I'm completely new to this..

[AnimalLady]

Hello all!

My name is Maria and though I dont own any tortoises YET, I will be owning 2 this coming Saturday.

Quick history~ a few weeks ago my husband brought home a cute land tortoise (he found him at his job), after researching and comparing pix, I come to the conclusion it was a Russian. He wasnt right though, he looked sickly like. I made an appointment with our vet and well.. we didnt make it. He died. I didnt know him for long, but I was crushed. I am a big animal lover and it just broke my heart. This is how i became interested in tortoises.

Ive been reading as much as I can about the little guys and quickly fell in love with Redfoot tortoises. They seem like they would be a good match. I found a breeder and I will be going this Saturday to pick up 2.
He told me they are "hatchlings".
I live in Miami, from what i've been reading, our weather is perfect for an outdoor enclosure.

Here come the questions~

Right now, i have a 4 x 10 area blocked off (it was for the other tort). I placed a piece of plywood down and have covered it with Top Soil (organic). I have a huge log thing in there for shade and I used an upside down frisbee for the water dish (i kinda dug it in the dirt so it sits flush). For the top, i used storage cubes, zip tied some together (the wired kind) and made like a roof type thing so nothing can get in (i use to own a lot of rabbits and had so many of these cubes left over from their bunny condo) . I plan on putting more things in there for shade and for the babies to burrow.

Is it okay for the hatchlings to be outside?
I was planning on buying Moss and placing it all over the enclosure (like a good thick layer), is that okay?


Does this seem okay? Am i missing something?

Also,
Food. Must i feed them catfood? Do they NEED this? Or will dark leafy greens be enough? I read i should feed. 2 days Greens, 1 day fruit, then repeat. And once a month feed some kind of meat...?

I'm sorry for the over load of info, i just want to make sure i do this right.

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

~Maria

 

[Tom]

1. Only get one, or get three or more. Tortoises do not do well in pairs.
2. Outside for hatchlings in a safe enclosure is fine for an hour or two, but little babies do better when they spend most of their time inside in a proper temperature regulated and lit indoor enclosure. Once they get a little older, outside full time with a proper heated shelter will work great.
3. Terra cotta plant saucers work better for water. Frisbees are too slick and possibly too deep for hatchlings.
4. I will leave other diet and care specifics to the people in your area that have more RF experience than me, but GOOD LUCK! and congrats.

 

[AnimalLady]

Thank you for your reply!

My main thing with getting 2 was the fear of the little guy getting lonely.. but if, 1 would be okay.. then thats probably how i'll go, they're not that cheap

Since i live in SouthFL i dont think i'll need heated anything.. maybe in the winter (inserts laughter here) if you even want to call what we get winter. When you say a little older, what do you mean exactly (till their 3-4 months)? I dont have much space to house them indoors.. the breeder i'm talking to says he keeps them on his porch outside in a rubbermaid tub..

I didnt even think about the slickness of the frisbee! I have a bunch of terra cotta planters, perfect, thank you!

 

[Keith D.]

Hello and welcome to TFO.
First I would like to say is you probably want to keep your hatchlings inside in a 20gal long tank for now and probably for there first year, gradually raising the size of the tank. You should either use coco core or sphagnum moss (good quality) for a substrate and keep it moist at all times. You can put them outside for a couple hours and keep a eye on them to make sure they stay safe. Also I think a 100w MVB bulb should be used for heat, light and a little more UVB exposure. Please use new Terra cotta basins for your food and water dishes (food get a 4inch and water like a 6 or 8 inch). The frizbee is not a good idea, not only is it to slick it is also made of plastic which can leech harmful toxins into the water. You will want to cover part of the tank with some aluminum foil or plexi glass ( or all of the tank if you use a light holder and tent the foil over it) it will help retain the heat and the humidity needed for smooth shell growth. Also we all know that reddies cost a bit, but you know what else does, there proper housing and upkeep. If your not able to afford proper care then please don't get a tort or turtle or any herp as they are all pricey to care for. They are not like a dog or a cat that you can just throw some food and water at and they practically take care of themselves, reptiles are a 100% commitment.
As for feeding def go with high calcium greens and from what I have read high calcium insects like dubias and mealworms. I donk know about cat or dog food though, others will have to inform you on that.

 

[AnimalLady]

Keith,
Any animal of mine always has and always will be cared for properly. Ive raised rabbits for most of my adult life, and let me tell you, theyre pricey as hell too but I never sacrificed their quality of care because of $$$... I will not obtain any animal that I cannot properly care for.. so no worries. As a matter of fact, I was only buying 2 because I thought I would be benefiting the tort, if that isnt the case, then i will be happy with 1.

so you say, indoors for a year? I guess i should start reading up on proper housing.

 

[AnimalLady]

Would it be a better idea for me to source a older tort? are hatchlings not for beginners? I can do that too...

 

[Keith D.]

Keith,
Any animal of mine always has and always will be cared for properly. Ive raised rabbits for most of my adult life, and let me tell you, theyre pricey as hell too but I never sacrificed their quality of care because of $$$... I will not obtain any animal that I cannot properly care for.. so no worries. As a matter of fact, I was only buying 2 because I thought I would be benefiting the tort, if that isnt the case, then i will be happy with 1.

so you say, indoors for a year? I guess i should start reading up on proper housing.

Would it be a better idea for me to source a older tort? are hatchlings not for beginners? I can do that too...

