HELP Tortoises are inactive

[JakeSnake9502]

I own two redfoot Tortoises that are around the same age (for some reason one is growing faster then the other) and they just sit in their hide all day everyday. They are about two years old now and I've had them since they were hatchlings. The basking temperatures are correct and they have a variety of greens and fruits so I don't understand the problem.

Any help would be appreciated

 

[wellington]

Saying things are correct really doesn't help us to help you. Your a fairly new member and we have no idea if the info you got for the last two years is correct. I see they are quite pyramided and you say nothing about humidity which they need a high percentage of which would have helped them to not pyramid. Also your keeping a pair together which is also not a good idea.
So give us the details of your temps, basking, all over and night. Is there any humidity at all and if so what is it? Diet and is water available to drink and any warm soaks given. Size of enclosure too. As much housing and care info you can think of.

 

[JaySparks]

I own two redfoot Tortoises that are around the same age (for some reason one is growing faster then the other) and they just sit in their hide all day everyday. They are about two years old now and I've had them since they were hatchlings. The basking temperatures are correct and they have a variety of greens and fruits so I don't understand the problem.
View attachment 214092
Any help would be appreciated

This happened to my little guy once. He is incredibly active and loves to bask. one day I woke up and I notice he didn't come out of his hide for at least 3 days. I later found out that the window near his enclosure was not shut properly. i've now move him far from the window and I've not that him not being active ever since. I notice that although you seem to think that the temps are right on one spot it does not mean that it is the same temp on the spot that the tortoise is on.

 

[JakeSnake9502]

Saying things are correct really doesn't help us to help you. Your a fairly new member and we have no idea if the info you got for the last two years is correct. I see they are quite pyramided and you say nothing about humidity which they need a high percentage of which would have helped them to not pyramid. Also your keeping a pair together which is also not a good idea.
So give us the details of your temps, basking, all over and night. Is there any humidity at all and if so what is it? Diet and is water available to drink and any warm soaks given. Size of enclosure too. As much housing and care info you can think of.

I soak them twice to three times a week
I do occasionally spray them down and I do have sphagnum moss in there to help retain some of it but I've been told by multiple people that redfoots will adapt to the environment and not need nearly as much humidity as the Wild ones.
Their diet usually consists of greens like romaine lettuce and fruits like strawberries and stuff like zucchini, squash, asparagus, and tortoise dried food I bought from a store.
Housing consists of a rubber made tub that is about 2 by 2 feet (their outdoor enclosure makes up for it since I am constructing them a much bigger indoor enclosure at this time) and they only come indoors at night and are outside most of the day. Basking area temperatures are at a steady 94-100 degrees Fahrenheit and rest of the enclosure is in the 80s. And for the pair part I planned on getting a few cherry head females to live with them as well.

 

[daniellenc]

94-100 is waaaaay too hot. Red Foots do not need temps over 86 and overheating will cause a sluggish tortoise.Temps between 80-86 are ideal. I also have to say you got some bad information about humidity. Tortoises do not adapt. Instead they will grow slow, pyramid, and fail to thrive. I would lower your temps and increase humidity.

Your diet also needs some help. Romaine, carrots, zucchini, asparagus, and squash should not be staples. These guys eat weeds!! Grocery greens and veggies should be added but weeds need to be your staple. There are plenty of links here to safe weeds to feed as well as better grocery greens to be adding. I would work on diet and enclosure before adding more tortoises to the mix, and probably consider separating them for awhile.

 

[JaySparks]

I soak them twice to three times a week
I do occasionally spray them down and I do have sphagnum moss in there to help retain some of it but I've been told by multiple people that redfoots will adapt to the environment and not need nearly as much humidity as the Wild ones.
Their diet usually consists of greens like romaine lettuce and fruits like strawberries and stuff like zucchini, squash, asparagus, and tortoise dried food I bought from a store.
Housing consists of a rubber made tub that is about 2 by 2 feet (their outdoor enclosure makes up for it since I am constructing them a much bigger indoor enclosure at this time) and they only come indoors at night and are outside most of the day. Basking area temperatures are at a steady 94-100 degrees Fahrenheit and rest of the enclosure is in the 80s. And for the pair part I planned on getting a few cherry head females to live with them as well.

http://imgur.com/a/FmL2N read the last sentence. you're most likely keeping them in a too hot environment. As far as my knowledge goes red foot tortoises love humidity. Can you post pictures of the enclosure and info on your lights. I wouldn't keep 4 tortoises together.

 

[JakeSnake9502]

94-100 is waaaaay too hot. Red Foots do not need temps over 86 and overheating will cause a sluggish tortoise.Temps between 80-86 are ideal. I also have to say you got some bad information about humidity. Tortoises do not adapt. Instead they will grow slow, pyramid, and fail to thrive. I would lower your temps and increase humidity.

