Something isn’t right with my Redfoot’s shell

okebro

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Jun 20, 2014
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I recently went to a flea market and saw a tortoise there sitting in a small glass box barely long enough for her to move her arms much less even turn around and it just broke my heart so I took her in. I have an enclosure for her (pictures attached) and I got her a tub to soak in 2 times a day and I feed her daily and I think I’m taking good care of her but her shell seems to have these dips in it that I can’t seem to fix. I thought she was dehydrated so I started to make her the “pedialyte” mixture that is listed on here a few times and it doesn’t seem to be working so I thought it could be shell rot and I’ve used some homemade remedies with no luck so now I’m turning to y’all to help figure out what is wrong with my new friend. Any feedback would be appreciated.IMG_1510879062.869572.jpgIMG_1510879100.354254.jpg
IMG_1510879139.843068.jpg
 

Bambam1989

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What your seeing is pyramiding. This happens when a tort is kept in too dry of conditions. What is there can not be undone but you can help to prevent further pyramiding with proper care.
 

JoesMum

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This redfoot needs a much bigger home. The substrate (all of it right to the bottom and into the corners) needs to be damp to raise humidity and the air temperature needs to be 80F day and night. It needs a UVB tube lamp rather than a basking lamp with a Ceramic Heat Emitter and thermostat to keep the air temperature steady.

@Anyfoot are you about to provide the detail?
 

Anyfoot

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I recently went to a flea market and saw a tortoise there sitting in a small glass box barely long enough for her to move her arms much less even turn around and it just broke my heart so I took her in. I have an enclosure for her (pictures attached) and I got her a tub to soak in 2 times a day and I feed her daily and I think I’m taking good care of her but her shell seems to have these dips in it that I can’t seem to fix. I thought she was dehydrated so I started to make her the “pedialyte” mixture that is listed on here a few times and it doesn’t seem to be working so I thought it could be shell rot and I’ve used some homemade remedies with no luck so now I’m turning to y’all to help figure out what is wrong with my new friend. Any feedback would be appreciated.View attachment 223063View attachment 223064
View attachment 223065
Hi @okebro

Looks like this tort has lacked the correct anything.
Redfoots are forest animals so require low levels of lighting with no basking spot at such a young age.
Set it up with a 3" layer of moist coir then a layer of orchid bark and/or Cyprus mulch.
Temps want to be 82/86f throughout the enclosure. Use a CHE on a thermostat for this.
For lighting use a small uvb tube type light that will fit width ways across your enclosure. Put this light at one end over the feeding slate. The other end will be darker then, ideal for redfoots.
Spray your tortouse carapace every morning and evening. Humidity levels want to be around 80%. Your best using a closed system to maintain ambient temp band humidity levels. The water from a water dish should evaporate to help with humidity. The water dish needs to be big enough so your tort can self soak. Terracotta dishes work fine.
Put some moist spagnhum moss in and around your hide.
I think you really need to get the diet right for this baby. Feed weeds/greens every day. 3 days a week give it a piece of fruit the size of its head, 3 days a week give it a piece of mushroom the size of its head and 1 day a week give it some protein too. Personally I would use low fat cat food with vitamin D3 in it. The D3 part is very important. Also I would sprinkle some calcium powder on the food twice a wk. Put a cuttlebone in the enclosure too.
That enclosure will let too much light in. Can you black out the back and ends on the outside. You also need to be looking at making a bigger enclosure.
It looks to me like it's more than pyramiding, maybe some MBD kicking in. So calcium and D3 is essential to help with healthy bone growth.
Does he walk ok or drag the rear limbs a bit?


Glad you rescued the poor little guy.
 

okebro

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Jun 20, 2014
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Hi @okebro

Looks like this tort has lacked the correct anything.
Redfoots are forest animals so require low levels of lighting with no basking spot at such a young age.
Set it up with a 3" layer of moist coir then a layer of orchid bark and/or Cyprus mulch.
Temps want to be 82/86f throughout the enclosure. Use a CHE on a thermostat for this.
For lighting use a small uvb tube type light that will fit width ways across your enclosure. Put this light at one end over the feeding slate. The other end will be darker then, ideal for redfoots.
Spray your tortouse carapace every morning and evening. Humidity levels want to be around 80%. Your best using a closed system to maintain ambient temp band humidity levels. The water from a water dish should evaporate to help with humidity. The water dish needs to be big enough so your tort can self soak. Terracotta dishes work fine.
Put some moist spagnhum moss in and around your hide.
I think you really need to get the diet right for this baby. Feed weeds/greens every day. 3 days a week give it a piece of fruit the size of its head, 3 days a week give it a piece of mushroom the size of its head and 1 day a week give it some protein too. Personally I would use low fat cat food with vitamin D3 in it. The D3 part is very important. Also I would sprinkle some calcium powder on the food twice a wk. Put a cuttlebone in the enclosure too.
That enclosure will let too much light in. Can you black out the back and ends on the outside. You also need to be looking at making a bigger enclosure.
It looks to me like it's more than pyramiding, maybe some MBD kicking in. So calcium and D3 is essential to help with healthy bone growth.
Does he walk ok or drag the rear limbs a bit?


