Not just her shell. . . but her skin too:
New to page need help Verifying species
- Thread starter RandyNC
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Stormy Bluu
Member
Her shell should be smooth and not have the "pyramiding" or bumps on it. This is generally the result of not having enough humidity. Her skin is also super dry. You should use a substrate that helps to hold moisture. I use orchard bark and I spray it down daily to keep the humidity up. You can also use cypress mulch and coco husk. I also have a giant water bowl that my reds can completely soak in and they also get daily/weekly soaks depending on their age.
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RandyNC
New Member
She has water to soak in 2 water tubs sized that she can sit in then but they do not cover her shell. She has a heat and UV light on her cage (4 each do to size of cage ) she is at this time on a type of repta chip (a kind of fine wood) with a dirt under that( the dirt is capable of holding humitaty the wood will not) I have never worried about the humitaty that she has as I was told she was a desert Tortoise. I have had her for like I said about 6 months and have spent a lot to have a set up for the Species I believed her to be.
Now it looks like it is time to re set up her habitat to include some humitaty, I see what you say about her skin being dry, and as I am a lizard guy did not think much of that but I don't understand what you see on her shell that showed that she dose not have the right humitaty ? I want to learn as much as I can today before I set up her home again to ensure it is right.
Also as I have some people on this post that know a lot about her what kind of live plants could I add to her home that she could eat? Or at least would look good and not hurt her ?
Now it looks like it is time to re set up her habitat to include some humitaty, I see what you say about her skin being dry, and as I am a lizard guy did not think much of that but I don't understand what you see on her shell that showed that she dose not have the right humitaty ? I want to learn as much as I can today before I set up her home again to ensure it is right.
Also as I have some people on this post that know a lot about her what kind of live plants could I add to her home that she could eat? Or at least would look good and not hurt her ?
RandyNC
New Member
She has very high bumps all down her back always has from the point I got her, like I said she was left in a very small area with very little room to roam, i use auto Misters for my other reptiles that require very high humidity and I can set them to spray anywhere between 10sec to 3 mins and 1 time to 25 times per day, I have a extra one I had picked up when the pet store put on sale (I payed $200 for the other 3 so when on sale for 100 picked it up just in case I ever needed it) how often do you think I should set it for?
So if I get the humitaty right with she lose her bumps? What advices would you give for her skin at this point? Other then getting the humitaty set right for her
So if I get the humitaty right with she lose her bumps? What advices would you give for her skin at this point? Other then getting the humitaty set right for her
Stormy Bluu
Member
Randy--her skin should not be dry, flaky, and that ashy color. This indicates that she doesn't have enough water/humidity currently. The pyramiding likely has developed over the last few years. A normal, healthy red foot will have a nice, smooth shell and dark, bright skin like the first photo below. Pyramiding, which is a shell deformity, is usually a result of incorrect humidity in an enclosure which causes the scutes to grow out instead of horizontally, like the second photo below. I would get rid of your current substrate and go to Lowes or Home Depot and get a bag of cypress mulch. Cover the enclosure with several inches of mulch and add water to it to get all of the substrate damp. Be sure to mix the substrate so that all of it becomes damp. I usually then spray down the mulch daily and then add water to the substrate and mix it every few weeks to keep the mulch damp. I would also start soaking her in warm water for 15-20 minutes to help her hydrate.
What type of exnclosure do you have? Photos would be helpful. It is important to have some sort of plastic or covering to help hold in the humidity, especially in your area where it isn't overly humid naturally. What are the temps and humidity now?
What type of exnclosure do you have? Photos would be helpful. It is important to have some sort of plastic or covering to help hold in the humidity, especially in your area where it isn't overly humid naturally. What are the temps and humidity now?
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What temperatures do you have in the enclosure Randy?
Redfoots don't need a basking lamp; they're not a basking species. They need UVB (a 5.0 tube is plenty) and constant ambient heat, day and night, from a Ceramic Heat Emitter which must be used with a thermostat. A CHE provides only heat and no light.
This lighting together with damp substrate and a closed in enclosure (needs a lid of some sort) raises humidity - this species is from South American forests which are dense, warm and damp.
This care sheet should help
http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/species-information-2/chelonoidis/
Redfoots don't need a basking lamp; they're not a basking species. They need UVB (a 5.0 tube is plenty) and constant ambient heat, day and night, from a Ceramic Heat Emitter which must be used with a thermostat. A CHE provides only heat and no light.
This lighting together with damp substrate and a closed in enclosure (needs a lid of some sort) raises humidity - this species is from South American forests which are dense, warm and damp.