Not giving you a rough time or anything, I just wanted to make sure you were compassionate and are getting torts for the right reason. Oh and BTW I know how pricey it is to raise good quality purebred rabbits I raised Rex's for over 20 years. Hatchlings are never easy to care for for a beginner, they have lots of special needs and requirments but so do adults. But adults are easier to tend to outside though, but they still need some supervision and to be properly housed. There are a lot of threads on this forum about reddies, I suggest you start your home work here and not on online websites due to the lack if updated material. Hope this helps.

 

[AnimalLady]

Gotcha, thanks Keith. I'm reading thru all the posts.


Rex's! AHH! My absolute FAVORITE breed. Many mini's came my way! I was a "Rabbit Rescue". I took all the buns no one wanted anymore.

Thanks again!

 

[christinaland128]

I wouldn't advise housing hatchlings, or even juveniles outside without some sort of screen top. I just recently read a thread about a seagull swooping down and taking a fairly big tortoise. Very sad!

Welcome to the forum!

 

[AnimalLady]

Hello!
Oh goodness. I def. do not want that happening. I'll rig the top I have now. I'll attached some chicken wire to it, that should do it.

Thank you~!

 

[wellington]

I good website to read for RF is a member of this forums site. All good info. Check it out, it's tortoiselibrary.com
Oh, hello and welcome

Btw, if you are buying from a breeder that does not start the hatchlings out correctly. If they keep them too dry or on the hatching medium too long. Then an older one may be best. They are a little easier and more forgiving if a little oops happens.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, Maria and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
If you are limited for space indoors then I agree with the others above, one slightly older tortoise would be an easier and safer option for you.
Good luck

 

[Tom]

Thank you for your reply!

My main thing with getting 2 was the fear of the little guy getting lonely.. but if, 1 would be okay.. then thats probably how i'll go, they're not that cheap

Since i live in SouthFL i dont think i'll need heated anything.. maybe in the winter (inserts laughter here) if you even want to call what we get winter. When you say a little older, what do you mean exactly (till their 3-4 months)? I dont have much space to house them indoors.. the breeder i'm talking to says he keeps them on his porch outside in a rubbermaid tub..

I didnt even think about the slickness of the frisbee! I have a bunch of terra cotta planters, perfect, thank you!

Tortoises don't get lonely. Other tortoises are not seen as "friends". Other tortoises are seen as intruders, interlopers and competitors. As I said this can get very personal when there are only two. When there are groups, the hostility usually dissipates significantly. One all alone does great.

They should not live outside full time until they are at least 6-8". This has little to do with the weather and conditions. Hatchlings tend to not do well outdoors. They do better inside. And everyone needs heating equipment in North America for tropical species. They need a shelter to escape the weather and cold winter nights. Even South Florida has cold snaps in the winter.

If you thought getting and housing a tortoise would be as simple as a tub on the porch, you will need to rethink whether or not you really want one. With the right set up, they are relatively easy to care for, at least in my opinion. Some people find it complicated and daunting. Some people find it to be too much hassle, expense and work. A plastic tub outside with no heat, is not going to work well.

This might offer some insight:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Jodie]

Welcome to the forum. Good for you doing your research before getting a pair of tortoises. Hatchlings are not that hard. You can do it. Just get one and set it up inside.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the forum, Maria!

Tortoises are solitary creatures and don't want or need friends.

 

[AnimalLady]

Thanks for all the replies!

The only reason I mentioned a tub on the porch was to give you all the info that they are being raised outdoors. I don't like the idea of having any pet of mine in a small confined area, such as a tub. I really wanted to do an outdoor set up mainly to benefit the tort and allow him ample room as his home.

Right now, I'm shifting one or two ways and I will decide by tonight. Either I'm going to get an older, better established tort.. or I'm going to get this hatchling and set it up inside. Since space in my house is already an issue, I'm leaning towards the older tort.

Is Craigslist a good place to get a tort or should I stick to a pet store?

You all have been so helpful, for that I am thankful!

~Maria

 

[AnimalLady]

So this same breeder has 2 adult female Reds and 1 Adult male Sulcata "big boy". I don't think Sulcata is the tort for me, they are HUGE!

I think I want the adult redfoot. Is $200 a good price? Sounds fair enough to me, but what do I know?!

Here is a pic of the adult Redfoots females, do they look healthy to you?

and I added some pix of the hatchlings too.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

$200 is a fair Florida price for an adult RF. However, I bought two adult females from a breeder more than a year ago and one is still sick. See if the breeder will let you pick out the one you want and then get the most active one.
Otherwise ask why an individual is for sale.
One other thing,. An adult would require in my opinion at the very least a 10 foot square pen. My single RF pen is 18 by 8.
One will do very well alone. They like to be alone..........Or as you already read, you'll need more than 2.
I have six right now.
I recommend getting an adult or sub adult and letting them live in a nice outside pen. They are much easier!
Do you know the breeders first name?

 

[AnimalLady]

No, no idea the name of this breeder, I only have a cell number. Found him off craigslist. I do know the breeder is located in Hollywood.

Outdoor, space is not an issue at all. I can set up a 20 x 20 for this baby, no problem! Its indoors where my space is limited. I'm planning on using cinder blocks for the set up.

I can pick between the 2 he has for sale. I will find out why exactly he's selling.

I really only want 1 now. Really happy they enjoy being alone.

You have 6? That's AWESOME! Must be super fun taking care of them.

 

[AnimalLady]

I have so much to decide.
I'm in contact with yet ANOTHER breeder (so many of them here in Miami! Goodness!)

He claims to have "Hybrid Torts" Yellowfoot x Red foot and Cherry heads? Big Yearlings, $150ea.

I'm getting so lost. I just want a happy healthy tort that will be okay housed outdoors! That is all!