So i just got her yesterday around 1 pm ish and these are some things im having minor concerns about. When she breaths i sometimes hear this like, whistling noise so idk if thats ok or not. Also, last night she was very active trying to escape, then slept in the cool side of the hide, then woke up, i fed her, set her down near/in the basking spot and i came back up and she was sleepin in the basking spot. Idk if this is normal/ ok and im just a worry wart right now so please help!
New Tortoise- Is this normal?
- Thread starter Kyle
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Give her time to settle.. dont disturb her too much.
Make sure you soak her well, give her food, keep her warm and
keep an ear on the noise.
Make sure you soak her well, give her food, keep her warm and
keep an ear on the noise.
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I am no expert, but if his nose is clean with no discharge then he might be really dry. The only time my guy whistled a good soak or spray was needed. Also, if you rescued him from a pet store he is probably enjoying finally getting some warmth.
What is your humidity level. Dale makes whistling sounds when he's too dry. I have there basking spot at 85 only and they always lay there. Once in a while they will move away to the cool side, but not too often. Do you have any pictures of him? 
How old is she? I use a Frisbee for Rambo's water dish and its huge for him to soak in, you can also use something like a top from something like a tub of margarine, something like that depending on her size.
I wish i could get photos but camera is broken Basically her setup is a 3ftx2ft cement mixing tub but hopefully this is only temporary as she is 7in. A top to another bin covers about half of it and theres a heat mat half way and a basking light on the far end. cypress mulch keeps it humid and the temps up during the night
Basically her setup is a 3ftx2ft cement mixing tub but hopefully this is only temporary as she is 7in. A top to another bin covers about half of it and theres a heat mat half way and a basking light on the far end. cypress mulch keeps it humid and the temps up during the night
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Kyle said:I wish i could get photos but camera is broken
Be careful with using the cement mixing tub. They are only 8 inches high. Add a layer of substrate and a 7 in tortoise could climb out.
RF's don't need a basking spot in the 90's...they already feel comfortable with a basking spot of 86F and an overall background temp of 83F. And like what others said, increase the humidity. She's wheezing because she lacks moisture! Soak her and spray her down...two very important things to do when you acquire a new redfoot.
There is a lot of stuff in my site- the TortoiseLibrary.Com that may help you with getting started.
A few points-
1. Temps for a Red-foot cannot be determined as precisely as for some other species- they come from a huge range (mostly not rain forest, contrary to popular belief), and the humidity works with warmth in such a way that exact measurements of the animal's comfort are tough.
Most people have the most success with a range of about 80-90F with about 85ish as the main temp. They do not seem to 'need' a basking spot, but they do well with one and it makes it easier to manage the microclimates.
Bottom line- offer a range and watch the behavior. If it is almost always in the warm spot, warm things up overall a bit. If it is always in the cool spot, cool things off overall.
2. Humidity is helpful with Red-foots. Most of their range gets a lot of rain and is usually rather humid. The smartest thing to do is to design yourself a habitat that holds humidity well. While there are several options mentioned in the TortoiseLibrary, a simple example would be to mostly cover your habitat with plastic, and use a substrate that won't readily mold, then fill it with water and heat from below- as with your mat. Cypress mulch, hardwood bark, etc. works nicely.
Soaking is an on-going debate. Tortoises DO NOT absorb water through the skin (documented in studies), but they do recharge their bladder (refilling the bladder can take water from their bodies otherwise) and they often drink when soaking. My take on this is that if they struggle or hide tight when in the water, the stress is not worth it. If they act normally, then it is probably no big deal.
Misting certainly helps, but it is a short-term partial answer to the bigger problem of offering good heat and humidity. Watering plants in the habitat helps as well, and a humid hide is a great option.
3. Noises. Wheezing is one of the only visible signs of pneumonia (Lower Respiratory Tract Disease), so that should be considered. Some older tortoises wheeze pretty commonly, and some wheezers have been found to have particles in their nostrils (nares). I suppose dry air could cause wheezing although I have never experienced this.
A few points-
1. Temps for a Red-foot cannot be determined as precisely as for some other species- they come from a huge range (mostly not rain forest, contrary to popular belief), and the humidity works with warmth in such a way that exact measurements of the animal's comfort are tough.
Most people have the most success with a range of about 80-90F with about 85ish as the main temp. They do not seem to 'need' a basking spot, but they do well with one and it makes it easier to manage the microclimates.
Bottom line- offer a range and watch the behavior. If it is almost always in the warm spot, warm things up overall a bit. If it is always in the cool spot, cool things off overall.
2. Humidity is helpful with Red-foots. Most of their range gets a lot of rain and is usually rather humid. The smartest thing to do is to design yourself a habitat that holds humidity well. While there are several options mentioned in the TortoiseLibrary, a simple example would be to mostly cover your habitat with plastic, and use a substrate that won't readily mold, then fill it with water and heat from below- as with your mat. Cypress mulch, hardwood bark, etc. works nicely.
Soaking is an on-going debate. Tortoises DO NOT absorb water through the skin (documented in studies), but they do recharge their bladder (refilling the bladder can take water from their bodies otherwise) and they often drink when soaking. My take on this is that if they struggle or hide tight when in the water, the stress is not worth it. If they act normally, then it is probably no big deal.
Misting certainly helps, but it is a short-term partial answer to the bigger problem of offering good heat and humidity. Watering plants in the habitat helps as well, and a humid hide is a great option.
3. Noises. Wheezing is one of the only visible signs of pneumonia (Lower Respiratory Tract Disease), so that should be considered. Some older tortoises wheeze pretty commonly, and some wheezers have been found to have particles in their nostrils (nares). I suppose dry air could cause wheezing although I have never experienced this.
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