New red foot

Sycamore

New Member
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Mar 17, 2017
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24
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Charlotte, NC
Hi, I'm a new member and this will be my first time keeping a tortoise, Ill just check all of my information with everyone and let me know whatever I can change, I will not get offended.
My tortoise doesn't have a name but my family is calling it a her for the time being. I don't have weights but she is about 3 inches, somewhere around ~6 months, she has extra scutes and she appears healthy. I got her at the Charlotte Repticon a week and a half ago.
Right now she's quarantined in a 20 gallon tank. She's on about three inches of fir bark, wet on bottom dry on top. The humidity is at about 80 percent and the heat is around 85 degrees fahrenheit. Only furniture that's in with her at the moment is a damp hide and a food dish. She is under a regular heat lamp I believe that it is zoomed, not a coil and a long uvb. She has got 2-3 20 minute soaks every day, really enjoys the water. Usually one in the morning and one at night. She has only defecated when I have given her a bath so far but she has been going to the bathroom every day or two. She has also been drinking regularly and seems to be getting well hydrated. She eats almost every day though it has been mostly fruits and veggies. I've been giving her about 1/4 fruits and veggies and 3/4 green which she has liked, I'll start offering her less fruit, the last week I've just been wanting to make sure that she will eat. I've given her mostly endive and mustard greens with a little bit of spinach (similar diet to my uromastyx) can someone confirm for me that they cant have bok choy? She also has gotten carrots, sweets potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, blueberris, and black berries in moderation.I have a calcium supplement with vitamin D3 added that I gave her once last week and she ate some of, are there any other vitamins that I should use? I bring her outside for like an hour or two, four times a week and she has enjoyed walking around my lawn. I'm planning on moving her to a large rubbermaid type bin (just some kind of big storage container) eventually and am currently babyproofing my 10x8 foot garden for when it is warm enough, which should probably be in about 2 weeks. Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks.
 

Sycamore

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Mar 17, 2017
Messages
24
Location (City and/or State)
Charlotte, NC
Oh, and also her hide has wet paper towel on the bottom and is filled with some different types of native moss that I keep damp.
 

Adrian Tufton

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Jan 23, 2017
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Sounds like life is good over at your house. If I promise to not make a mess,
can I come stay with you? I hope you like cats.
 

Sycamore

New Member
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Mar 17, 2017
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Charlotte, NC
ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1490314907.521585.jpg
If anyone has information on handling, especially for baby Redfoot especially under one year I would really appreciate it. I've been carrying her around outside sometimes because I don't want to leave her alone and just for general handling she seems pretty outgoing and calm but should I be worried about stressing her out from handling her so much. Never for longer than half an hour but just in general.
 

TammyJ

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She is stunning! You are doing well with her and she is lucky for sure.
Others here more expert than I am will soon input their comments or help!
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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It sounds as if you have a good handle on the situation. Nice.
Don't worry about the fruit. It can be 50% of the diet. Even more. Redfoot are the exception to the "no fruit" rule.
Also, introduce some animal protein. I have used both premium dog food and meal worms in the past.
These are my adults
 

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ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Most tortoises don't seem to enjoy being handled and for a baby it must be terrifying. Maybe like a bird picking them up and flying off.
Interact. Don't carry so much. If you do, make sure she can't see through your hands.
 

Sycamore

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Mar 17, 2017
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Location (City and/or State)
Charlotte, NC
We named her Penelope and she's doing good, we're setting up an outside enclosure for her this weekend. Anybody have any clarifications on the bok Choy and vitamins? Also we got some turnip and mustard greens as well as some spring mix that we added to the escarole and she's also been getting a small amount of spinach. On the subject of saying she can have 50% fruit, how many vegetables should she get and what are the best sources of fiber as it seems red foots aren't big grass eaters.

@ZEROPILOT
Thank you so much for the information, you're Redfoots are absolutely beautiful, I love how dark they are. I'm glad to hear that they can have more fruit because she sure does love the strawberries and tomatoes, and everything else but she really heads for the red stuff. Would mazuri be a good source of protein because I'm gonna pick up some this weekend and try adding that to her diet.
 

Sycamore

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Location (City and/or State)
Charlotte, NC
ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1491339696.915059.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1491339708.456463.jpg. Please don't mind the mess but as you can see it's very simple 20 gallon with temps at 80-85 and humidity at 70-80%. Humid hide with paper towels reindeer moss and what I think is called pillow moss, green sort of grass like stuff. A little Tupperware container that she can sometimes use for a soak and a food tray. She got spring mix, mustard greens, romaine, a little bit of spinach, some snap peas, carrots, blueberries, strawberries, and banana for the first time. Secure clip on light, not a coil it's a zoo med heat one that I have used with my other animals. Planning on finishing up a 3x4 foot size enclosure modeled after a chicken tractor or some of the rectangular wooden enclosures with hardware cloth tops that a lot of people seem to use. This will go inside my approximately 12x8 ft fenced in garden. She should be outside in about two weeks. Temps are in the high seventies low eighties with anywhere from 40-80% humidity and dappled shade because my backyard is forested with one or two days a week of regular rain when the humidity spikes. I think that covers everything
 

MPRC

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I love all of the extra scutes. It's hard for me to tell, but does she have shell rot? I tried to scan the text above, but i'm feeling impatient. @ZEROPILOT - What do you think?

Also, @Alex Z, the LS doesn't absorb water and soften like the original and most tortoises turn their noses up at it.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Why not? I mix some of that in with her veggies etc., everyday. What's wrong with it?
It's actually made with more appropriate seeming ingredients.
It's just that most of us that bought it found that our tortoises wouldn't eat it.
If yours eats it. That's great.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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I love all of the extra scutes. It's hard for me to tell, but does she have shell rot? I tried to scan the text above, but i'm feeling impatient. @ZEROPILOT - What do you think?

Also, @Alex Z, the LS doesn't absorb water and soften like the original and most tortoises turn their noses up at it.
Sorry
I'm on my phone
I'm looking at 3" photos here.....
 
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