Glad you rescued the poor little guy.
 

okebro

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Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
4
Hi @okebro

Looks like this tort has lacked the correct anything.
Redfoots are forest animals so require low levels of lighting with no basking spot at such a young age.
Set it up with a 3" layer of moist coir then a layer of orchid bark and/or Cyprus mulch.
Temps want to be 82/86f throughout the enclosure. Use a CHE on a thermostat for this.
For lighting use a small uvb tube type light that will fit width ways across your enclosure. Put this light at one end over the feeding slate. The other end will be darker then, ideal for redfoots.
Spray your tortouse carapace every morning and evening. Humidity levels want to be around 80%. Your best using a closed system to maintain ambient temp band humidity levels. The water from a water dish should evaporate to help with humidity. The water dish needs to be big enough so your tort can self soak. Terracotta dishes work fine.
Put some moist spagnhum moss in and around your hide.
I think you really need to get the diet right for this baby. Feed weeds/greens every day. 3 days a week give it a piece of fruit the size of its head, 3 days a week give it a piece of mushroom the size of its head and 1 day a week give it some protein too. Personally I would use low fat cat food with vitamin D3 in it. The D3 part is very important. Also I would sprinkle some calcium powder on the food twice a wk. Put a cuttlebone in the enclosure too.
That enclosure will let too much light in. Can you black out the back and ends on the outside. You also need to be looking at making a bigger enclosure.
It looks to me like it's more than pyramiding, maybe some MBD kicking in. So calcium and D3 is essential to help with healthy bone growth.
Does he walk ok or drag the rear limbs a bit?


Glad you rescued the poor little guy.

She walks normally and seems to have a ton of energy but her eyes are definitely sunk in and he skin looks cracked and neglected. I’m working on getting a bigger tank for her but no local pet stores seem to have one bigger than the one I already have. I have to go out and get a uvb light and calcium supplements for her as well. Also thank you so much for the diet suggestions because everywhere I read something different so it’s good to have someone telling me. Also is the cypress bedding okay for her or should I get something else?
 

okebro

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Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
4
She walks normally and seems to have a ton of energy but her eyes are definitely sunk in and he skin looks cracked and neglected. I’m working on getting a bigger tank for her but no local pet stores seem to have one bigger than the one I already have. I have to go out and get a uvb light and calcium supplements for her as well. Also thank you so much for the diet suggestions because everywhere I read something different so it’s good to have someone telling me. Also is the cypress bedding okay for her or should I get something else?

Also what is MDB? I just assumed it was pyramiding on his shell
 

Anyfoot

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Cyprus mulch is good. But you need some moist moss in the hide.

I didn't see the water in the tank earlier :rolleyes:. It looked as though the legs were spread wide but it's actually because the tort is in water.
Anyway I would still keep on top of the calcium and vitamin D. When you get the UVB light be sure to set it at the recommended height. Too high and your tort won't get the benefit of D3 from the uvb bulb.
 

TammyJ

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Okebro, I would like to welcome you as a new member although apparently you joined in 2014 - don't really get that!
Anyway, welcome, and thank you for rescuing this tortoise! You came to exactly the right place for expert help.
 

Millerlite

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Your best bet is to build a tortoise table. There are many threads on here for ideas. Petstores usually don't get large enough tanks. Even the biggest glass tanks are usually not wide enough. Building a tortoise table let's you control the dimensions and make it work for your tortoise. Good luck with this little guy

Kyle
 

Yvonne G

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. . . or, go to a home improvement store and buy two of the biggest plastic tubs you can find. Then you can put them together any way you can figure out. One way is to cut holes in opposing ends to fit a large PVC pipe through (pipe big enough for the tortoise to fit through). Another way is to cut off opposing ends and put them together. I wouldn't spend all that much money getting an aquarium when the plastic tubs are so much cheaper.
 

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