I think my turtles are mad at me.

[Mariah Ferranti]

I recently bought two red foot tortoises off of craigslist. they are two years old and have a tank, heat bulb, under tank heater, and all the correct lighting to help them grow which I turn off at night to simulate a day and night cycle.

They have been great, Louiese normally hides in the hut all day and only comes out once in a while. But Gene is out nearly every time I am home. If he sees me watching tv he will come over and look at me and then play in his water bowl and just roam around.

Yesterday I came home and they were both sitting in the corner of their tank on the hot side, dug into their coconut husk and Cyprus mulch substrate just sitting there with their heads in the corner of the glass.

The tank is the warmest it has been since I had gotten them, usually it stays around high 70's but with the days heat it made it to 85. but where they were on the warm end of the tank still under the heat bulb I don't think that's it.

I turned their lights off for the night and they sat their all night. This morning they are in the same position. It's their green's day so I have Kale sitting in their normal food spot but they won't even turn around to look at it.

I fed them mango yesterday before work and I dont think they liked it that much. is it possible they are just mad at me?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I think they are mad that they are still stuck in that tank!

In all seriousness, they don't get "mad" at us. Some will argue that reptiles have emotion but the general consensus is that they don't feel things like mammals or people do.
I'd attribute their stillness in the corner to boredom. I mean really, what is there to do in a small cramped box?

Where in the world are you? Can you set up an outdoor enclosure? Go big, like 10'x10' big or bigger if you can. By bigger I mean like, 50'x50' or even more! You have 2 and they aren't tiny. ...That tank they are in is comparable to a prison cell or small bathroom. Can't really live like that.

Set them up in a large space. Outdoors is best but indoors if you have to. (Indoors aim for 4'x8 or larger) and I bet you'll notice a difference in activity level

Congrats on your new torts. Your adventure with them is just beginning!

 

[Mariah Ferranti]

do they normally just decide within a day that they don't like their tank anymore? this is the tank they came with, and they seemed content right up until yesterday.

I am in Southern Maine. I can bring them outside but I rent an apartment and we are moving to Massachusetts soon (like within 3 weeks) so there's no point in negotiating with the landlord to set up a tortoise space on his lawn.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Mariah, and welcome to the Forum!

I see an awful lot wrong with they way you are caring for the tortoises.

1. - the aquarium is way too small for two tortoises
2. - the aspen bedding (?) is too dry. RF tortoises come from South America and it is warm (not hot) and humid there
3. - I think they are in the corner because its too hot in the aquarium and they're trying to get away from it
4. - The 'A' frame hiding place is way too small to do them any good
5. - RF tortoises need a little pool that they can fit inside of. They like to get in the water and just sit there.

Because you live in Maine, the tortoise won't be able to live outside year round, but during good weather, they need to be outside. I'll give you a link to a thread that shows a very nice indoor redfoot tortoise habitat:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/heres-dales-new-enclosure-picture-heavy.11023/

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Mariah these red foots need moisture they are from south America. The dry bedding you are providing them is terrible for there health it make cause dry skin, and pyramenting over a long time of being in the dry cage.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. I greatly second what Yvonne said. Way too small enclosure and way too dry. Seeing you will be moving soon, I would suggest buying two large plastic totes, not very expensive and join the two boxes together with a tunnel between the two. Use this for their temp home until you move. It will be cheaper and easier to move for now. I would also get them outside as often as possible until you move and after. If you can take them out to roam on a pesticide and fertilizer free yard while you watch them, you won't need to build and enclosure, which would not be allowed by the landlord, seeing your moving soon. Once you move, then get them set up in a bigger enclosure or you could even add onto the plastic totes.
RF do need a high humidity, but the top layer of substrate needs to stay dry to prevent them from getting shell rot.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

I found this good looking cage on google

 

[KevinGG]

Seems like the living conditions are not stimulating and a little cramped. They need a lot of humidity as well as heat.
Here's what I keep my yearling redfoot in.
Indoors: a 6 x 2 closed chamber

With glass


Outdoors: an 8x7 predator proof pen

 

[Mariah Ferranti]

I took them outside and they enjoyed roaming around for a while. I have a new hiding place on order from amazon, they do fit under the "a" frame that the guy from Craigslist gave me with them, but louiese just barely fits so I had planned on a new one anyway.

