New member with young Redfoot

[CharlieD]

Hi everyone, new member here.

I just got my first Redfoot last week, looking forward to sharing him with the community and getting some help!

I think I currently have case of plastron fungus - pictures from this mornings soak are attached. Im going to start treatment tonight with a brushing of Betadine and Clotrimazole. From reading the sticky I think I should have it under control soon, but if this looks to be something else, please let me know.
- I'd also like to add that the plastron is a bit soft, but I believe this is normal for young ones?

Right now I have a 24x16x10" bin with a 100w zoomed UV bulb and a 100W ceramic heater over the hide. Temps are about 90F basking and 76F at the hide. I am using junglemix topped with sphagum as the substrate.

Other than the fungus, I think things are going well so far. Each morning he comes out to feed, wanders for a little bit and then usually burrows under the basking lamp. At night he has been going in the hide.

One last question, for this post at least. How wet moist should the lower substrate/junglemix be, if at all, since I am using the moss on top.

Thank you for your help, Im looking forward to exploring the community.

View attachment 61439View attachment 61439View attachment 61440

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Charlie, and welcome to the Forum!

How refreshing to see a new member actually look for an answer to a problem before asking for the answer.

The plastron seems to be where shell rot starts because the tortoise is having to sit on wet substrate all the time. What I like to do it get it wet all through and then put lights over it so the top layer dries out. Then when you have to add water to re-moisten the substrate, add it in a corner so it flows down and under the top layer.

While you're treating the little guy's shell rot, I would keep him on some dry substrate until it heals up.

It's pretty easy to clear up. Too bad your pictures didn't work.

 

[abclements]

Hi Charlie! So with plastron fungus, just do the betatine scrub once maybe twice depending on the severity. It kills healthy growing cells too... then use the coordinators daily till it clears up. I'm sure you know this but never hurts to say it again.

I personally don't use moss, but I would suggest not using it for the entire enclosure floor. It really likes to soak up water and this can lead to more shell fungus.

With regards to his shell... how old is he? Does it feel springy or soft/paper thin? Springy is normal for young torts.

And ditto what Yvonne said! Welcome and we look forward to seeing pictures of your rf!

 

[CharlieD]

With regards to his shell... how old is he? Does it feel springy or soft/paper thin? Springy is normal for young torts.

Hi and thanks for your replies!
He is about 3 months old. I would say it feels springy, but I will double check tonight when treating the fungus.

I was having some trouble seeing if my pics were attached in the preview, so I inserted the pics another way, hopefully the size is ok.

 

[abclements]

Ya for a 3 month old, springy is pretty typical. So I wouldn't worry too much about that. But he does have a good amount of shell fungus.I would treat that twice with the betadine and go from there. Good luck keep us updated.

He's a great looking rf!

 

[CharlieD]

Here are some pictures from this morning, after giving treatment the past 2 evenings. Both times I have done an application of Betdaine, so from here on it will just be the Clotrimazole.

He weighed in at 72.5g and is about 3" long.

I had a question regarding feeding. I feed in the morning. I am on day 4 of his diet and all 3 days of greens he has eaten all of them in about 30 minutes. Yesterday was his first veggie day of bell pepper and mushroom. He didnt eat much, maybe half.
After treatments I have given him a small portion of that days diet as a treat and he has eaten it both days.

I dont leave the food out, so on a day where he takes a small amount in the morning, should I offer more later?

 

[abclements]

Good to see that his shell is clearing up.

The feeding sounds normal. Veggies are denser than greens so your tort will fill up quicker. I leave out food all day. I just clean it up at 6pm after he's bedded down for the day. Why don't you leave food out?

 

[CharlieD]

Good to see that his shell is clearing up.

The feeding sounds normal. Veggies are denser than greens so your tort will fill up quicker. I leave out food all day. I just clean it up at 6pm after he's bedded down for the day. Why don't you leave food out?

Im glad Im making progress with the fungus. Thank you for all of your input and help! No reason other than not wanting to overfeed, I'll be leaving it out from now on.

 

[abclements]

Ya overfeeding is an old myth that supposedly led to pyramiding. Our resident experimenter, Tom, has shown that pyramiding us a humidity problem. In nature they would typically have access to food 24/7 so they should instinctively know how much they need to eat.

