DukeofEdmonton- new family member

[DukeofEdmonton]

Hi all, we recently bought home a red footed tortoise … we are told he’s a year old and probably male. I have a few questions I was hoping someone can help me with. He loves exploring when he’s out of his enclosure, when he’s inside he won’t go anywhere except burrow under his “cave” … Duke doesn’t eat till we hand feed him. It doesn’t matter how many hours, days we leave it thinking he will pop out and get hungry and eat. He Refuses the food pellets the store suggested, loves endives and chicories and mango and occasional tomato. but only if I hold it up in my hand then he walks towards it and eats up. Duke wont even drink till we pick him up and put him inside the water feeder. That’s when he extends his neck and dumps it into the water bowl. Won’t touch the calcium supplement we got. he chirps and yawns and let’s us pet him under his beak and on his head…doesn’t seem stressed at all, is he possibly blind or just part royalty and prefers to be taken care of instead of fetching for himself.

 

[TammyJ]

Hi and welcome, servants of His Royal Uppishness. When the novelty of waiting on him starts to wear thin, take a good read of the care sheet for Redfoot tortoises here, consult @ZEROPILOT and begin at last to relax and enjoy your belatedly discovered freedom!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hi and welcome, servants of His Royal Uppishness. When the novelty of waiting on him starts to wear thin, take a good read of the care sheet for Redfoot tortoises here, consult @ZEROPILOT and begin at last to relax and enjoy your belatedly discovered freedom!

Welcome
Redfoot require very specific conditions in order to thrive.
Please tell us more:
Photos of the enclosure.
The temperature and the heating sources.
The lighting and the UVB source
Your humidity level and humidity source.
The pellet food.
Anything that you can include.
Then we can better help you.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/

redfoot-tortoise-care-sheet.175319/

 

[DukeofEdmonton]

Welcome
Redfoot require very specific conditions in order to thrive.
Please tell us more:
Photos of the enclosure.
The temperature and the heating sources.
The lighting and the UVB source
Your humidity level and humidity source.
The pellet food.
Anything that you can include.
Then we can better help you.

Thank you @ZEROPILOT for the care sheet link.
I’ll try my best to answer all and attach as many pics possible.
Humidity is on average 65-80%, I usually mist the enclosure… it’s a mix of the zoo med eco earth (coconut substrate) & repti bark (pure fir bark) with 2 water dishes and some pebbles… under the basking / heat light is the coconut husk hay looking material (I threw the package so can’t remember exact name of it) we have a uvb strip and two bulbs (not the coiled ones) switch the brighter one off at night and turn the red heating one for him. I got him the slate plate to eat off cause I thought the one the store suggested was awful access for the little guy. I have a few potted succulents in the enclosure. He never eats the pellets, wet or dry. Prefers fresh produce and the occasional frozen mango chunk (hand fed, ofcourse) , we brought him home in April and just now have stared letting him walk around outside in our backyard.

 

[DukeofEdmonton]

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/

redfoot-tortoise-care-sheet.175319/

I can’t access the sheet - get the oops something went wrong message

 

[DukeofEdmonton]

Hi and welcome, servants of His Royal Uppishness. When the novelty of waiting on him starts to wear thin, take a good read of the care sheet for Redfoot tortoises here, consult @ZEROPILOT and begin at last to relax and enjoy your belatedly discovered freedom!

Hahaha! Oh Lordy, He’s totally got us at his beck and call …

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Redfoot Tortoise Caresheet

REDFOOT TORTOISE CARESHEET ALL Tortoises on the planet require that 4 parameters be "IN BALANCE". How this is accomplished ( or required ) is as varied as there are regions and keepers on the planet. Temperature - Humidity - Lighting - Diet Redfoot tortoises require the same parameters -...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I can’t access the sheet - get the oops something went wrong message

Yes. I see that.
Try the one in my next response

 

[DukeofEdmonton]

