Buried all day

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HarleyK

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I didn't want hijack another thread, but is it normal for a 1.5 year old red foot to hide all day? I understand hatchlings do this, but my tortoise is getting old and over 4".

He has to be physically pulled out of the substrate to be fed. He is hand fed occasionally and then buries himself and peeps his head out of the dirt. When will he snap out of it?

I'm wondering if I need to add decorations..increase the temp?
 

Mgridgaway

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RE: Burried all day

Could you describe you habitat? Size, heating, lighting etc?
 

HarleyK

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RE: Burried all day

Mgridgaway said:
Could you describe you habitat? Size, heating, lighting etc?

Well he's in a 35 gallon opaque Rubbermaid with eco-earth/coconut fiber as the substrate with moss mixed in. The temps are a stable 83 F with a hot spot of approximately 92 measured with a temp gun. As for lighting, it has indirect sunlight.

What do you think Mgridgway?
 

Mgridgaway

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I don't have a ton of experience with Redfoots, but since yours is still young it might just still be in hiding mode. What are your humidity levels and substrate moisture? Maybe it's trying to bury itself in moist substrate?

In any case, cage enhancements are a good idea. Try hiding food, placing colorful balls (red) that he can bite at/push, hang food to make him work for his meal, etc.

How does he handle when you pick him up? Is he timid? Does he retract his legs if you touch them?
 

HarleyK

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I try to keep the humidity at around 65% and I make sure the substrate is moist (misted 2x/day atleast). He's super happy during feeding time and doesn't retract his legs during these times. But after he's full he gets shy again and hides.
 

Mgridgaway

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To me it sounds like you've got everything down. It might just be his personality :)

I'd like to hear others chime in though.
 

ascott

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The two RFs here like to hang back in their hiding corner...there is a silk plant that is sunk into a cup that I have filled with soil....and that is the same corner that is their cooler side and has a dry soil spot as well..the rest of their enclosure is pretty damp most of the time...they do sneak out from time to time to lay under their basking spot (day heat as well as at night under their night heat light) and if I don't see em out under the heat I put em there and they stay for awhile and when I feed them they are out for a bit but then they toddle back off to the hiding corner...I have one that is 5" and one 6" ish inches......I do not know exactly how old mine are..I adopted them a few months ago....what you describe sounds normal and perhaps you don't see when they muck about??
 

LindaF

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Does he have a hide so he doesn't always have to bury himself? My RF is almost 2 years old. He still likes to hide but comes out to eat on his own. I used to have to remove him from his hide to eat, but once I found the correct balance of light, heat, and humidity he comes out on his own. Most mornings he is waiting by his food dish now. After he eats and thru out the day he sneaks from hide to hide. He has six hides to choose from.

I don't mean to say something upsetting, but a 35 gallon bin seems way too small. He needs space to move around and explore. My guy out grew his 50 gallon bin in just a few months when he was a baby.
 

Angrycowgoesmoo

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Mine never dug underground but he used to always hide in his little cave and I would always have to get him out to let him eat. Then one day I did some enhancement to his cage left food in there for a whole day and when I woke up it was gone! :D I kept thinking "Is anyone eating his food for him?" but then I caught him once and I thought it was a ghost because he was also chewing on his cuttle bone. But I think yours probably just have a shy personality. (He is about 2-3 inch)
 

stuntdouble

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I think it's time of year this is starting to seem to be a common thing. Noticed my guys have been slowing down a little. They don't hibernate but do slow down....
 
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