I'm new...help?

[Madkins007]

does anyone have recommended diet plans I can use a start until I get the hang of it?

Also, Esteban's been in his hideaway and won't come out. I hear scraping kind of noises like he's using his claws against the hideaway. That's normal right? Should I be worried about him eating the cypress mulch?

One nice thing about the cypress is that it is usually too big and tough to eat.

A plan to get started? That would depend a lot on your situation, but a pretty typical starting plan for one small Red-foot would be to buy a head of a high-calcium green, like turnip or collard greens, a small fruit like a plum or mango, and some worms.

You can feed them in any method you want- a little of each every day, or the whole plum and some greens, or whatever works for you.

The real key would be to get something different next time.

One 'trick' that works well is to just feed them from your own meals- some of your salad stuff, a bit of your fruit, and so on.

 

[maiayns]

I tried putting plants for him to hide in instead of the giant hideaway but it seemed like there was still a lot of light leaking in, so I put the hideaway back. Should I buy a smaller hideaway (suggestions?) or should I try again with the plants? Also, I really don't understand his sleeping patterns. I can't see him when he's sleeping so I don't know when to turn off the light and turn on the red light. Or should I just keep the lights on during the day and turn them all off at night? What if he's awake at night and can't see anything? I've had him for three days so far, and can't figure out when he's asleep and when he's awake since hes always hiding in the far back of his cave.

 

[TonkaLuv]

I tried putting plants for him to hide in instead of the giant hideaway but it seemed like there was still a lot of light leaking in, so I put the hideaway back. Should I buy a smaller hideaway (suggestions?) or should I try again with the plants? Also, I really don't understand his sleeping patterns. I can't see him when he's sleeping so I don't know when to turn off the light and turn on the red light. Or should I just keep the lights on during the day and turn them all off at night? What if he's awake at night and can't see anything? I've had him for three days so far, and can't figure out when he's asleep and when he's awake since hes always hiding in the far back of his cave.

Typically the best thing to do is somewhere around 12-13 hours of day and 12 night. Just turn the lights on in the morning and off at night. They are dayurnal (sp?) so he really won't be awake at night much. I know it is way way easier said than done....but try not to worry. You will start seeing him more as he gets used to his new environment. Hiding is normal, especially in the first few weeks. They are naturally shy.....so just let him "come out of his shell" (wink wink) in his own time.

Relax. You're doing great.

 

[Blondeangel]

I tried putting plants for him to hide in instead of the giant hideaway but it seemed like there was still a lot of light leaking in, so I put the hideaway back. Should I buy a smaller hideaway (suggestions?) or should I try again with the plants? Also, I really don't understand his sleeping patterns. I can't see him when he's sleeping so I don't know when to turn off the light and turn on the red light. Or should I just keep the lights on during the day and turn them all off at night? What if he's awake at night and can't see anything? I've had him for three days so far, and can't figure out when he's asleep and when he's awake since hes always hiding in the far back of his cave.

I have that same hide for both of my indoor tortoise habitats. Two sleep inside it, one still prefers sleeping under the fake plants

I do the same thing every morning which has taught my tortoises a good routine. When I wake up I flick on the UVB lights (heat emitter is on constantly because I keep my room quite cool all the time), let the dogs out, feed the dogs(this can take 10-15 minutes), then come back with my container of tortoise salad. By this time both my Leopard Tortoise's(6 months & 10 months) are sitting in front of their empty dish waiting for their food to "magically fall from the sky" My newest addition a pancake tortoise (hatchling - only home for 4 days now) has not settled into this morning routine yet, so after I fill his dish, I take him out of his hide and place him in the center of the habitat facing his salad....within a couple minutes (groggy eyes & a few stretches) he is making way over to eat breakfast. Keeping a good and consistent routine should make him start to feel more comfortable and know what to expect while in a new home/environment situation Well in my opinion anyways!

 

[maiayns]

I tried putting plants for him to hide in instead of the giant hideaway but it seemed like there was still a lot of light leaking in, so I put the hideaway back. Should I buy a smaller hideaway (suggestions?) or should I try again with the plants? Also, I really don't understand his sleeping patterns. I can't see him when he's sleeping so I don't know when to turn off the light and turn on the red light. Or should I just keep the lights on during the day and turn them all off at night? What if he's awake at night and can't see anything? I've had him for three days so far, and can't figure out when he's asleep and when he's awake since hes always hiding in the far back of his cave.

Typically the best thing to do is somewhere around 12-13 hours of day and 12 night. Just turn the lights on in the morning and off at night. They are dayurnal (sp?) so he really won't be awake at night much. I know it is way way easier said than done....but try not to worry. You will start seeing him more as he gets used to his new environment. Hiding is normal, especially in the first few weeks. They are naturally shy.....so just let him "come out of his shell" (wink wink) in his own time.

Relax. You're doing great.

that makes sense. I was just wondering because I hear him moving a bit at night but he can't see anything so it worries me. plus he always goes and digs himself a hole in the mulch and buries himself in there. that's normal right? does it bother him that his whole face is covered in cypress mulch?

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I tried putting plants for him to hide in instead of the giant hideaway but it seemed like there was still a lot of light leaking in, so I put the hideaway back. Should I buy a smaller hideaway (suggestions?) or should I try again with the plants? Also, I really don't understand his sleeping patterns. I can't see him when he's sleeping so I don't know when to turn off the light and turn on the red light. Or should I just keep the lights on during the day and turn them all off at night? What if he's awake at night and can't see anything? I've had him for three days so far, and can't figure out when he's asleep and when he's awake since hes always hiding in the far back of his cave.

I have that same hide for both of my indoor tortoise habitats. Two sleep inside it, one still prefers sleeping under the fake plants

I do the same thing every morning which has taught my tortoises a good routine. When I wake up I flick on the UVB lights (heat emitter is on constantly because I keep my room quite cool all the time), let the dogs out, feed the dogs(this can take 10-15 minutes), then come back with my container of tortoise salad. By this time both my Leopard Tortoise's(6 months & 10 months) are sitting in front of their empty dish waiting for their food to "magically fall from the sky" My newest addition a pancake tortoise (hatchling - only home for 4 days now) has not settled into this morning routine yet, so after I fill his dish, I take him out of his hide and place him in the center of the habitat facing his salad....within a couple minutes (groggy eyes & a few stretches) he is making way over to eat breakfast. Keeping a good and consistent routine should make him start to feel more comfortable and know what to expect while in a new home/environment situation Well in my opinion anyways!

that's adorable! I hope mine will eventually come out and wait for me to feed him! I always have to take him out and sometimes he refuses to eat like today I put grape leaves and he just walked over it and back into his hide. Is it bad if his eating pattern is messed up? yesterday I fed him worms in the day and he at more worms and lettuce at night.

 

[TonkaLuv]

Being totally buried is completely normal. They are a burrowing species. My little guy burrows every night, and oftentimes during the day, too. They pull their heads into their shells so the mulch doesn't bother them. But, again, they are a burrowing species so they know what they're doing He's just making himself comfortable.