Free range Redfoot in Florida?

[DallasYoung]

Hey there! My wife and I are interested in adding a pet tortoise to our back yard. We live near Daytona Beach Florida. Our backyard is about a quarter acre, so we are interested in redfoots, unless we should consider another species?

I’m planning on building it a home out back, but other than that what else should it need? It will have plenty of grass and weeds in addition to supplemented greens and calcium. If I get a small one (<6”) when can I safely put it out back for good? Will I need to raise it inside for the first year or so?

Thanks in advance for the help and I look forward to learning from this community.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Redfoot would be a great choice for the climate of Florida.

 

[Redfool]

I believe Redfoots are perfect for Florida. Sounds like your planning a good sized pen. I am a firm believer of a pen within a fenced yard. Keeping your torts in the pen is easy, keeping preds out is not. My yard, even though it’s fenced, is part of a raccoon highway. They only go into my pen when there is a stray Mazuri pellet. Veggies don’t attract them, garbage can buffet must taste better. A fence will keep out stray dogs and the scariest pred, the urban coyote. Outdoor Redfoots need to be at least 6” about the same size as the native ornate box turtle adults. I would also consider planting hibiscus bushes away from your house to keep them from being sprayed with insecticide like ones by your house perimeter probably would. Nice, free food for Redfoots. Good job of pre planning and educating yourself beforehand. Please use the search section in this forum or post any question you may have and welcome to the TFO from a fellow Redfoot Floridian.

 

[JLM]

You also have to watch for rats in the enclosure. I have a camera in mine so I view the video and when I see one the snap traps come out. Lots of things to research here. Read the enclosure board for lots of advice

 

[TammyJ]

Welcome to the site and all the best! Look forward to seeing your progress. I think redfoots sound like a great choice for you.

 

[cdmay]

Hi Dallas
Glad you asked first before actually obtaining one.
Volusia County is a great place for a red-footed tortoise. One caveat is that you must be prepared to bring it inside during our more severe cold snaps...like this one coming tonight. I'm exactly 3 hours south of you so I'm used to doing this.
Other keepers go the extra mile and build a heated house of some sort.
As was already mentioned , making your yard escape proof is the first thing. Second would be providing enough vegetational cover so it can escape the midday sun during the summer.

OK, this is the tough part...two words...coyotes and raccoons. You probably already know about both of these varmints.
A 6 inch tortoise may, or may not be bait for these guys. Here's why I say so: I have raccoons that visit my yard nightly, but they never bother with my tortoises that are in the 6 inch+ size range. But, my friend up in Lake County to the east of you, has lost adult red-footed tortoises to raccoons, although that is a very rare thing. Evidently, the raccoons in his area have learned to exploit the tortoises.
As for coyotes, I dunno. I'd worry though.
Keep inquiring, but you might consider starting with a larger individual.
Others will chime in...

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome
I'm further south down in Broward county.
Same basic concerns here.
But I've had minimal issues with predators since a waged war on raccoons several years ago.

 

[DallasYoung]

Thanks for the help! I’m thinking about building a basic wooden house similar to a dog box for it, and letting it roam freely in the backyard. My local pet store has them in stock, and there is a reptile show coming to Orlando in a couple weeks. How long does it have to be raised indoors until I can safely introduce it to the backyard?

 

[BigTomsMom]

I also have a redfoot, he’s about 13”. I am working on an outdoor enclosure as well. Are you going to worry about your tort digging under your fence? I have so many questions about underground barriers. Let me know what you plan to do...

I’m also a new member! Welcome

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Thanks for the help! I’m thinking about building a basic wooden house similar to a dog box for it, and letting it roam freely in the backyard. My local pet store has them in stock, and there is a reptile show coming to Orlando in a couple weeks. How long does it have to be raised indoors until I can safely introduce it to the backyard?

It would come down to the tortoises size and the issues with your location
Here, I can leave babies a few months old outside 24/7. That would not work just anywhere.
I would not let any Redfoot roam my yard. I like fencing or barriers.
They can completely disappear through camouflage and small Redfoot are good climbers.
I have a fenced yard containing an enclosed pen.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I also have a redfoot, he’s about 13”. I am working on an outdoor enclosure as well. Are you going to worry about your tort digging under your fence? I have so many questions about underground barriers. Let me know what you plan to do...

I’m also a new member! Welcome

Digging is not going to be an issue.
But they do like places to hide inside to sleep and to get out if the sun during the day.

 

[Redfool]

Never have seen my Redfoots dig any deeper the their carapace edge line unless they’re wallowing in their mud hole like little pigs.

 

[cdmay]

Never have seen my Redfoots dig any deeper the their carapace edge line unless they’re wallowing in their mud hole like little pigs.

Yeah, that about sums up my experience too. Especially, the little pigs part.

 

[DallasYoung]

It would come down to the tortoises size and the issues with your location
Here, I can leave babies a few months old outside 24/7. That would not work just anywhere.
I would not let any Redfoot roam my yard. I like fencing or barriers.
They can completely disappear through camouflage and small Redfoot are good climbers.
I have a fenced yard containing an enclosed pen.

Thanks for your reply. I think I’ll build a 4’x6’ tortoise table for my back porch and when he gets about 10-12” I will let him roam around my (fenced) backyard.

 

[Madkins007]

Yeah, that about sums up my experience too. Especially, the little pigs part.

I rather like the idea of comparing redfoots to a sort of reptilian pig. My experience was that they love digging, mud, and food.