Your diet also needs some help. Romaine, carrots, zucchini, asparagus, and squash should not be staples. These guys eat weeds!! Grocery greens and veggies should be added but weeds need to be your staple. There are plenty of links here to safe weeds to feed as well as better grocery greens to be adding. I would work on diet and enclosure before adding more tortoises to the mix, and probably consider separating them for awhile.

I got the temperature from kamp kenan's redfoot video. They also eat weeds and stuff while they're outside but I'll add carrots and more weeds to the mix aswell. For the two years they've been together I've never had one problem with them fighting. I bought them as a pair and they've been together forever

 

[JakeSnake9502]

http://imgur.com/a/FmL2N read the last sentence. you're most likely keeping them in a too hot environment. As far as my knowledge goes red foot tortoises love humidity. Can you post pictures of the enclosure and info on your lights. I wouldn't keep 4 tortoises together.

This is their sleeping enclosure where they come to sleep till I get their permanent indoor one


And this is their outdoor enclosure and they're in it if I'm not watching them outside otherwise if I'm out they just free roam

As for my lighting these are the lights I use

 

[JaySparks]

This is their sleeping enclosure where they come to sleep till I get their permanent indoor one View attachment 214123


And this is their outdoor enclosure and they're in it if I'm not watching them outside otherwise if I'm out they just free roam View attachment 214124

As for my lighting these are the lights I use View attachment 214125

unless your covering the top of the tub you're keeping them in there no way for them to have enough humidity. I would also get them a much bigger tub it looks too cramped.

 

[JakeSnake9502]

unless your covering the top of the tub you're keeping them in there no way for them to have enough humidity. I would also get them a much bigger tub it looks too cramped.

Yeah like I mentioned I am currently building them a new indoor enclosures out of an old bookshelf and I can try to figure out how to make the walls taller so humidity stays

 

[Eduardo Hernandez]

I got the temperature from kamp kenan's redfoot video. They also eat weeds and stuff while they're outside but I'll add carrots and more weeds to the mix aswell. For the two years they've been together I've never had one problem with them fighting. I bought them as a pair and they've been together forever

One of them being bigger than the other is a sign that there is a dominance issue. The smaller one isn't getting enough food, water, basking time, etc. That is why one is bigger than the other one.

 

[Maitaimommy]

Agression/ dominance is certainly a possibility! One could be female and one male. The indoor arrangement is temporary and once the outside enclosure is set up it should be much better.

 

[AmberD]

Agree with the above comments. Red foots like it 80-86 don't need a hot "basking" area. Your outdoor enclosure could use some shade (plants to hide in, a water bowl big enough for them to fully fit into with water up to where plastron meets carapace.) Good you are upgrading your indoor enclosure, but making the walls taller and leaving the top open will still not fix the humidity issue unless your house is over 75% humidity. Red foots need much more humidity than others, even outside you could mist them. Do you know all of those plants/weeds inside their enclosure are edible? They will not differentiate between what is safe and what is not.

 

[JakeSnake9502]

Agree with the above comments. Red foots like it 80-86 don't need a hot "basking" area. Your outdoor enclosure could use some shade (plants to hide in, a water bowl big enough for them to fully fit into with water up to where plastron meets carapace.) Good you are upgrading your indoor enclosure, but making the walls taller and leaving the top open will still not fix the humidity issue unless your house is over 75% humidity. Red foots need much more humidity than others, even outside you could mist them. Do you know all of those plants/weeds inside their enclosure are edible? They will not differentiate between what is safe and what is not.

Yeah they are edible for them. The problem is I can't just get rid of them can I?

 

[AmberD]

Yeah they are edible for them. The problem is I can't just get rid of them can I?

You could dig out and put mulch/soil and plants/seeds/weeds that you know are edible. If you know the weeds already there are edible then that's ok. I would still add plants for shade, hides, and water

 

[JakeSnake9502]

You could dig out and put mulch/soil and plants/seeds/weeds that you know are edible. If you know the weeds already there are edible then that's ok. I would still add plants for shade, hides, and water

What would you recommend for me about the humidity? I can't keep my entire house humid. Is it best to unfortunately get rid of them?

 

[Big Charlie]

What would you recommend for me about the humidity? I can't keep my entire house humid. Is it best to unfortunately get rid of them?

If you can cover their indoor habitat, that will help with the humidity. Wet the substrate. You can use foil around the lights to make a seal.

 

[JakeSnake9502]

If you can cover their indoor habitat, that will help with the humidity. Wet the substrate. You can use foil around the lights to make a seal.

Would it be easier to just get a dryer species of tortoise?

 

[Big Charlie]

Would it be easier to just get a dryer species of tortoise?

Are you serious? What would you do with these? Throw them away?
I only own one species of tortoises but I believe most require some humidity.

 

[JakeSnake9502]

Are you serious? What would you do with these? Throw them away?
I only own one species of tortoises but I believe most require some humidity.

No no I would find someone better equipped for the redfoots then me and give them to them.