can my redfoot live with any other critters in its enclosure?

[RedfootN00b]

Salutations to all, i just got my redfoot tortoise (sheila) and im in the process of decking her enclosure out and was wondering if she can share her enclosure with any other critter? or if i missed a prior topic where this issue was discussed if you can just paste a link here that would be awesome.
btw thanks to this community im understanding the living habits of my tortoise

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

Welcome. Please introduce yourself in the appropriate place too (the introduction section of the forum).

Now to your question... Than answer is yes and no. First thing to take into account before anything else, how big is your tortoises enclosure and what is the environment like? Also, how old is she?

Unless you have a very large, big greenhouse type enclosure, the only successful cohabitants I have ever heard of are hermit crabs. (That is assuming you don't want to mix animals from different regions of the world)

Please let us know about your care procedures of your tort as well. Its important for those who wish to assisst you to understand the whole picture with regards to your tortoise (environment, age, diet, etc).

 

[dmmj]

Some people use hermit crabs to eat bugs in their enclosure, but the hermit crabs tend to get eaten also.

 

[Madkins007]

In the book "South American Tortoises" (Vinke and Vetter), they mention that many large-enclosure keepers they know keep hermit crabs as a sort of catfish to eat waste (including feces), and anoles or geckos to eat the small bugs.

Other than that, I can't think of anything.

By the way, so far my herd has just gnawed on my new trio of crabs, apparently for the calcium in the shell, but now leaves them alone. I'll post more about the experiment when it has gone on for more than a week.

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

Mark, how many sq ft is your enclosure?

 

[Madkins007]

36 square feet, roughly- about 4'x9'. The thing is open to the room, though, so I can't do anoles.

 

[RedfootN00b]

Mark, how many sq ft is your enclosure?

i'ts about 2.5 sq ft. and thx for the info madkins i will await the results of your experimentations although iw as looking for a humidifier for sheila and saw the small crabs and hermits aswell.. here is a pic of what it looked like a few days ago. i've since added the thermometers and fogger (on a timer)

 

[elegans]

I have kept Yellowfoots and Florida Box turtles with Redfoots for years with no ill effects. That said I do not think that I would try anything else other than central American Woods, which would also probably be OK. I would only consider doing this if they were quarantined for at least 6 months; each group treated and checked for parasites before introduction, or raised from CB might be OK??? Mind you I do not generally encourage mixing species. Best wishes to you in the new year. Douglas