Is my red foot tortoise shell healthy

  • yes

    Votes: 1 50.0%
  • no

    Votes: 1 50.0%

  • Total voters
    2

Batmam246

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Hi i got a red foot tortoise it is 5 months old but i am new to tortoises it is my first tortoise could you tell me if my tortoise is stating to pyramid or that is ok like that is normal for a baby red foot tortoise i have a few pic of my tortoise if you want to look and see if he is starting to pyramid it is just i want to find out then if he has start to pyramid i can try to help it stop and could you tell me how i can not make my tortoise pyramiding
 

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wellington

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Doesn't look like it, however, that substrate I would change out to orchard bark and coconut coir mixture. It keeps a better humidity 80% and you can wet the lower layer, coconut coir and have the dry bark on top to prevent shell rot.
 

ZEROPILOT

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Home Depot sells small bags of Orchid bark in the garden department.
Get the type that is just bark. Nothing added.
Dampen it as needed.
Surely there is a Home Depot type hardware store in Ireland?
 

Batmam246

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Hi i am here just trying to get the much info as i can i want to know if my red foot tortoise shell is healthy like won't start to pyramid or anything i just want to have a healthy red foot tortoise here is a few pics of his shell
 

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jockma

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If there is any pyramiding it’s mild enough to be practically invisible when the tortoise gets bigger. However pyramiding does not necessarily mean a tort is unhealthy. Sometimes they grow a little bumpy for no discernible reason. It’s usually caused by chronic dehydration, though.

The skin is dry. Dry skin = dry tort = pyramiding.

What is the humidity % of his enclosure?
 

Gillian M

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Welcome to the forum!

I believe your tort is nice and healthy. And very cute.

Any pics of his enclosure?
 

Batmam246

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i have a tortoise table would that be the reason he has a bit of pyramiding people say it does not keep in humidity in the enclosure
 

Batmam246

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what if i make my room humid i live in a wet place it is very humid where i live it is 80 100 % humid outside
 

jockma

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If your room is that humid, you’d be bound to get mold. It would also be horribly uncomfortable for you I imagine. I think it would be easier to cover her enclosure. The little ones are more sensitive to humidity and develop pyramiding easier. You can try an uncovered enclosure again when she’s bigger.

You don’t have to make it fancy, you can do it quite cheaply actually. I keep my tortoise’s current enclosure covered with two $0.99 clear shower curtains. I’ve also seen people use aluminum foil. Just make sure the heat lamps won’t melt whatever you use to cover the enclosure with. She looks very smooth. A tiny bit of pyramiding is nothing, I promise.
 

Batmam246

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If your room is that humid, you’d be bound to get mold. It would also be horribly uncomfortable for you I imagine. I think it would be easier to cover her enclosure. The little ones are more sensitive to humidity and develop pyramiding easier. You can try an uncovered enclosure again when she’s bigger.

You don’t have to make it fancy, you can do it quite cheaply actually. I keep my tortoise’s current enclosure covered with two $0.99 clear shower curtains. I’ve also seen people use aluminum foil. Just make sure the heat lamps won’t melt whatever you use to cover the enclosure with. She looks very smooth. A tiny bit of pyramiding is nothing, I promise.
i got the humid around 60 % would i need more humidity for my red foot tortoise or he is ok with around 60 % humidity
 

jockma

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Can we see a picture of the enclosure? TechnoCheese is right especially for juveniles. Adults can probably be fine at around 70% humidity but the juveniles need to be kept very humid. Their shells are growing much faster.

It is caused by dehydration so something you can do to help until you get the humidity up is soak him every single day, maybe 2x a day.
 

jockma

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Though with adults I’m only speaking from the experience of other members on this site. I personally would keep humidity above 80% for a redfoot at all life stages just in case.
 

jockma

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It won’t hold humidity well on its own. You might need to supplement with a different substrate like coco coir as wellington suggested.

Coco coir is cheap and comes in compressed bricks, it’s marketed as Eco Earth or Bed-A-Beast. I found some in Taiwan so I assume it should be available where you are.
 

Batmam246

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Can we see a picture of the enclosure? TechnoCheese is right especially for juveniles. Adults can probably be fine at around 70% humidity but the juveniles need to be kept very humid. Their shells are growing much faster.

It is caused by dehydration so something you can do to help until you get the humidity up is soak him every single day, maybe 2x a day.
yeah sure i will take a pic of the enclosure i will send it tomorrow because it is late
 
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