GGambleGG
New Member
So I’ve always wanted a tortoise since I can remember and it’s only been in about the past 3-4 months I’ve seriously considered taking in the responsibility so I started doing research and read about everything I could find on redfoots since they seem easier to keep comfortable for a first timer, we’ll I had kind of planned on waiting until spring or summer as I’m from Charlotte NC so it’ll get down to the 30’s, but between being excited about a tortoise and wanting a pet my fiancé got a baby red foot for us as an early Christmas present the 24th from a non chain pet store (the same store I bought my spider who was healthy), the place is kind of sketchy. he doesn’t immediately seem unhealthy, but the pet store lady helped her pick the stuff out and and sold her just a t8 bulb, not the actual light, and told her she doesn’t need a heat lamp?. Being as it was closed along with Walmart and anywhere else I could get a heat lamp/uvb lamp from until after Christmas. I’ve been trying Reddit and Google and everyone says something different so I’m lost, I just want him to live till I can get him what he needs when Walmart or petco opens. All I could think is just try and make it as close to a jungle in South America for him so I’ve got a legitimate heating pad, like one for humans, under just one corner of a plastic box with some substrate that seems like garden mulch and is straight up lumber to him to try and crawl through, but I added some clean soil I screened, not much just enough so it wasn’t all wood in there, I’ve misted him pretty generously and I’ve given him if anything a little extra soak as he was disgusting when i got him but his butt was clean, and he’s been pretty active, I’ve seen him taking a few bites of greens and he had a few bites of a strawberry during his soak, but he’s not pooped yet, I’m guessing stress? I know how important the sun is so I made sure to get him in some direct sunlight for about 15/20 mins but left him a shady spot in case he wanted to chill I’m hell bent and determined to make sure this guy stays happy and healthy but it’s hard to know what’s good information because everyone seems to say differently and I figured this would be the best place to weigh the advice so my questions are
1. What is the actual temp range I’m looking for
2. How fragile are these guys biologically, I know physically they’re prone to blockages and I know about shell rot but I mean how resilient are they to climates, stress, environment changes, I know he’s not the happiest at the moment but like how tough are they really?
3. What should I be using for substrate? I’m not sure if the exact age, not a hatchling but I wouldn’t guess any more than 2 years, but I know rough stuff helps file them up but I worry about the splinters in his eyes and food hurting him
4. He’s not got the smoothest shell, it’s not cracking but do babies have rougher shells? It’s not terrible but one ridge is pretty deep, which is why I gave him extra soaks and sprays and and so worried about the light
5. The house stays roughly 65-70, and while he’ll have his uvb today and a nice humid spot, is humidity And temperature outside of the uvb/heat lamp super bad for just 2 days I see people walking redfoots around their living room and stuff so at what point is too much time for them away from the proper moisture levels and temp?
any help would be awesome, thank you!
and I say “his” because his name is Clyde but we know nothing about how to tell their gender lol
1. What is the actual temp range I’m looking for
2. How fragile are these guys biologically, I know physically they’re prone to blockages and I know about shell rot but I mean how resilient are they to climates, stress, environment changes, I know he’s not the happiest at the moment but like how tough are they really?
3. What should I be using for substrate? I’m not sure if the exact age, not a hatchling but I wouldn’t guess any more than 2 years, but I know rough stuff helps file them up but I worry about the splinters in his eyes and food hurting him
4. He’s not got the smoothest shell, it’s not cracking but do babies have rougher shells? It’s not terrible but one ridge is pretty deep, which is why I gave him extra soaks and sprays and and so worried about the light
5. The house stays roughly 65-70, and while he’ll have his uvb today and a nice humid spot, is humidity And temperature outside of the uvb/heat lamp super bad for just 2 days I see people walking redfoots around their living room and stuff so at what point is too much time for them away from the proper moisture levels and temp?
any help would be awesome, thank you!
and I say “his” because his name is Clyde but we know nothing about how to tell their gender lol