New Redfoot Tortoise - is she healthy? any tips?

betweenshells

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Hi everyone, I just got a new redfoot tortoise. She was living in pretty bad conditions, in a chicken coop here in central Texas for who knows how long. I believe she is about 2 years old. She has shell rot on the bottom of her shell and has mild pyramiding. My brother has had her for 6 months but he's moving so now she's in my hands! This is my first tortoise, my brother has done what he can but I don't know if he was able to provide her everything she needs since he lived in a very small apartment. She's currently in a 36" x 18" aquarium, with half of it covered. I added more substrate, a mix of forest floor, moss and coconut fiber to what she already had in there. She had isopods but not sure if they are still there since I added the new substrate. I'm currently able to see the temperature one her warm side where her uvb light is and her hide is while I'm not sure what her cool side temp is. Gonna get a new gadget this black Friday so I can know what both sides are. She's about 5 inches long or so, has a shallow bowl with water that I change everyday or every other day, I mist her space anywhere between 3-6x per day as well but her humidity still seems to drop mid-day. I'm working on a larger outside area about 4'x2' but it's winter time so she won't be able to get out there til the weather is at around 75 to 80 degrees outside I'm guessing.
I can upload photos of her as well as her enclosure and really looking for tips and constructive criticism so I can know what to plan for so I can set her up to live a healthy and long life. I've had her for about one week and a half so far. Her activity seems well though noticed that it's decreased since I remodeled her enclosure. I added temporary construction paper so she isn't stressed by the glass. She eats two to three times a week, dandelion leaves and flowers, marigold leaves and flowers, some fruit like mangos and strawberries, a couple of worms or crickets in calcuim and D3 supplement. I also soak her a few times a week and do her shell rot treatment 3 times a week as well. She does spend a lot of her time in her hide.
 

wellington

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She does need a bigger enclosure asap. A 4x6 minimum for now.
Pour warm water into the corners of the enclosure to get the bottom very damp while top stays dry. This will get the humidity up. Also closing off more of the top. The shell rot needs to be daily cleaned, dried and athletes foot cream applied. You may want to keep her off substrate until its healed.
Pictures would help us a lot in helping you.
 

betweenshells

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She does need a bigger enclosure asap. A 4x6 minimum for now.
Pour warm water into the corners of the enclosure to get the bottom very damp while top stays dry. This will get the humidity up. Also closing off more of the top. The shell rot needs to be daily cleaned, dried and athletes foot cream applied. You may want to keep her off substrate until its healed.
Pictures would help us a lot in helping you.
Hi Wellington, thanks for this! I'm uploading pictures now, how would I keep her off the substrate?
 

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betweenshells

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She does need a bigger enclosure asap. A 4x6 minimum for now.
Pour warm water into the corners of the enclosure to get the bottom very damp while top stays dry. This will get the humidity up. Also closing off more of the top. The shell rot needs to be daily cleaned, dried and athletes foot cream applied. You may want to keep her off substrate until its healed.
Pictures would help us a lot in helping you.

Your RF should be fed every day. And needs to stay hydrated.
I do try to feed her everyday but she doesn't eat every day. When my brother first got her, she wasn't eating at all. We had to hand feed her for a couple months until she finally started eating on her own.
 

ZEROPILOT

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I do try to feed her everyday but she doesn't eat every day. When my brother first got her, she wasn't eating at all. We had to hand feed her for a couple months until she finally started eating on her own.
What is the temperature? He may be having digestive issues
 

betweenshells

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What is the temperature? He may be having digestive issues
She poops every time I soak her in the water, which is three times a week or so. The temperature ranges from 70 to 90 in her tank. I have a ceramic heater that I keep a good 12 inches away to maintain an 80 degree temperature where her hide is. also her poops do look healthy, pretty well formed and not runny. One time it was runny but that was a defensive poop on her end, since I was handling her and doing her shell rot treatment.
 

zolasmum

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She poops every time I soak her in the water, which is three times a week or so. The temperature ranges from 70 to 90 in her tank. I have a ceramic heater that I keep a good 12 inches away to maintain an 80 degree temperature where her hide is. also her poops do look healthy, pretty well formed and not runny. One time it was runny but that was a defensive poop on her end, since I was handling her and doing her shell rot treatment.
Moss isn't a good idea anywhere -she may eat it on purpose, or accidentally if stuck to food, and it can cause impaction.
If you put out food every day for her, and just leave it all day, she may eventually decide to have a bit more.
You say she hasn't been in a very good environment originally - she will probably feel more confident about being
outside her hide soon.
What is her name?
Angie
 

betweenshells

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Moss isn't a good idea anywhere -she may eat it on purpose, or accidentally if stuck to food, and it can cause impaction.
If you put out food every day for her, and just leave it all day, she may eventually decide to have a bit more.
You say she hasn't been in a very good environment originally - she will probably feel more confident about being
outside her hide soon.
What is her name?
Angie
ah, so should I remove the moss in her enviroment? Her name is Rojita. I just put it in there and it definitely gets in her food. Whats impaction?
 

zolasmum

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Sorry -it means her gut and bowel gets blocked, because the moss expands inside her. I would take it all out, and avoid it in future. It might even be putting her off eating.
Angie
 

betweenshells

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Sorry -it means her gut and bowel gets blocked, because the moss expands inside her. I would take it all out, and avoid it in future. It might even be putting her off eating.
Angie
ah, bummer. I can make sure she doesn't eat it for now and take it out later... though i did also just mix some in her actual substrate. I don't think I have enough money right now to replace all of that again. Would it be okay if I put some moss in her outside enclosure? I just don't want it to go to waste but I won't put it if it's best without.
 

betweenshells

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does she otherwise look pretty healthy? i worry about the shell rot and pyramiding. also if people have recommendations for an indoor enclosure would be great. i agree she needs a bigger space.
 

zolasmum

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ah, bummer. I can make sure she doesn't eat it for now and take it out later... though i did also just mix some in her actual substrate. I don't think I have enough money right now to replace all of that again. Would it be okay if I put some moss in her outside enclosure? I just don't want it to go to waste but I won't put it if it's best without.
I should think Rojita is much less likely to want to eat it outside - as long as it doesn't get on any food you put out there with her ! I am sure someone who knows about redfoot tortoises will be along soon - I'm afraid I have a hermanns tortoise, and can only help with general information, but I think she looks very sweet, and not much sign of pyramiding, or of shell rot now, to me.
Angie
 

ZEROPILOT

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Sorry -it means her gut and bowel gets blocked, because the moss expands inside her. I would take it all out, and avoid it in future. It might even be putting her off eating.
Angie
Good catch.
Yes.
No moss. It's not safe
 

betweenshells

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she definitely has some, but it is mild. i could post another picture from the side view so that it's more apparent. i don't think it's anything severe. anyone have a guess as to how old she might be? maybe a couple years?
 

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zolasmum

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she definitely has some, but it is mild. i could post another picture from the side view so that it's more apparent. i don't think it's anything severe. anyone have a guess as to how old she might be? maybe a couple years?
The pyramiding is very mild, as you say, and after a few years will be pretty much smoothed out as Rojita's shell grows - she is clearly going to be a very well looked after tortoise, and hopefully you will have many happy years with her.
Angie
 

zovick

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she definitely has some, but it is mild. i could post another picture from the side view so that it's more apparent. i don't think it's anything severe. anyone have a guess as to how old she might be? maybe a couple years?
Your tortoise appears to be more than a just couple of years old. Looking at its size and the shell growth, it looks as though it could be as much as five or possibly even as much as ten years old.
 
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