Yes. I see that.
Try the one in my next response

Got it! Thank you. I went and changed his food- I realized they gave me the wrong one… now I have the tropical food pellets but he enjoys his fresh leaves and flowers best. I also got him a new ceramic heater - just above the log he loves to stay under most the day … so it’s a tad bit warmer too. He has the red night light heater on one end. I’m confused if that’s alright or should we have got him a blue night light instead. He’s always under the log - till we pick him up and soak him. I don’t think he’s a year old tbh, he’s so tiny, so I’m guessing this poor baby just needs more time to adjust. I’ll keep posting as things come along, I’m hoping to make the set up ideal for Duke to grow happy & healthy with us. Thank you

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Got it! Thank you. I went and changed his food- I realized they gave me the wrong one… now I have the tropical food pellets but he enjoys his fresh leaves and flowers best. I also got him a new ceramic heater - just above the log he loves to stay under most the day … so it’s a tad bit warmer too. He has the red night light heater on one end. I’m confused if that’s alright or should we have got him a blue night light instead. He’s always under the log - till we pick him up and soak him. I don’t think he’s a year old tbh, he’s so tiny, so I’m guessing this poor baby just needs more time to adjust. I’ll keep posting as things come along, I’m hoping to make the set up ideal for Duke to grow happy & healthy with us. Thank you

Actually, colored lights aren't good for tortoises.
The colors, especially red, makes inedible things look like food. And nights need to be dark.
12 hours of simulated daytime and 12 hours of night time. The Ceramic heat emitter can be used day and night for warmth. A programmable thermostat may or may not be required to avoid overheating

 

[snowman04]

Welcome to the world of Torts! This forum is great for giving sound advice and care so read often and enjoy your redfoot... There is a lot more to these little guys than most think but they are worth all the time and effort it may take to keep them healthy and happy!

 

[TammyJ]

So. If I may humbly and obsequiously enquire, how is His Most Royal Highness doing recently?

 

[DukeofEdmonton]

Haha. hey Tammy. It’s nice and warm here in Edmonton right now so we take him out … that’s the only time he walks/ moves and yes finally eating by himself. Eating and pooping. He likes his soaks but in about 2 minutes he’s bumping his head on the edge of the bowl to be let out. We got him some treats from the pet store but over all he’s loving the red tinted leaves. He has a new heater in his enclosure so the temperature & humidity is good. I’ve also stopped leaving the “red” night light/ heater on in the night. The only thing that concerns us is that the minute he’s back in his enclosure he goes and hides under the cave. Sometimes he’s asleep and some days I park and see him sitting eyes open. He never roams around and explores inside his enclosure. What are we doing wrong. Also I’m going to take a pic of his underbelly …I keep reading about shell rot and just want to make sure the markings are not cause he just sits in one place all day & night. I honestly wish we knew how old he was so we know what behaviour to expect of him.

 

[TammyJ]

If you are following the instructions in the care sheet, he should be warm, humid and eating and moving around in the day quite a bit, and getting his daily warm soaks, like it or not, and at night he should be warm, humid, dark and sleeping. Check your temps and humidity levels and keep them correct and steady. If he is not sick, he will thrive with the recommended conditions and diet.

 

[DukeofEdmonton]

If you are following the instructions in the care sheet, he should be warm, humid and eating and moving around in the day quite a bit, and getting his daily warm soaks, like it or not, and at night he should be warm, humid, dark and sleeping. Check your temps and humidity levels and keep them correct and steady. If he is not sick, he will thrive with the recommended conditions and diet.

He never moves from under his hiding cave … like never. Humidity & temperature are as per the guidelines. Please tell me this isn’t shell rot?

 

[Ink]

It almost looks like a burn. Did they have a heat rock or something else in his enclosure? I'm not an expert. Just asking. Welcome to the forum

 

[DukeofEdmonton]

Hey. No heat rock or anything if that sort. The heater is placed on a clamp up in the side of the enclosure. It’s almost like the little rectangles are peeling from all corners. Could the little guy be shedding?

 

[Beasty_Artemis]

No! Sounds like a burn, or dehydration!!!!