 

[Mgridgaway]

My, that's an awful lot of shell rot for a little one. It sounds like you have it under control, though. Just don't let up on the Clotrimazole. I skipped it the first time thinking the betadine would be enough, and sure enough, 2 months later half the rot was back. Another treatment of betadine and Clotrimazole for a week and she's been clear ever since.

 

[FLINTUS]

Ya overfeeding is an old myth that supposedly led to pyramiding. Our resident experimenter, Tom, has shown that pyramiding us a humidity problem. In nature they would typically have access to food 24/7 so they should instinctively know how much they need to eat.

Not entirely true. If the conditions are not perfect, overfeeding will result in worse pyramiding than growing at a slower rate in imperfect conditions. And pyramiding is a very complex issue, which is not just solved by humidity-maybe only a quick fix in the short term- it is a number of factors. They would not have access to food 24/7 in nature! FACT! The amazon floor does not contain that much nutrition, so they will have to wonder much further than in captivity using up these calories, and then when they've found a spot they stay their for a while-remember the social gatherings under fig tree studies?
They have some sense, but they do not do everything how the owner wants. Think about the horrible deformities we see in Russians because of overfeeding, because in the wild they only eat for 3-4 months a year.

---

And I would agree, you're going in the right direction with removing the shell rot, but don't go easy on it as it starts to go.

 

[abclements]

Ok let me rephrase. In my personal experience (admittedly I only have about 13+ months of experience with growing a hatchling), I have found that as long as I keep the humidity high and temps warm, I can leave food out all day for my rf to pick and choose when he wants to eat (usually at least twice a day, one when I feed him in the morning and typically around 3pm next, then I clean up what's left after he beds down for the night) and I have not had any problems with pyramiding in the 13 months I have owned him. I have not done much research other than what I've read on this forum and what I have experienced personally. I'm sorry if what I said was misinformation.

 

[FLINTUS]

Ah, now that's slightly different. It all comes down to how much food you're actually offering and the nutritional value of the foods.

 

[CharlieD]

My schedule is very similar. Today I fed him in the morning as usual but left the little bit of food he didnt finish out.

Having covered my enclosure now, the conditions are a minimum 75% humidity, and temps of 91 basking and 80 at the hide.

For greens I have been feeding him a pile about as big as he is and he eats pretty much all of it. For veggies I have given about 5 grams.

 

[jdelagarza001]

Hi! I just got my cherryhead last week, and this is my first tort. Someone else on the forum told me that this looks like shell fungus, but my friend (who owns many torts) said it looked fine. What do ya'll think?

 

[abclements]

I don't see any fungus after a quick glance. What specific place is your friend referring to?

 

[jdelagarza001]

My friend says it looks good. Someone else on the forum said it looks like shell rot. I can only think that she is referring to the black, shaded places.
Thanks so much for looking at it. I am obsessive when it comes to my little tort. I would worry constantly! Lol

 

[CharlieD]

Here is an update after a week of treatment. Im really happy to see it improving.

I have also noticed that I think he is a cherry head. He seems to have most of the tell tale signs- rudolph nose, spurs and the marbled plastron.

He has gained a gram in the past week, weighed in at 73.5 this morning.

 

[abclements]

Re: RE: New member with young Redfoot

My friend says it looks good. Someone else on the forum said it looks like shell rot. I can only think that she is referring to the black, shaded places.
Thanks so much for looking at it. I am obsessive when it comes to my little tort. I would worry constantly! Lol

No the black patches are quite normal for a cherry. Typically, unless extreme marbelings takes place, their plastron should be mostly blackish.

---

Here is an update after a week of treatment. Im really happy to see it improving.

I have also noticed that I think he is a cherry head. He seems to have most of the tell tale signs- rudolph nose, spurs and the marbled plastron.

He has gained a gram in the past week, weighed in at 73.5 this morning.

Good to see it clearing up! I agree with your cherry head diagnosis! If he's marbling this early, it may still be fungus not actual marbling. Mine didn't start marbling till about 150-175 grams and some people told me that it was early for marbling. Not saying it's not, just double check.

 

[jdelagarza001]

Thank you abclements!!!!