(New red footed tortoise) Shell rot??? help please :)

[Sara G.]

Why did you soak him in Epsom salt? Just regular warm water is all he should need in a bath. Epsom salt can probably make a tort sick. I could be wrong, of course, it's just I've never heard of anyone using that for their tort.

Also, there's multiple threads around about why it's not good to let your tortoise wander around the house but to name a few problems:
1. They can eat something and get sick.
2. The floor is usually much colder than you think and they can easily get sick from being cold. And no, torts don't always have the sense to go back to their heat lamps where it's warm.
3. They can get stepped on/knocked around easily if someone isn't paying attention.
4. It's very stressful for the torts most times.

I think you said that you were planning on having a 4'x4' enclosure for your tort, right? Is there also going to be an outdoor enclosure?
A tortoise should have enough room in their enclosure for them to comfortably walk around and live healthily. They shouldn't have to have time outside their enclosure (unless it's for them to go into a safe and secure outdoor enclosure) because their indoor setups should be large enough to accommodate them.

I would definitely read the threads and links that were posted above. The beginner mistakes thread is very important and the care sheets for Redfoots is very important too.

I do commend you on trying to set up this tort with a better life. And keep asking questions if you have them.

 

[JoesMum]

We gave Einstein a bath yesterday in Epsom salts. He pooped pretty quickly and then took a few sips of water so we took him out immediately... :/ replaced the water and bathed him for another 15 min then he pooped again
And we took him out immediately

What on earth did you use Epsom Salts for?! You don't need to answer that - just don't do it again. They could harm your tort.

Plain, warm water for soaking. No additives. Pooping in the water is normal - don't be surprised if your tort eats his poop - redfoots in particular do this.

Change the water by all means, but make sure your tort gets a good 20 minutes in the water.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I didn't see the salt.
Yes. Do not use it.
Salt could damage the kidneys and harm the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Slow or stop any healing, etc.
The one photo seems to show a puncture wound that has healed. (DOG tooth? Hard to tell.)
Watery eyes are an issue with dehydration.
And no. I would not let him wander around the house.

 

[raven44]

The Epsom salts my gf said she read that once per month a Epsom salts soak is good??? I told her she needs to read a lot more before acting...

The wandering around the house I'm simply so he can get excersize. We never leave him unattended. We always have a close eye on him if he is moving through th house. We don't just let him wander. It's just so he can excersize. We won't leave him out as long tho now

I was thinking we could bring him out of his cage. Soak him in a bath .then let him excersize fir a hr or so then put him back in his cage..?? So thay way he is hydrated while he is out excersizing..

I don't think he has any puncture wound I'll look closely tho

Is it best to keep the red foots coco coir damp and the air humid?

Or is it best to keep the coco coir drier and the air humid?

I read that keeping the coco coir constantly damp for humidty in a tortoises cage can lead to shell fungus.

I read it's best to provide humid AIR, drier substrate???

 

[Sara G.]

Again, you should really have an enclosure suited for your tort so that there's no need to be removed for exercising.
There's so debate on this topic but id finitely stand firm because there's been numerous instances of torts dying because their owners thought they were being safe and responsible but let their tort wander around the house anyway.
See if you can build an outdoor enclosure, or a bigger indoor one. It will be safer for your tortoise and your tort will be much happier.

 

[Sara G.]

And you don't want damp substrate ever. You want it to be vaguely moist.
I'd get a humidistat do you can check the humidity.
But the best way of keeping your air humid is to start off with substrate that is humid.
Also having a closed chamber is really helpful in keeping the humidity in since I think Redfoots prefer a humidity of 70-80%. They like it warm and humid. You'll lose almost all of your humidity without a closed chamber.
But yes, the substrate should not be wet because that can lead to shell rot. It's easy to put water in the corners of the enclosure and that way the substrate under the top layer soaks up the water and then your humidity will go up.

 

[raven44]

We live in zone 5-6. We get feet of snow commonly in winter so outdoors isn't an option it gets cold at night also usually. It's rare it stays above 60-70 at night here but I understand he needs to be able to move and excersize in a bigger cage. We're working w what we have currently. My gf jumped the gun in getting the tortoise and now I'm trying to deal with it in the best manner.

We plant to build an enclosed cage. To hold humidty. I've been telling her this is the best plan. So we know this kinda stuff. We have a hygrometer already and have been using it...

The way I see it, it would be best to use a humidifier on a timer to provide the humidty needed for him. And keep the coco coir drier. When I say damp I mean a precisely controlled moisture content... was trying to avoid saying wet or being too detailed. The EASIEST way would be wetting the coco coir. But best in my eyes would be an ultrasonic humidifier dialed in properly.. thoughts??

