New baby Cherry! Some questions

[Pond_Lilly]

Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum and to tortoise keeping. I did some research prior to getting Berry (my new baby). I got him a week ago and he is eating and pooping and walking around. I am in Florida and he is outside in his bin during the day and inside with a heater during the night.
But I have some questions. I've read the Redfoot care sheet on turtletary.com (thank you for posting it) and some other care sheets.
1. How often do I change the substrate? Berry poops in the morning when I soak him in warm water, but the substarte is wet to keep the humidity and he pees in it probably.
2. He gained 5 (0.176) grams in a week, is it about right? Or too much, too little?
3. Do I need to add calcium supplement now? I feed him hibiscus, endive, escarole, turnip greens and some fruit like strawberry, blueberry, melon, mango, etc. as suggested 2 days greens then 1 day fruit.
4. He is more active when he is outside compared to when he is inside. He is active up until 12 or 1 pm and then he retreats to his sleeping spot and sits there till the next morning when I wake him up for soaking. Is it ok?
5. I try to keep humidity in 70s, but during the night it falls around 55-60, is it OK? His temperatures are around 80-85 under the heat lamp and he does not have UVB inside only fluorescent light and ceramic heater.
6. I got him from breeder and he did not tell me how old he was, but he is tiny and still has his egg-tooth, how old do you think he is?

Some pictures of him outside attached. Thank you!!

 

[coreyc]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Pond_Lilly]

Thank you!

 

[Kristina]

Welcome to the forum!

As far as substrate goes, I don't really ever change it. I keep earth worms in the enclosure, and usually have springtails and roly polyies (pillbugs, woodlice) in there as well. I pick out any poop that I see, but having a bioactive substrate with other critters living in it tends to keep it as clean as need be.

I use a calcium supplement, but I only use pure calcium. 1-2 times a week is generally plenty.

Babies sleep a lot, so as long as he is eating and his eyes are open and clear, I would not worry. Still having his egg tooth means he is very young, probably 2-4 weeks. Babies that size are "prey" and they know this instinctively, so they spend most of their time hiding.

Since he is getting outside time, he doesn't need any sort of a UV light indoors. It is okay if humidity falls a bit at night, just make sure to mist him a couple of times right on his shell and he will do just fine.

 

[Pond_Lilly]

Thank you for the reply! I thought he is very young.
It is a good idea to keep bugs there, I will do it too. Also does it matter what brand of calcium you use? Can you recommend any or it doesn't matter as long as it is a pure calcium?

 

[Seiryu]

Also does it matter what brand of calcium you use? Can you recommend any or it doesn't matter as long as it is a pure calcium?

I personally use the "Now" brand myself. Because there is a supplier nearby that has it all year round. I bought 2 bottles almost 2 years ago and haven't even fully used one yet. And I supplement calcium 3-4 times a week.

http://www.nowfoods.com/Products/M003065.htm

Anything that is pure Calcium carbonate works though. Powder form is easiest.

 

[Pond_Lilly]

Thank you! I see Amazon.com has it, will order it asap.

 

[Kristina]

I get my calcium from the natural food store locally. Brand doesn't really matter - I just use the "people" stuff because it is approved for human consumption, and therefore the purest.

 

[Pond_Lilly]

Thank you, kyryah, I just checked your pictures & your tortoises are so cute! And I've noticed you give them mushrooms, I did not know that you can give them that. Can you give Cherry heads mushrooms too? Probably not to the baby but once he is a bit older?

 

[Kristina]

It is absolutely fine to give the babies mushrooms. In fact, rather than just being something that you can give them, in the wild mushrooms are a main source of fiber for forest tortoises. They absolutely love them and thrive on them. For a baby though only a teeny tiny piece at a time is needed. I have a Cherryhead that is 7 months old now and he loves them.

Cherryheads/Redfoots are the same thing - they just come from different parts of South America. The care is exactly the same.

And thanks

 

[Pond_Lilly]

Ok, got it! Will try tomorrow

 

[Madkins007]

Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum and to tortoise keeping. I did some research prior to getting Berry (my new baby). I got him a week ago and he is eating and pooping and walking around. I am in Florida and he is outside in his bin during the day and inside with a heater during the night.
But I have some questions. I've read the Redfoot care sheet on turtletary.com (thank you for posting it) and some other care sheets.
1. How often do I change the substrate? Berry poops in the morning when I soak him in warm water, but the substarte is wet to keep the humidity and he pees in it probably.

Change the substrate when it 'sours'- starts to smell. I have 4 little Cherry-heads with cypress mulch that I will probably end up changing 2-3 times a year if they stay indoors all the time.

