My WILD child

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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As he is now part science project. Here's an update.
I just had to find him to bring him indoors. It was about 50 a few nights ago.
He has always been outdoors. Hatched outdoors, etc. But even in humid and warm south Florida, he is pyramiding slightly.
I don't handle him much. In fact I hardly ever see him unless he's out looking for food. He spends most of his time in the brush.
I did notice that his shell fungus cleared up. That's good. It was only treated once and its dead.
He looks great. I still haven't found him a forever home. But there's no rush.
 

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CarolM

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As he is now part science project. Here's an update.
I just had to find him to bring him indoors. It was about 50 a few nights ago.
He has always been outdoors. Hatched outdoors, etc. But even in humid and warm south Florida, he is pyramiding slightly.
I don't handle him much. In fact I hardly ever see him unless he's out looking for food. He spends most of his time in the brush.
I did notice that his shell fungus cleared up. That's good. It was only treated once and its dead.
He looks great. I still haven't found him a forever home. But there's no rush.
He is looking great.
 

Anyfoot

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As he is now part science project. Here's an update.
I just had to find him to bring him indoors. It was about 50 a few nights ago.
He has always been outdoors. Hatched outdoors, etc. But even in humid and warm south Florida, he is pyramiding slightly.
I don't handle him much. In fact I hardly ever see him unless he's out looking for food. He spends most of his time in the brush.
I did notice that his shell fungus cleared up. That's good. It was only treated once and its dead.
He looks great. I still haven't found him a forever home. But there's no rush.
Ed. He doesn’t look bad. He’s the same as mine that had access to basking in the sunlight. I think they need to be kept wet, not just humid. I think they need to have moist foliage to hide in to keep the carapace moist. I also think there’s a lot more going on in the egg than what we think. I’ve cracked quite a few eggs now before they hatch. Some of them have an air pocket above the carapace because they don’t fill the egg, the albumin dries in the egg. If the eggs are not kept humid and they don’t fill the egg I think the air in the egg is already making the carapace dry before hatching. That’s why we see differences when apparently we raise them all the same from the same clutch.
Did it hatch out in the open and did it have somewhere wet to hide?
 

daniellenc

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Ed. He doesn’t look bad. He’s the same as mine that had access to basking in the sunlight. I think they need to be kept wet, not just humid. I think they need to have moist foliage to hide in to keep the carapace moist. I also think there’s a lot more going on in the egg than what we think. I’ve cracked quite a few eggs now before they hatch. Some of them have an air pocket above the carapace because they don’t fill the egg, the albumin dries in the egg. If the eggs are not kept humid and they don’t fill the egg I think the air in the egg is already making the carapace dry before hatching. That’s why we see differences when apparently we raise them all the same from the same clutch.
Did it hatch out in the open and did it have somewhere wet to hide?

This is an interesting thought? Skurt was soaked daily and kept warm and humid from hatching until he was 15 months. Now I soak 2-4 times a week but he’s still pyramiding and has been from a young age. Wish humidity in the egg could be monitored and tracked.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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After not seeing him for 7 weeks, the wild one came out of hiding for some banana.
An inspection found two things.....His fungal issue has healed and that he is getting quite large.
Julio still pays NO attention to him. And that's a good thing. Julio isn't always "nice" to other tortoises, but seems to not mind the Wild Child.
 

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KarenSoCal

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After no seeing him for 7 weeks, the world one came out of hiding for some banana.
An inspection found two things.....His fungal issue has healed and that he is getting quite large.
Julio still pays NO attention to him. And that's a good thing. Julio isn't always "nice" to other tortoises, but seems to not mind the Wild Child.
He looks really good to me! Is he just eating weeds and bugs he finds? Do you think he comes and eats what you put out when you're not looking?
 

Lyn W

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I've only just found this thread!
I thought he'd been rehomed.
Wild child is looking great and more or less all his own work!
He really is Mr Independent isn't he?
Julio's looking good too!
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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I've only just found this thread!
I thought he'd been rehomed.
Wild child is looking great and more or less all his own work!
He really is Mr Independent isn't he?
Julio's looking good too!
@Ray--Opo is likely going to get him.
Otherwise, he can just stay here with me.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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I am working on it. Now that I feel better. I can start moving on the enclosure.
There's no rush.
We're getting along fabulously.
AND the rainy season will soon be here. That's party time for Redfoot. But it also means that his shell fungus might try to come back.
Julio sleeps in one of the houses at night.
Wild Child sleeps in mud puddles and inside the wet bushes.
He avoids sleeping in the houses. Even when it's cold.
 

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