I grow mushrooms, and do regular lab work w Petri dishes successfully for awhike now... so growing a turtle or caring for this turtle is easy for me honestly

I'm just gathering as much information as possible because there is so much conflicting info cause no one seems to know exactly what's best it basically just lots of people's opinions on what's best for the torts in their experiences

Please keep all he input coming everyone Thank u for the all the help so far, it has all been helpful

 

[raven44]

Im considering making his enclosure in the basement. Under the stairs. Sounds gross but it's nice and cleanly I'll post pics. It's literally the only other place that's bigger for him. It would add two square feet to his enclosure at least hopefully giving him enough room to maneuver in his pen if he'd like to somewhat at least.. pics soon

We aren't like most pet owners or people for that matter.

We keep a close eye on Einstein when he is out. For now the only option is to let him out in the house to excersize or to take him out front in the grass on sunny days

 

[JoesMum]

Im considering making his enclosure in the basement. Under the stairs. Sounds gross but it's nice and cleanly I'll post pics. It's literally the only other place that's bigger for him. It would add two square feet to his enclosure at least hopefully giving him enough room to maneuver in his pen if he'd like to somewhat at least.. pics soon

6'x 4' is better than 4'x4' but still not really large enough for that large redfoot. I know you're trying to do your best.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Since you asked. I use Orchid bark. Your coir is fine. I also have a layer of garden soil on top of the bark and I pour water into the corners or the edges. The bark absorbs the moisture giving you both high humidity as well as a substrate that is not wet.
Outdoors I have it reversed. Soil with large mulch on top. (Here, it rains a lot.)

 

[Pearly]

Warm welcome from Texas to you and your BIG BOY! Wow! He's big! I keep RF, but mine are babies, the "big one" is just 3.5inches. Glad to have you here.

 

[raven44]

Yeah.. I know 6'x4' is still bs small. Like a mouse in a box. Poor fella... :/ we will move this year. When we move, we will get a yard where where we will build him a outdoor pen for summer months. Currently we have no yard that'd be suitable... wish we did but we don't

 

[raven44]

Since you asked. I use Orchid bark. Your coir is fine. I also have a layer of garden soil on top of the bark and I pour water into the corners or the edges. The bark absorbs the moisture giving you both high humidity as well as a substrate that is not wet.
Outdoors I have it reversed. Soil with large mulch on top. (Here, it rains a lot.)

I like this idea a lot thank you

It doesn't rain much hear in eastern Washington. We get a good bit of rain but not too much not like seattle

 

[raven44]

Warm welcome from Texas to you and your BIG BOY! Wow! He's big! I keep RF, but mine are babies, the "big one" is just 3.5inches. Glad to have you here.

Ty

 

[Pearly]

Couple things:

1) no Epsom salt, just plain tap warm water for baths

2) I only have had baby RF's and they require 80% and above humidity. I accomplish that by enclosed heavily planted vivarium with Reptifogger going off every morning at breakfast.
Yes you can definitely use the room humidifier just position it in a way that the fog outlet is directed into the enclosure. My babies love to sit under the fog outlet sticking their heads out just inhaling it. It's fun watching the fog roll down their backs

3) can't see any eye/shel problems in your pics, maybe if you could do better close ups? But if worried about Shellrot ther's no harm in using unto fungal cream, and also use human saline drops to flush the eyes. Perhaps there's a little particle stuck under the lid irritating conjunctiva


Your boy is really BIG, I'm not sure how big of a box you'd have to have to make adequate size closed chamber for him, and honestly, I don't think the closed chamber is a must for a big adult. It'd good for the babies to grow smooth shells, but fully grow adult should be ok with room humidifier in his area. It sucks that you live in cold climate zone, but I think you can still give good care to your pet. Just build him safe enclosure, feed him good food, fresh water, soaks.
Now, I maybe off on this one. Let's see if some oldtimers shoot this one down with counterargument.

 

[raven44]

Yeah... the old lady that owned him before us and passed away I might guess moved to this area from a more hit humid region where she obtained the tortoise originally

 

[raven44]

We are considering making a two Story 4'x4' enclosure. Which will have a water bath on the bottom level and nothing else really..

The top level would be his basking and shaded area

Thoughts? ?

Lightly graduated ramps since it's such a small space..

 

[JoesMum]

Could work, but will he get much extra space over the 6 sq ft with the ramp in place? It'll need to be a pretty big ramp for his size.

 

[raven44]

This is a link to oysters mushroom nutritional content. I'm unsire how much of his diet oyster mushrooms could compose?? What percentage? Could the protein replace the need for meat protein?

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3050/2

I wish thay we could make the 6' area two stories but it's not possible due to being under a stair well it's lackin the vertical space..

 

[MPRC]

I've got to ask....did he come from NW Seed & Pet in Spokane? If so, thanks! I went in there on Sunday and looked to see if he was still there because he's been there since October-ish. The cage was empty but not cleared out yet. I was ready to bring him home to Oregon if he was still sitting there.

If indeed that is the tortoise I'm thinking I gave him a good once over in November and he looked alright, just dry.

The runny eyes are common in tortoises that don't have enough humidity. If I were you I would start planning either a 2 story cage or something larger in your basement. Redfoots are crazy active. I follow my big boy all over our 5 acres. I feel bad when I leave him in his 8ft x 4ft enclosure too long because he runs around the entire thing.