Humidity

bozotony

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Hi i live in Hialeah florida and was planning on getting a red foot tortoise, but ive been checking the humidity outside and its been 50-60. I plan on putting it outside but the humidity seems to low since ill most likely be getting a young one. Should i still get a red foot or get a different tortoise with a lower humidity requirement
 

Tom

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Hi i live in Hialeah florida and was planning on getting a red foot tortoise, but ive been checking the humidity outside and its been 50-60. I plan on putting it outside but the humidity seems to low since ill most likely be getting a young one. Should i still get a red foot or get a different tortoise with a lower humidity requirement
Any baby of any species needs to be raised in doors in a large closed chamber. No baby should be raised outdoors in any climate.

Maintaining higher humidity is easy in a large closed chamber, and as you baby grows, it can spend more and more time outdoors. Once it reaches around 6 inches or so, it can live outside full time with a heated shelter for night to keep it warm and safe.

If you find one that is already that size, it can live outside full time immediately with a properly heated and insulated shelter, and your varying humidity will be fine for it.
 

bozotony

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May 9, 2022
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Location (City and/or State)
Hialeah Florida
Any baby of any species needs to be raised in doors in a large closed chamber. No baby should be raised outdoors in any climate.

Maintaining higher humidity is easy in a large closed chamber, and as you baby grows, it can spend more and more time outdoors. Once it reaches around 6 inches or so, it can live outside full time with a heated shelter for night to keep it warm and safe.

If you find one that is already that size, it can live outside full time immediately with a properly heated and insulated shelter, and your varying humidity will be fine for
Any baby of any species needs to be raised in doors in a large closed chamber. No baby should be raised outdoors in any climate.

Maintaining higher humidity is easy in a large closed chamber, and as you baby grows, it can spend more and more time outdoors. Once it reaches around 6 inches or so, it can live outside full time with a heated shelter for night to keep it warm and safe.

If you find one that is already that size, it can live outside full time immediately with a properly heated and insulated shelter, and your varying humidity will be fine for it.
Im hoping to get one above 4 inches. the weather here doesn't go below 70 even at night, and the enclosure would be roofed with chicken wire is it still necessary to keep it inside? And by young i mean like 4+ years if thats the correct way to say it.
 

Tom

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Im hoping to get one above 4 inches. the weather here doesn't go below 70 even at night, and the enclosure would be roofed with chicken wire is it still necessary to keep it inside? And by young i mean like 4+ years if thats the correct way to say it.
A redfoot of any age should not drop below 80 at night. I've been in FL, near Ft. Meyers, in March and when I came outside at 7am it was 49 degrees. They can certainly survive that once in a whole, but its not optimal.

For years I've done experiments side-by-side with groups of clutch mates to determine what works best for raising tortoises and why. Raising a baby outside, in any climate, slows their growth tremendously and makes them pyramid. I've observed the same thing countless times in any climate, including FL.

At four years old, a RF will be nearly full grown. A four inch RF is probably close to a year old, unless its has not been started and housed optimally, in which case it would grow slower. At four inches it can go outside daily for a few hours when the weather is nice, but it should still be sleeping indoors at night, and staying inside most of the time in a large closed chamber.

If you want it to live outside full time, get an adult and make a heated night box for it. Like this:

About the chicken wire: It will keep chickens out, but it won't stop raccoons, foxes, coyotes, or dogs. You need something heavier duty than that. For a 6"+ RF, you will need a very large enclosure, and it will be challenging to cover the entire area with chicken wire and still have access to the tortoise and let plants grow. You'd have to build a large walk in type enclosure. That is how I house my stars and it works great. They are completely protected day and night from dogs and any other predators, and I lock them up overnight, too protect them from the cold, rodents, and anything else that could harm them.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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I'm just north of you in Sunrise Florida
The humidity outside is sufficient most of the time. Especially going into the raining season.
In the drier months. Like Winter I use overhead sprinklers to saturate the ground of the enclosure for about 10 minutes every other day.
If I can help you with night boxes and or heating feel free to send me a PM
 
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