Hello! Soon-to-be owner of a redfoot

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Chewbecca

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Hi, my name is Rebecca.

I'm looking into getting my very first tortoise EVER, a Redfoot.
To say that I'm excited would be an understatement.
I'm waiting for the breeder to email me back.

I've wanted a tortoise since I was little, but I must admit, I know very little about them. I HAVE been researching, though, and I learn SUPER fast. I will be completely set up before bringing the new tortoise into my home, trust me.
I won't purchase one without being set up for it.

I have, um, a book about Redfoots. I'm not sure how up-to-date it is, though.
It's from a series, I believe. It's called Tortoises of the World Volume 4: The Great Redfoot Tortoise
My husband had it as he was considering getting a tortoise years ago.
Normally I am a gecko girl. I own several leopard geckos, five crested geckos, one gargoyle gecko, and one chahoua. My chewie, Pablo Honey, is my favorite. He's in my avatar.


Anyway, I'm hoping to get a 4-5 month old RFT, so it'll be just a wee thing.
From what I've read, I think I should be using sphagnum moss as the substrate. I'm not sure which wattage heat emitter to get for him/her, though. S/he will be kept in my bedroom with my rhacodactylus geckos on a rack until s/he gets bigger and requires a bigger enclosure.
I cannot house him/her outside, though. I will take him/her outside during the day when weather permits, but I cannot house outside.

I've been reading all day long, trying to do as much research as possible.
I cannot WAIT to go out and get all the stuff for his/her enclosure.
I LOVE getting cages ready.

Well, any tips before I bring the little guy home?

Thanks![/u]
 

Yvonne G

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Terry Kilgore, one of our forum's members, has a couple of good web sites with excellent information:

www.redfoots.com
www.turtletary.com

There is also a book by Mike Pingleton that is very good.

The reason we always try to promote Terry's websites is because Terry has posted pictures of babies he hatched, then posted pictures of those same babies as adult tortoises. They are perfect-looking redfoot tortoises, so he must be doing something right! If you read his info and practice what he tells you, you will have a happy, healthy redfoot tortoise.

Yvonne

and
 

jlyoncc1

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Ditto on Terry's website. I do not own a redfoot but do admire them. Glad you are getting ready first! Welcome to the forum!
 

terryo

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Welcome!! You will love your Redfoot. I have mine for two years and have been following Terry K."s caresheets since Pio was a month old. (I am Terry O). So far Pio is nice and smooth and healthy. Hopefully he will stay that way. Good luck and don't forget to post some pictures when you get your lil' guy.
 

Crazy1

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Rebecca, welcome to the forum. I too have used Terry Kilgore's care sheets and enclosure information to care for a little 5 yr old with MBD she couldn't even use her back legs. After 4 months she was walking all over the place. So www.redfoots.com and www.turtletary.com have my vote, I don't think you can go wrong using his method. JMHO. Can't wait to see pic of your little one. Good for you for doing your research first.
 

Itort

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Welcome. I have one question on your setup. Did you say you are housing the little guy with your gecko or did I misunderstand ? Why say this is RFs are very hard on lizards and other herps.
 

Chewbecca

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Itort said:
Welcome. I have one question on your setup. Did you say you are housing the little guy with your gecko or did I misunderstand ? Why say this is RFs are very hard on lizards and other herps.

Thanks, guys!!
I'm getting a RFT from Terry, he's mailing him/her on Monday!!!


And NO. I will NOT be housing the RFT with ANY of my geckos.
I do not place even same species in the same enclosure unless I am trying to get them to breed.
What I said was that the RFT will be housed on the same rack system as my rhacodactylus geckos.:D

I'll take pics of the set up and where he's at.
I'm SO EXCITED!!!
 

egyptiandan

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Welcome to the forum Rebecca :)

Yvonne :cool::D

Danny
 

tortoisenerd

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Congrats in advance! Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you are on the right track.

What I have to add: set up a reptile vet visit for the first week you get the little one. Take their fecal sample with you to test for parasites. Set aside several hundred dollars in an emergency vet care fund, and know what your limit will be as far as spending on the tort. Price out what you need to buy and then add about 50%. hehe

Expensive but so much fun! Actually not too bad once you get set up as you only have vet bills, food, substrate, bulbs, heating bill, etc.

There is actually more good info on torts online than in any book I've read. Most are horribly out of date and have some horrendous recommendations!

One thing you should really focus on is how to create humidity. That is the biggest challenge I have heard, although honestly I do not keep this species.

best wishes!
 

Traveller

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Congrats!
Your excitement is palpable through the computor screen lol.
Redfoots are adorable, you'll be addicted in no time.
Looking forward to pics of your little one.
 

Chewbecca

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Traveller said:
Congrats!
Your excitement is palpable through the computor screen lol.
Redfoots are adorable, you'll be addicted in no time.
Looking forward to pics of your little one.

Thanks, guys!

I spoke with Terry for FOREVER on the phone last night. We spoke about tortoises, geckos (well, I did most of the speaking about geckos), and photography! hahahaha!
I trust that the tortoise he's sending me is going to be healthy.
I told him that my requirements for a tortoise are: Healthy, good appetite, and happy.
See, about 2-3 years ago my husband purchased 5 mud turtles from some guy to have sent to him. Three arrived DOA and the other two died shortly after arriving (I believe they passed the next morning), so my husband was REAL hesitant about us getting a tortoise due to being afraid of having one shipped. He was SOOO heart broken over those turtles that I think he was just burned. Terry was REAL understanding of that and was reassuring that the tortoise we'll be receiving from him is healthy, and he'll pack him just right in the container. Since that incident I've had live geckos shipped to me, and all have arrived alive and healthy, but I ALWAYS get super nervous about having a live animal shipped to me. That incident is always in the back of my mind.

But we'll be going out tonight to get some edible plants, a heat emitter, and various other tiny things we'll need.
I already have calcium withOUT D3 since I need to keep a cap of it in all my leopard gecko cages.
I have an enclosure already since my little one is still a hatchling.
And I have a hide already.

I'M SO EXCITED!!!
My very first tortoise, EVER!
YAY!
 

bettinge

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Don't be nervious about the shipping thing! I have had many reptiles, including torts shipped with no issue what so ever. One lesson that took a while for me to learn is to buy from a reputable breeder and have the critter shipped in. The local store is always cheeper up front, but the cost of dead animals and vet bills will kill you, as you have learned!
 

Isa

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Welcome to the forum!
It is very exciting :D. I have only 1 tortoise and I was like that when I got him :D and I am still like that when I look at him haha lol.
 

daytripper

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i got my lil RF from terry a lil over a week ago, and let me reassure you that he knows his stuff and you are deff. going to be happy..."Willy" as he's been aptly named is doing great and loves his new digs. he was hatched 3\28 of this year and for how small he is he motors arond his enclosure. Just listen to terry and follow his setups and like he says "you'll have a friend for life" =)
 
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