Anything I can do to make my tortoise happier?

.v.

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I have a 4-5 year old red foot that I got a few years ago from an acquaintance. I was told that she was a box turtle, and I’ve recently found out she was a red foot and I’ve been treating her completely wrong. I think she is happy, but I want to double check and see if there is anything else I can do to make her happier.

Right now she is living in this- https://tinyurl.com/ycxbppb6 . I put it in my yard under my mango tree and tied down some banana leaves to the top to keep it shady. I live in a very warm, rainy, and humid subtropical climate so I think that she is ok with the temperature and humidity.

I’ve been feeding her watermelon, blueberries, kale, lettuce, hibiscus leaves, and a box turtle mix that’s just fruit, vegetables, and vitamins (she loves it so I didn’t take it away).

She has her water in a terracotta saucer, that’s a lot bigger than her (I clean it out regularly and she can’t drown in it). She has a pot on the outside portion, she goes in it occasionally. On the inside bit it is completely empty, just soil. I want to put some low light plants in her habitat, I need recommendations on those. I plan on putting coconut substrate in her cage as well.

Is there anything I’m doing wrong? Or anything I could do better? Thanks!
 

mark1

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make a pen that gives him access to the ground ....... they use the ground as one tool to thermoregulate .........
 

.v.

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Ooo ok! The tray can come out from the bottom, I’m afraid she’ll escape but I might have some small fence. I’ll do that.
 

wellington

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She actually needs a much bigger enclosure. That is too small for anything over a hatchling to a year old.
Give her a proper sized outdoor enclosure enclosure and build a locking night box or bring her inside for night time sleeping and safety and let her live outside during the day.
@ZEROPILOT can help with enclosure size needed and in material to use.
 

mark1

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Ooo ok! The tray can come out from the bottom, I’m afraid she’ll escape but I might have some small fence. I’ll do that.
the enclosure walls/fence needs sunk in the ground a few inches ....... a larger enclosue with plant cover and a shrub/shrubs near the center will keep them from digging at the out walls ....... they'll dig in at the roots of shrubs ......
 

Tom

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I have a 4-5 year old red foot that I got a few years ago from an acquaintance. I was told that she was a box turtle, and I’ve recently found out she was a red foot and I’ve been treating her completely wrong. I think she is happy, but I want to double check and see if there is anything else I can do to make her happier.

Right now she is living in this- https://tinyurl.com/ycxbppb6 . I put it in my yard under my mango tree and tied down some banana leaves to the top to keep it shady. I live in a very warm, rainy, and humid subtropical climate so I think that she is ok with the temperature and humidity.

I’ve been feeding her watermelon, blueberries, kale, lettuce, hibiscus leaves, and a box turtle mix that’s just fruit, vegetables, and vitamins (she loves it so I didn’t take it away).

She has her water in a terracotta saucer, that’s a lot bigger than her (I clean it out regularly and she can’t drown in it). She has a pot on the outside portion, she goes in it occasionally. On the inside bit it is completely empty, just soil. I want to put some low light plants in her habitat, I need recommendations on those. I plan on putting coconut substrate in her cage as well.

Is there anything I’m doing wrong? Or anything I could do better? Thanks!
You can build your own, or buy something, but this tortoise needs a very large enclosure. Something around 10x20 feet. Bigger than that would be better. It should have plenty of plants and heavy shade, and a heated night box controlled by a thermostat will keep the tortoise safe from predators every night, and keep her warm during those rare cold spells that you get in winter.

Here is an example:
 

.v.

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Joined
Mar 20, 2022
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4
Location (City and/or State)
South Florida
She actually needs a much bigger enclosure. That is too small for anything over a hatchling to a year old.
Give her a proper sized outdoor enclosure enclosure and build a locking night box or bring her inside for night time sleeping and safety and let her live outside during the day.
@ZEROPILOT can help with enclosure size needed and in material to use
I thought that might be the case. My mother (I’m a minor) bought this after I continually asked to get her out of her bucket she had to call home. I’ll ask her if we could build something, though I’m worried she’ll say no. Thanks a lot for your response!!
 

.v.

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Joined
Mar 20, 2022
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
South Florida
You can build your own, or buy something, but this tortoise needs a very large enclosure. Something around 10x20 feet. Bigger than that would be better. It should have plenty of plants and heavy shade, and a heated night box controlled by a thermostat will keep the tortoise safe from predators every night, and keep her warm during those rare cold spells that you get in winter.

Here is an example:
I’ll see what I can do! I really like this. I covered some problems in another reply on this thread, but if I get an ok from my mother I’ll definitely use the tips from this!
 

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