deeply concerned about my tortoise

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klobe9

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I have been messing around for a couple days trying to make my new red foot happy, the biggest problems are I can't keep the tank humid enough and the heat. at first i thought the problem was her hide was too cold for her to want to come out, she would stay in there ALL day, not eat anything or move, just dig down into the substrate in the back of her log and stay there. so I took her log away and put a heat lamp directly over her. She just keeps digging herself in like shes tryign to get away, but if she was overheating why wouldn't she run to the other side where there is no lamp? Right now the temperature directly on her is 85f and the humidity is at 70% so I need to know where I am going wrong and what i can do to fix this, I don't want her to get sick or die
 

egyptiandan

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What are you using for a heat lamp? Any other lights?

Danny
 

jorrow

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Try using a ceramic heat emitter. RF's hate bright lights and will hide from them.... I went through the same thing with my RF.
 

klobe9

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I am using a ceramic heat emmiter since yesterday and a heating pad where she sleeps no other lights
 

DuttonWebb

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young redfoots hide most if not all of the day. That is normal. It's their instinct to dig and hide. Anyways...Digging = humidity. They will come out and eat when they get hungry. Don't worry. When I got my redfoot I had to take it out of the dirt to feed it...then it would just crawl back into his hide and dig the same hole.
 

klobe9

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DuttonWebb said:
young redfoots hide most if not all of the day. That is normal. It's their instinct to dig and hide. Anyways...Digging = humidity. They will come out and eat when they get hungry. Don't worry. When I got my redfoot I had to take it out of the dirt to feed it...then it would just crawl back into his hide and dig the same hole.

this makes me feel better, no where on any site did it tell me she would always always go to her hide and dig in for endless hours, I thought she was trying to get away or something was wrong so she was using her instincts to try to fix it herself. What you described is exactly what shes doing, I will physicaly pull her out of her hide and place her directly on the food dish, she will chow down and then book it back to the log
 

Candy

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Our Dale does the same thing except now he comes out more often. I think it's because I put him in his new outdoor enclosure the other day and he's looking to go in it again he liked it so much. It's much too cold right now to put him in it (65 degrees), but by Thursday the weather should be around 78 or so. Anyway, Dale loves his moss and he loves to hide (I think it's cute). I just pick him up when I want to give him love or feed him. He's actually learned now to come out to find the food. He loves it when I keep it around 85 to 90 degrees. Candy :D
 

Jacqui

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It's funny/sad we get so busy telling folks about things to do, we often forget to mention some of the natural things these torts do. In the wild they need to find food and eat it quickly, so they can get hidden again before danger (usually something hungry for fresh tort) can spot them. Years of survival techniques don't just disappear because they are hatched in captivity.

I think some of the most enjoyable time to watch them is when they first peak out and survey the area or food...or simply see the magic hand bringing them food and come flying on tiny feet for the meal. :D Sounds like your little one is doing just fine.
 

drgpenardo

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Gracie used to hide all the time. When I would take her out to exercise or give her some sweet mommy lovin's, she would bolt for the nearest and darkest spot. She was like a cat. I had to earn her trust. Now, she still hides but she's curious and comes out quite a bit. However, she still won't eat if I'm watching-unless it's irresistable fruit day! I guess she's shy. Either way, Gracie made me earn her attention and Rex (my yellow foot) let me rub her right away. Now Rex is more shy and Gracie is just a free spirit.
 
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