2. He gained 5 (0.176) grams in a week, is it about right? Or too much, too little?

If you weigh him every week, it'll drive you crazy. Do it every two weeks and chart it. It should be a gentle rise for the first year or so.

3. Do I need to add calcium supplement now? I feed him hibiscus, endive, escarole, turnip greens and some fruit like strawberry, blueberry, melon, mango, etc. as suggested 2 days greens then 1 day fruit.

I know that the turtletary diet is popular but it is also high in sugary fruits and a bit low in actual calcium dosage and fiber. Try replacing some of the sweet fruits with vegetables with seeds (which are technically also fruits)- like bell pepper, squash, etc. Supplement with a bit of calcium a few times a week (it is bitter, so try touching a couple pieces of fruit to the calcium dust.) You can add a bit of fiber by crumbling up a hay cube (like sold for rabbits) and use it like salt on the food.

4. He is more active when he is outside compared to when he is inside. He is active up until 12 or 1 pm and then he retreats to his sleeping spot and sits there till the next morning when I wake him up for soaking. Is it ok?

Perfectly normal. Wild torts sleep about 12 hours a day or more, and outside is almost always better than indoors for them.

5. I try to keep humidity in 70s, but during the night it falls around 55-60, is it OK? His temperatures are around 80-85 under the heat lamp and he does not have UVB inside only fluorescent light and ceramic heater.

Try to have a more humid area in the habitat, like a hide or heavily planted area, or other humidity-boosting ideas. With adequate humidity and hydration, the misting advice often given becomes less important. The TortoiseLibrary.com site in my signature has other humidity ideas.

6. I got him from breeder and he did not tell me how old he was, but he is tiny and still has his egg-tooth, how old do you think he is?

Some pictures of him outside attached. Thank you!!

He's pretty young, as in only weeks old.

There is a lot of advice and opinion available, and it can get confusing. Just remember that people have raised these tortoises for decades and used thousands of techniques successfully. There is no 'one right way'. A way that works wonderfully for a person in Florida is not going to work for a person in Minnesota, etc.

Its not perfect. but I am trying to use the TortoiseLibrary.com to explain the 'why' behind various care recommendations so you can try to find a way that works well for you.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Pond_ Lilly :

Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name?

 

[Pond_Lilly]

Thank you! I have no idea how I missed TortoiseLibrary site, it has tons of info! I did not know you can give them bell pepper with seeds, will try it too. Another question I forgot to ask was what people think about protein for the hatchlings. I've read that there are different opinions on when exactly they should start getting protein.

Also, do you recommend to keep two or more together and what is better: get 2 babies at the same time even though you do not know their sex, or add another once they are old enough to be sexed (since the males will fight?)? Are they ok to be by themselves or will they be happy with a company?

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Hi Pond Lily :

Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name?

Sure! It's Natalija

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[EricIvins]

Babies sleep a lot, so as long as he is eating and his eyes are open and clear, I would not worry. Still having his egg tooth means he is very young, probably 2-4 weeks. Babies that size are "prey" and they know this instinctively, so they spend most of their time hiding.

I've had Cherryheads keep that "tooth" for up to 6 months.......

 

[Pond_Lilly]

Babies sleep a lot, so as long as he is eating and his eyes are open and clear, I would not worry. Still having his egg tooth means he is very young, probably 2-4 weeks. Babies that size are "prey" and they know this instinctively, so they spend most of their time hiding.

I've had Cherryheads keep that "tooth" for up to 6 months.......

Hi, Eric! Berry is actually one of yours! (got him a week ago from you). He is doing fine, and I was just not sure how old he/she is.

 

[Madkins007]

Thank you! I have no idea how I missed TortoiseLibrary site, it has tons of info! I did not know you can give them bell pepper with seeds, will try it too. Another question I forgot to ask was what people think about protein for the hatchlings. I've read that there are different opinions on when exactly they should start getting protein.

Also, do you recommend to keep two or more together and what is better: get 2 babies at the same time even though you do not know their sex, or add another once they are old enough to be sexed (since the males will fight?)? Are they ok to be by themselves or will they be happy with a company?

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TortoiseLibrary.com: Thanks, but it is easy to overlook- it is a pretty new site, and I am still adding to it/editing it daily.

Protein: Very young torts would not have a lot of access to meat, other than bugs, worms, etc.- which some of us feel they would eat quite freely. Personally, I think that 'live' foods are great for very young torts, but other meats should probably wait until after the shell has hardened more.

Multiples: Red-foots do best when raised in groups- as long as you have the room and resources for it. They do fine by themselves as well- so if you cannot do a group well, go ahead and just do one.

Fighting: The biggest risk of fighting is two males in too small of a territory, but that won't be an issue for a few years- and may never be an issue- they do not always fight.