i wrote, it's rather innocent. i have apologized many times. it's difficult to communicate with just words. it has no emotion to it!  again, i am sorry if i offended you. it's okay to ask questions , that's what the forum is for.



you seem very excited about your tort and you want to learn everything. That is very commendable and I bet your tort will receive years of great care.
Please don't worry about offending anybody (well, except maybe the moderators that can ban you). We are all here to learn.


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## K9KidsLove (Feb 14, 2009)

Hi...I have a question about using distilled water...Is it better to use spring water? Doesn't the distilling process use chemicals?
Patsy


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