HELP!! New member and can't figure out how to post on visible threads

jvhagerman

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Aug 7, 2018
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95954
Hi, I am a new member and cannot for the life of me figure out how to post on visible established threads. I've used the "contact us" part of the site for help twice weeks apart but I've had no reply and certainly no help.

I've had Genus: Gopherus native desert tortoises since I was a child and have been licensed to have them by the State if California. I recently took in a red foot tortoise as a rescue. He was on Ctaig's List for so very long that I thought maybe I could take him and provide for him. I am now thinking I am in over my head. He is large, about 12 by 10 inches. He has pyramiding from being fed an inadequate diet.

My present concerns:

He doesn't seem very active. He always finds a spot to head in and sleeps most of the day. Is this normal?

He doesn't seem to want to eat much. I've tried spring mix, carrot and cabbage (in moderation), fruits and other vegetables (zucchini, yellow squash, kale, water,melon, cantaloupe, peaches, plums, apples,romaine, roses, California poppies. Of those he seems to like some of the spring mix, the cantaloupe, roses, and a little of the peach. He loves nightcrawler worms but I am unsure how much of this to feed him. He has absolutely no interest in tortoise pellets. Am I feeding him the wrong things? How often do I let him have the worms?

I've provided a bath for him but he doesn't seen interested. He sometimes takes a drink but doesn't want to be in it for long. If I put him in he is soon out and does't defecate there. He does seem to like to play in the sprinkler and is most active then.

I have dogs which seem to want to attack him (never had a problem with the deserts and the dogs) so now I have to bring him in with me every time I let the dogs out. Is this okay or is it a severe disruption? I also bring him in at night so I won't disturb him when he is sleeping. I put in in a shallow cardboard box in the closet floor. Is this okay?

I am thinking I need to rehome him. I hate to admit failure but his life and well being are much more important than my feelings. I live in Northern California. So I guess I need help in doing this. I want to make sure he goes to somone who can provided a good home and provide for all of his needs. If any of you know someone who can do this I'd appreciate you showing them this thread.

Thank you for answering any of my questions and all of your help.
 

Yvonne G

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You really shouldn't post this on an existing thread. You need to start your own thread when not responding to the question posed on an existing thread. So, you go to the Forum home page and scroll down to "South American Tortoises (genus Chelonoidis)" and click on it. Then you may have to click on "Redfoot and yellowfoot tortoises". Then over on the right side of the screen click on "Post New Thread". Then you just write what you want to say, just like you did when starting THIS thread.

RF tortoises come frm South America and don't live out in the open. They come from heavily planted areas with not much direct sunlight. So if your enclosure is wide open, you may need to add quite a few plants and bushes to make him feel comfortable.

Try feeding more greens. . . endive, escarole, raddichio, mustard, kale, squash leaves, grape leaves, mulberry leaves. Two or three times a week you can add fruit to that. They prefer over ripe fruit, and fruit with small seeds, such as mango.

They also love a moist warm environment. Try setting up a misting system in his enclosure and turn it on on hot days.

Dogs and tortoises don't mix. Eventually your dogs probably would even go after the desert tortoise they've been ignoring. But the reason for their interest in the RF is because he's new to the property and as far as they're concerned, he doesn't belong there.

You can leave the tortoise out when you let the dogs out, just stay there with him until the dogs go back inside. Keep a broom handy so you can swat at the dogs if they get too close to the tortoise.

You have provided a separate habitat for the RF, right? Desert tortoises live out in the open, wide open spaces, hot, minimum plantings, no or little water. AS stated above, the RF tortoise comes from a rain forest type environment, much different from the desert tortoise. Not only that, one should never mix species. They might make each other sick or even dead.
 
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jvhagerman

New Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2018
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
95954
I cannot find the way you say to post. I did what you said and this was the only way I could post. As I said I've asked for help twice in two weeks by the contact us on the site and have been ignored. I am computer literate and know how follow directions except when there is no "post bar." So I posted the only way I could

The Desert Tortoises live in So.Cal while I now live in No. Cal. Never had a problem in over 25 years with the dogs and other tortoises but you are probably right about "new to the property". I'd need something bigger then a broom since to dogs are very large. I don't want my dogs hurt either. I don't think there is a way at this point to ever trust one with the other although I continue to try. I cannot leave him out with the dogs at night or stay out with them all of the time they are as they are large dogs and require much time outside and I sometimes have to be gone when the dogs are out, I work.

I have a mister out for the tortoise. Thanks for the help. I'll try to find the other food items. I live in a very small town and many things aren't readily available.
I really need to know if moving him around is okay and how often he should have worms.

I have posted for rehoming him on the forum. The ability to post there with a new thread came up and was easy to use.
 

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