Can you recommend a good water bowl? I have been using the dish, and they fit in it one at a time, but I can't find anything online that looks like it would be big enough or easy enough to get in and out of for them.

I will start plans for a bigger space for them. Thank you for the link, that looks like a simple frame and pretty easy to build. Is there a different material that could be substituted for the sides? Plexy glass or wire mesh or something? I like to sit and watch my turtles through the side.

Their tank is much cooler today, yesterday was an abnormally hot and humid day for us. today their tank is at mid 70's now about 3 hours after I turned on their lights and basking lamp. it should go a little higher when mid-day heat comes in the apartment but its cloudy today and not going to get near as warm as yesterday.

The guy I got them with gave me a spray bottle, and said to spray them a couple times a day. Should I be spraying down the bedding too? I'm pretty sure its Cyprus mulch or some kind of hay, mixed with coconut coir.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome Mariah. If you want these two to stay alive and healthy, you are going to need to make some major changes to their set up. I hope we can help.

 

[wellington]

You would be better to not spray the substrate, you will only get the top layer and you want that to stay dry. Pour warm water into the corners, this will wet the underneath, keeping the top layer dry. However, cold and wet makes a sick tortoise. You temps at 70 is too low for it to be wet. When you can get rid of the bad substrate and use just coconut coir, or orchid bark.

 

[KevinGG]

Plant saucers work well as water dishes. Topsoil from your yard can work as substrate as long as it's pesticide free. Then you can add plants and cypress mulch to hold humidity. Here is my favorite enclosure. It's from a member on this forum, pfara.

 

[Gillian M]

I recently bought two red foot tortoises off of craigslist. they are two years old and have a tank, heat bulb, under tank heater, and all the correct lighting to help them grow which I turn off at night to simulate a day and night cycle.

They have been great, Louiese normally hides in the hut all day and only comes out once in a while. But Gene is out nearly every time I am home. If he sees me watching tv he will come over and look at me and then play in his water bowl and just roam around.

Yesterday I came home and they were both sitting in the corner of their tank on the hot side, dug into their coconut husk and Cyprus mulch substrate just sitting there with their heads in the corner of the glass.

The tank is the warmest it has been since I had gotten them, usually it stays around high 70's but with the days heat it made it to 85. but where they were on the warm end of the tank still under the heat bulb I don't think that's it.

I turned their lights off for the night and they sat their all night. This morning they are in the same position. It's their green's day so I have Kale sitting in their normal food spot but they won't even turn around to look at it.

I fed them mango yesterday before work and I dont think they liked it that much. is it possible they are just mad at me?

Hi.I've a feeling they 're "imprisoned." I personally live in a fllat which I'm sure my tort does NOT like. It keeps roaming around the house till I take it out for "a walk" in the...SUN. Good luck.

I recently bought two red foot tortoises off of craigslist. they are two years old and have a tank, heat bulb, under tank heater, and all the correct lighting to help them grow which I turn off at night to simulate a day and night cycle.

They have been great, Louiese normally hides in the hut all day and only comes out once in a while. But Gene is out nearly every time I am home. If he sees me watching tv he will come over and look at me and then play in his water bowl and just roam around.

Yesterday I came home and they were both sitting in the corner of their tank on the hot side, dug into their coconut husk and Cyprus mulch substrate just sitting there with their heads in the corner of the glass.

The tank is the warmest it has been since I had gotten them, usually it stays around high 70's but with the days heat it made it to 85. but where they were on the warm end of the tank still under the heat bulb I don't think that's it.

I turned their lights off for the night and they sat their all night. This morning they are in the same position. It's their green's day so I have Kale sitting in their normal food spot but they won't even turn around to look at it.

I fed them mango yesterday before work and I dont think they liked it that much. is it possible they are just mad at me?