This care sheet should help
http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/species-information-2/chelonoidis/
RandyNC
New Member
https://goo.gl/photos/aq3o1aHuGJaBL1xe9
Sorry I'm at work so can't take a pix now but this is a pix from when building it she is all the space on the bottom
Sorry I'm at work so can't take a pix now but this is a pix from when building it she is all the space on the bottom
RandyNC
New Member
The bumps are there to stay but it will not effect her. If you fix her habitat they will not get worse and her can diffenelty get worse. Don't stress over what's already been done, just focus on making it good now. That arrtical linked above has lots of good info in it.
RandyNC
New Member
Ya I have her set up for a desert Tortoise so she would still be lower than the humitaty that she would require it I have always had water for her but her cage is very dry. My girlfriend is getting the bedding changed now and I will hook up a mister when I get home tonight
Stormy Bluu
Member
Are the sides of the enclosure screen or glass/plexi? I'd also add a CHE or two, like JoesMum mentioned. These guys need constant heat and humidity. The enclosure is quite large, which is great, but you will need to ensure that the entire enclosure is consistently warm (mid 80's) and humid. Since you are now adding humidity, you want to also ensure that it is warm enough as well. Dampness/high humidity with too low temps can cause health issues. I would also recommend covering any screening at the top of the enclosure with plastic to help hold in the humidity (aside from the areas that have lighting/heat fixtures resting on the screening). Having this covered will help trap the humidity in the enclosure and it will better hold the humidity level.
RandyNC
New Member
It's all screen only up top where my reptiles are have plxyglass
RandyNC
New Member
My cage is a huge custom biuld so I can change screen out for plexiglass on the sides front top any aspect and leave just the screen for the doors but I think I will wait and see what I get with putting my humitaty reptile chips that I used with my chameleon with to fogger and mister 50% is a not to hard to get to may be a little harder due to the size of cage vs size of my other cages
Welcome and thank you for your efforts to make your tortoise healthy and happy!
RandyNC
New Member
I am looking and it looks like they can eat grass?If so could I plant grass on part of her home ?
Stormy Bluu
Member
Randy--thanks so much for wanting to give your tortoise the best life. 
I'd probably recommend putting the plexi in place of the screen sides first when adding all of the humidity/foggers/misters. I can speak from experience that it is difficult to maintain the proper temperatures and humidity consistently in an enclosure that has solid walls and just a screen top, so I would expect that you won't likely be able to keep the humidity and temps up consistently with screening on both the sides and the top of the enclosure. It would be better to air on the side of caution and have too much humidity verses not enough.
I personally would also be careful when using a repti-fogger in a redfoot tortoise enclosure. These foggers usually drop the temperature in enclosures 10 degrees, so it would definitely be important to use CHE and to maintain the temps in the mid 80's day/night, so that it doesn't become too cold and damp, which could cause health issues like respiratory issues. I don't use these with my tortoises but I know that others on the forum do and they would be able to better discuss pros and cons.
I'd probably recommend putting the plexi in place of the screen sides first when adding all of the humidity/foggers/misters. I can speak from experience that it is difficult to maintain the proper temperatures and humidity consistently in an enclosure that has solid walls and just a screen top, so I would expect that you won't likely be able to keep the humidity and temps up consistently with screening on both the sides and the top of the enclosure. It would be better to air on the side of caution and have too much humidity verses not enough.
I personally would also be careful when using a repti-fogger in a redfoot tortoise enclosure. These foggers usually drop the temperature in enclosures 10 degrees, so it would definitely be important to use CHE and to maintain the temps in the mid 80's day/night, so that it doesn't become too cold and damp, which could cause health issues like respiratory issues. I don't use these with my tortoises but I know that others on the forum do and they would be able to better discuss pros and cons.
RandyNC
New Member
CHE?
RandyNC
New Member
I am ordering in some cut plexiglass and will install it rather then screen in a few weeks( I ordered precut sized for cage)
Stormy Bluu
Member
Ceramic heat emitter--this is a great heat source that can be used 24/7 and it does not give off any light. As someone stated earlier in this thread, redfoots aren't a basking species and really don't need a basking spot. The best set up is a UVB light and a CHE to help keep the temperature constant. I personally use a UVB light and a CHE paired with a thermostat so that I can control the temps. Your enclosure is quite large so you may need several CHEs to maintain the temps throughout the length of it. You can find CHE's and decently priced therostats online, like Amazon. I personally use the JumpStart thermostat with most of my reptiles (tortoises, boas, geckos, and bluies all use it) and I have never had an issue--and you can't beat $28.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/best-che.149221/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HFNZ59Q/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NZZG3S/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/best-che.149221/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HFNZ59Q/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NZZG3S/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
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Sycamore
New Member
The redfoot tortoises don't seem to eat as much grass as the African species such as Sulcata and leopards but they still seem to on occasion and I'm such they enjoy a little. I have clover and dandelion seeded for my girl so any kind of broad leafed plants or weeds would be better than grass in my opinion. I would probably just use grass seed in addition to that and more like wheatgrass or oat than whatever you use on your lawn.
