Meet Ezra!

Lady Ashthorn

New Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2021
Messages
21
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Ontario
Hello!

I just got my baby redfoot tortoise Ezra yesterday. I have him in a medium Cement mixing tub with dampened reptile-grade coco coir. I have a terra-cotta flower pot on its side with damp sphagnum moss in it for humidity. I have a light for sunlight and heat which reaches about 102 F. It is a 160w Solar Glo bulb by exo Terra. The humidity is sitting at about 68% in his hide and I spritzed the entire enclosure this morning and again just now. He has spring mix out with a couple of cut up/crushed blueberries and a cuttlefish bone. I have been checking in on him periodically and had to move him out of his hide this morning to get him to come out. He is basking in 92F area for an hour but hasn't touched his food yet and I haven't seen him drink the fresh water I put out this morning, 20210225_174618.jpg20210225_174622.jpg20210225_174618.jpg20210225_174622.jpgor poop yet. I have been looking around on here and people have said to soak him in shallow warm water with a bit of food (fluker's land tortoise diet- the little sprinkles) to perk him up. Will be posting more as things progress. Any support is much appreciated. :)
 

ArmadilloPup

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Joined
Jul 15, 2019
Messages
307
Location (City and/or State)
NE Oklahoma
Hey there, welcome! ? That is a cute baby!

Bombardment of info incoming!

The tub is excellent. You'll need a cover for the enclosure to maintain the humidity. A portable mini greenhouse is a popular choice. If a hardware store near you doesn't have any in stock, they are in the $30 - $50 range (US) on Amazon.

Basking bulbs are really harsh and can slow growth/dry them out. Folks here have implicated them as a source of pyramiding. Another problem with combo bulbs is that the right height for heat may not be the right height to get proper UV. A CHE for 24 hour heat + a seperate hooded T5 lamp for daytime are the recommended combo for redfoots. Redfoots, and babies in particular, like a lot of hidey places and shade.

To a lesser extent, a layer of fir or cypress bark over the coco coir will hold in moisture. You'll probably get mixed opinions about the moss, I personally have never seen a tortoise try to eat it, just watch out for mold caused by stray poops/foods.

Not eating during the adjustment period is normal. If you don't already have a kitchen scale, that's a good way to make sure the baby isn't dropping weight.

It's perfectly okay to wake him up for his daily soak, so don't feel guilty if you dig him up in the morning and he looks squinty-eyed and grumpy :)

Edit: Regarding the appropriate temps/humidity, I forgot the obligatory "read the stickied caresheets"
 
Last edited:

Lady Ashthorn

New Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario
Is it safe to have a reptile lamp running in one? Is it a fire risk, my family is VERY fire safety conscious bc of a total house fire we had 2.5 years ago (didn't have to do with a lamp). Should I get a ceramic heater instead or to add over his hide?
 

ArmadilloPup

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Joined
Jul 15, 2019
Messages
307
Location (City and/or State)
NE Oklahoma
I'm paranoid as well, so I completely understand. The heat/lamps are hung from the bars on the inside of the greenhouse and shouldn't touch the sides. A few people here use these setups, so if you search the threads and see their pics, you can message them for more information. Actual greenhouse plastic is rated for a certain temperature, but I don't know about these Chinese-made ones on Amazon.

I wouldn't put a heat source right over the hide. In the wild, their dens are cooler. 80%+ humidity/80s ambient temp is a safe range for little ones. Basking spots are a bit debated because tortoises can overdo it, I've had mine spike to a 100 with a new bulb but try to keep it in the mid 90s.
 

Lady Ashthorn

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Joined
Feb 26, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario
Yah, my dad has pledged to build Ez a greenhousey thing with outdoor grade plastic. This will hopefully keep the humidity up with less spritzing. Hopefully he doesn't get too cold again tonight. My pet store girl said 65F was too cold and I she was right. I'll have a little heater going to keep my office (where his bin is) in the mid 70's tonight.

Thank you for your help. :)
 

Herman_WA

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Joined
Nov 13, 2020
Messages
243
Location (City and/or State)
Washington
Welcome to the forum! You have a very cute little tort!
(Cute profile picture too!?)
 

Ray--Opo

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Welcome to You and Ezra! What a cutie!
 

Yvonne G

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One thing to remember if you want your baby not to be stressed: Baby tortoises don't go out into wide open spaces. They are prey and they know it. So they stay to heavily planted areas. Your cement mixing tub is a nice enclosure, but it would be better if it were covered and well planted.
 

Sarah2020

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Hello!

I just got my baby redfoot tortoise Ezra yesterday. I have him in a medium Cement mixing tub with dampened reptile-grade coco coir. I have a terra-cotta flower pot on its side with damp sphagnum moss in it for humidity. I have a light for sunlight and heat which reaches about 102 F. It is a 160w Solar Glo bulb by exo Terra. The humidity is sitting at about 68% in his hide and I spritzed the entire enclosure this morning and again just now. He has spring mix out with a couple of cut up/crushed blueberries and a cuttlefish bone. I have been checking in on him periodically and had to move him out of his hide this morning to get him to come out. He is basking in 92F area for an hour but hasn't touched his food yet and I haven't seen him drink the fresh water I put out this morning, View attachment 319402View attachment 319403View attachment 319402View attachment 319403or poop yet. I have been looking around on here and people have said to soak him in shallow warm water with a bit of food (fluker's land tortoise diet- the little sprinkles) to perk him up. Will be posting more as things progress. Any support is much appreciated. :)
When I soak there is no food. Just ensure temp is around 35 and not too deep and observe from afar as in not hovering over it. They will drink and the shell hydrates. Have fresh water and food prepared when you return it to the enclosure and again leave it too it and observe from afar. Yesterday is early days I am sure it will all happen but it will be scared and getting used to new environment.
 
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