My redfoots

[silver818]

Hi. I have had my redfoots for a couple of years now. Everything has been fine. I have recently been to a different reptile house and they are telling me I am keeping them on the wrong substrate.
I have always kept them on pressed grass pellets in a large vivarium but I have been told this is wrong.
I would appreciate some advice as no matter where I go someone will always tell me I'm doing it wrong. I want to know that I am doing the best for my redfoots and would be grateful for any advice.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm afraid the reptile house is correct. Compressed grass pellets cannot be moistened and your RF tortoises require a moist substrate to simulate the humidity like it is in their country of origin.

Please read the information on RF tortoises in the Tortoise Library

 

[silver818]

I'm afraid the reptile house is correct. Compressed grass pellets cannot be moistened and your RF tortoises require a moist substrate to simulate the humidity like it is in their country of origin.

Please read the information on RF tortoises in the Tortoise Library

Thank you so much for your comment. I have been looking at humidifiers to add to the humidity but I will definitely look around for different substrate. What would you recommend?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I use orchid bark. A few inches. Covered by potting soil. Also a few inches. I pour water into the corners and the orchid bark absorbs the water leaving the soil on top dry.
That is exactly what you want. High humidity and dry substrate.
If you also close off or partially close off the top you may find that you don't need a humidifier.
In the past I've made a simple system out of an aquarium air pump and a container of water to ad some humidity.

 

[crimson_lotus]

I use coco coir for substrate, which is also fine. If you have an open top I would also highly recommend closing it off for more humidity. They thrive in a high humidity, high temperature environment.

 

[kathyth]

I use the above and cypress mulch.
Please remember, that where there is water, you want heat, to produce the humidity.
You never want them wet and cold.

Another good site is Turtletary.com Redfoot Caresheet or
The Tortoise Yard.

 

[mike taylor]

I use yard leaves, coco choir, and cypress mulch . I also have a little hard wood mulch . But my reds are in a big box in winter and in summer they are outside .

 

[mike taylor]

Here are my reds . Some are rescues. Two of them I got when they were two or three years old from a pet shop .

 

[silver818]

thanks for your advice. Mike, your reds are beautiful.
I am changing to mulch and orchid bark. They are fully enclosed indoors and I put them out in the garden weather permitting. Luckily at the minute we are having nice weather in the UK so they are out every day in the sunshine for a couple of hours.

 

[tortdad]

thanks for your advice. Mike, your reds are beautiful.
I am changing to mulch and orchid bark. They are fully enclosed indoors and I put them out in the garden weather permitting. Luckily at the minute we are having nice weather in the UK so they are out every day in the sunshine for a couple of hours.

I wouldn't use both orchid bark and cypress mulch. They are both mulches...pick one or the other. Both are fine but I don't see a benefit of mixing them. If you want to mix use some soil from your garden and mix with the mulch.

Things to keep in mind.

If you go with orchid bark get the kind without the little white rock looking things in it. That's fertilizer that you don't want your tort eating.

Like said above, you need high humidity with a dry top layer of substraight. This is because Redfoots are prone to shell rot. If you make it too wet they will get a fungal infection. Like damp like a forest floor, not swamp like. You need proper heat to turn that moisture into humidity so keep it warm (day and night) or you'll end up with a tortoise with a upper respiratory infection.

 

[silver818]

Thank you for your advice. My redfoots are now on orchid bark mixed with soil so the humidity is a lot better. We have also changed the water dish to a cat litter tray which they both love, infact when I go into them in a morning they are both in their 'bath' and seem to sleep in it over night! Is this normal?