Cage info

[Riles15]

Does anyone have a aivituvin cage and use a reptitherm pad to keep the hideout side warm? I’m waiting on my cherry head tortoise to arrive and trying to think of ways to keep that side of that cage warm.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello and welcome! Unfortunately if it’s the kind of set up I think you’re using(one of those commercial wooden tortoise houses) it simply won’t do for the species you’ve chosen. These guys require a really high humidity, you aren’t going to be able to maintain it in an enclosure like that without making serious adjustments, I’ll add an image below with an idea that may work, but I can promise the material it’s made of will last long

For red foots and cherry heads you want to create a 80-86 temperate gradient all over 24/7, no need for a night drop with these guys. You can use ceramic heat emitters to achieve this, they’re none light emitting heat bulbs that run 24/7 on a thermostat. Radiant heat panels can also be used, but these aren’t the same thing as a heat pad, and make sure you aren’t using anything that goes under the set up. All heating should be overhead.

I’d definitely give these threads a read and come back with any further questions!

This housing thread covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc), correct levels, importance of a closed chamber for red foots(only way to maintain the humidity you need indoors), appropriately maintaining the humidity(they are prone to shell rot so this is important! No misters or humidifiers), safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, a diet list and a really handy diet link to check out! If going with a greenhouse, the lower the ceiling height, whilst still allowing for recommended bulb height, the better! But I’ll add some more ideas below for closed chambers

Young red foot/ cherryhead set up

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information on an effective example of a starter enclosure for a red foot/cherry head😊 Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of...

tortoiseforum.org

This includes different closed chambers, some work better than others

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

This idea in particular might help you


Lastly, this one here is good to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Really hope they help! Sorry it’s a lot to go over lol, but feel free to ask any further questions! Welcome to the forum

 

[Riles15]

Hello and welcome! Unfortunately if it’s the kind of set up I think you’re using(one of those commercial wooden tortoise houses) it simply won’t do for the species you’ve chosen. These guys require a really high humidity, you aren’t going to be able to maintain it in an enclosure like that without making serious adjustments, I’ll add an image below with an idea that may work, but I can promise the material it’s made of will last long

For red foots and cherry heads you want to create a 80-86 temperate gradient all over 24/7, no need for a night drop with these guys. You can use ceramic heat emitters to achieve this, they’re none light emitting heat bulbs that run 24/7 on a thermostat. Radiant heat panels can also be used, but these aren’t the same thing as a heat pad, and make sure you aren’t using anything that goes under the set up. All heating should be overhead.

I’d definitely give these threads a read and come back with any further questions!

This housing thread covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc), correct levels, importance of a closed chamber for red foots(only way to maintain the humidity you need indoors), appropriately maintaining the humidity(they are prone to shell rot so this is important! No misters or humidifiers), safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, a diet list and a really handy diet link to check out! If going with a greenhouse, the lower the ceiling height, whilst still allowing for recommended bulb height, the better! But I’ll add some more ideas below for closed chambers

Young red foot/ cherryhead set up

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information on an effective example of a starter enclosure for a red foot/cherry head😊 Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of...

tortoiseforum.org

This includes different closed chambers, some work better than others

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

This idea in particular might help you
View attachment 398280

Lastly, this one here is good to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Really hope they help! Sorry it’s a lot to go over lol, but feel free to ask any further questions! Welcome to the forum

Thank you for your help!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Thank you for your help!

No problem at all

 

[Tom]

Does anyone have a aivituvin cage and use a reptitherm pad to keep the hideout side warm? I’m waiting on my cherry head tortoise to arrive and trying to think of ways to keep that side of that cage warm.

That type of enclosure will not work well for any species or age of tortoise, and it is entirely the wrong way to house a red foot. Those pads are also not suitable for tortoises.

You should delay the arrival of your tortoise until you have the correct housing all set up and running. You need a large closed chamber, and you need the correct substrate, heating and lighting. It needs to be all set up, tested, adjusted and ready to go when the tortoise arrives.

In addition to the above linked threads, check this one out for much more current and correct general tortoise info:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

All of your questions are welcome!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Redfoot need an ambient temperature of 80 to 86, with 82-84 being the sweet spot.
A large temperature gradient isn't required, but it's to be expected with most enclosures.
Search CLOSED CHAMBER ENCLOSURES. It will make keeping this tropical species easier for you and better for your tortoise