- Joined
- Jul 10, 2011
- Messages
- 4
Hi everyone!
I'm new to this forum and am REALLY glad I found it- it's been so hard looking around the web for proper care of a red foot- so much of it contradicts.
I recieved my redfoot, Miguel, as a gift 3 years ago from some friends after my 7-year old snapper died. Taking care of her is TOTALLY different from an aquatic turtle- but I love her so much and want to do whatever it takes to give her a comfortable habitat.
She definitely has pyramiding- and I don't want it to worsen- I'll love her no matter what she looks like BUT I want her to live a long, healthy life! Could anybody give me advice on how to improve my care of her?
HOUSING:
- most of her life was in a vivarium- until I found out that a table would be way better. Just recently made her a table- 5'x2'x1-1/2'(height). Wooden, lined with plastic liner that I bought at home depot.
-substrate is an inch of soil with a layer of cypress mulch on top.
-All I have in the tank right now is a large, shallow water dish and a log half as a shelter.
Heating/lighting/humidity:
- ceramic heat emitter over one side of tank, with a UVB light bulb on the opposite side that I turn off during night. How can I get the floor to be warmer? It seems like the closer to the ground, the cooler it gets
- Humidity is my biggest issue: I re-moisten the substrate every day/every other day and spray the whole enclosure, as well as her, every day whenever I can- usually 2x a day. However its always dried out once I get to it! How can I keep the humidity in?
Food:
I used to feed her every day, now I feed her every 2-3 days. I feed her fruits (persimmon, mango, cucumber, plantain, seldom banana, cherries, etc) and for greens I give her romaine lettuce mostly. I tried kale but she hates it! For protein I used to feed her dried cat food- but I switched it to hard boiled egg because cat food seemed too un-natural. I give her protein once a month.
also- I live in Virginia Beach. In the summer it gets very hot and humid- but her fall and winter it gets very, very cold which is why I have her inside. Her enclosure is in a bed room.
Miguel, 2009:
2010:
October 2011:
Can anyone please help me? I'm ready to make improvements ASAP. I'd be more than happy to answer any other questions.
I'm new to this forum and am REALLY glad I found it- it's been so hard looking around the web for proper care of a red foot- so much of it contradicts.
I recieved my redfoot, Miguel, as a gift 3 years ago from some friends after my 7-year old snapper died. Taking care of her is TOTALLY different from an aquatic turtle- but I love her so much and want to do whatever it takes to give her a comfortable habitat.
She definitely has pyramiding- and I don't want it to worsen- I'll love her no matter what she looks like BUT I want her to live a long, healthy life! Could anybody give me advice on how to improve my care of her?
HOUSING:
- most of her life was in a vivarium- until I found out that a table would be way better. Just recently made her a table- 5'x2'x1-1/2'(height). Wooden, lined with plastic liner that I bought at home depot.
-substrate is an inch of soil with a layer of cypress mulch on top.
-All I have in the tank right now is a large, shallow water dish and a log half as a shelter.
Heating/lighting/humidity:
- ceramic heat emitter over one side of tank, with a UVB light bulb on the opposite side that I turn off during night. How can I get the floor to be warmer? It seems like the closer to the ground, the cooler it gets
- Humidity is my biggest issue: I re-moisten the substrate every day/every other day and spray the whole enclosure, as well as her, every day whenever I can- usually 2x a day. However its always dried out once I get to it! How can I keep the humidity in?
Food:
I used to feed her every day, now I feed her every 2-3 days. I feed her fruits (persimmon, mango, cucumber, plantain, seldom banana, cherries, etc) and for greens I give her romaine lettuce mostly. I tried kale but she hates it! For protein I used to feed her dried cat food- but I switched it to hard boiled egg because cat food seemed too un-natural. I give her protein once a month.
also- I live in Virginia Beach. In the summer it gets very hot and humid- but her fall and winter it gets very, very cold which is why I have her inside. Her enclosure is in a bed room.
Miguel, 2009:
2010:
October 2011:
Can anyone please help me? I'm ready to make improvements ASAP. I'd be more than happy to answer any other questions.
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