New Tortoise owner, have 5 or 6 year old Red footed tortoise, need help

[Kkunsman]

Hello All,

So i recently got a red footed tortoise female who is estimated to be around 5-6 years old. She was rescued and nursed back to health by someone else after living with an owner who only fed her Iceberg lettuce. Since getting her I have tried to feed her mustard greens, collard greens, yellow squash, apples, mangos etc she has no interest in any of it. I change it out daily to make sure the food is fresh. I have a heat lamp, a basking light and uv bulb. Her tank is at 75-85 degrees. lower end at night time. I even got a tank humidifier to make sure her humidity is at least 70%. I have had her for about a week and she has not eaten and she doesn't move around much. I even get her out of her tank and take her outside since its summer to see if she will walk around out there and she does not. I am worried I am doing something wrong or she is sick. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hello All,

So i recently got a red footed tortoise female who is estimated to be around 5-6 years old. She was rescued and nursed back to health by someone else after living with an owner who only fed her Iceberg lettuce. Since getting her I have tried to feed her mustard greens, collard greens, yellow squash, apples, mangos etc she has no interest in any of it. I change it out daily to make sure the food is fresh. I have a heat lamp, a basking light and uv bulb. Her tank is at 75-85 degrees. lower end at night time. I even got a tank humidifier to make sure her humidity is at least 70%. I have had her for about a week and she has not eaten and she doesn't move around much. I even get her out of her tank and take her outside since its summer to see if she will walk around out there and she does not. I am worried I am doing something wrong or she is sick. Any advice is appreciated.

That doesn't sound good.
At those temperatures she should eat like a horse. Especially the fruit.
Does she walk OK? Body off of the ground? Strong legs? Etc.
Describe or photograph your UVB source.
I don't think she's done being "nursed back to health:.
Can you make an outdoors enclosure? Real sunlight is often good medicine.

 

[crimson_lotus]

The only fault I could find is that you have a basking spot. Redfoots don't really like to bask so I would suggest removing it and just have overall UV strips for the enclosure.

Can you take a pic of the tort and its enclosure?

 

[wellington]

Do you know if she can walk?
Have you given warm water soaks? I would soak her daily to keep her hydrated. They can go quite a while without food but not water. Older tortoises take longer usually then hatchlings to get used to a new environment.
Post pics of her and her enclosure so we can see what may need improving.
If you can house her outside in a safe mistly shaded with bushes and tree coverage I would do that and bring her in at night only. This is if you know she can actually walk.

 

[Kkunsman]

That doesn't sound good.
At those temperatures she should eat like a horse. Especially the fruit.
Does she walk OK? Body off of the ground? Strong legs? Etc.
Describe or photograph your UVB source.
I don't think she's done being "nursed back to health:.
Can you make an outdoors enclosure? Real sunlight is often good medicine.

When she does walk yes she lifts herself off the ground. It’s starting to get chilly here in Ky at nights and in the mornings so outdoors and low 80s recently during the day. I do take her outdoors to walk around some during the day or try to. I just took her outside again and she started eating grass so maybe she doesn’t like the types of greens I’m giving her idk.

 

[Kkunsman]

Do you know if she can walk?
Have you given warm water soaks? I would soak her daily to keep her hydrated. They can go quite a while without food but not water. Older tortoises take longer usually then hatchlings to get used to a new environment.
Post pics of her and her enclosure so we can see what may need improving.
If you can house her outside in a safe mistly shaded with bushes and tree coverage I would do that and bring her in at night only. This is if you know she can actually walk.

She is walking. I will try the soaking in warm water! Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Kkunsman]

The only fault I could find is that you have a basking spot. Redfoots don't really like to bask so I would suggest removing it and just have overall UV strips for the enclosure.

Can you take a pic of the tort and its enclosure?

Ok thank you online research told me different I will switch the basking light for another uv bulb

 

[Kkunsman]

When she does walk yes she lifts herself off the ground. It’s starting to get chilly here in Ky at nights and in the mornings so outdoors and low 80s recently during the day. I do take her outdoors to walk around some during the day or try to. I just took her outside again and she started eating grass so maybe she doesn’t like the types of greens I’m giving her idk. View attachment 349016View attachment 349015View attachment 349014

This is the enclosure that was given to me with her from the people who nursed her to health I plan on getting a bigger enclosure asap.

 

[Kkunsman]

She is outside and walking around and eating the yard so maybe it’s something about the enclosure. I’m going to switch out the basking bulb for another uv maybe that’s what it is.

 

[crimson_lotus]

just make sure you get a uvb tube and not another individual light that emits UV. The coil and compact ones that go into those fixtures tend to irritate/burn the eyes of whatever is living in the enclosure it's being used in, so they are best avoided.

Tort actually doesn't look too bad. Their eyes are so big! Needs a beak trim or maybe some cuttlebone to get that back to normal. Enclosure definitely needs some changing. My tort came in the exact same one when I brought her home. She used to flip herself all the time trying to get out and she was about the same size. The bigger the enclosure the more content the tort will be and will most likely try not to escape.

Also get a new water dish, like a terracotta saucer.

Keep an eye out for any wheezing or nasal discharge, and when you start soaking they will poop. Take a look at the poop and make sure there are no parasite overloads or blockage (if they don't poop for a while).

 

[Kkunsman]

just make sure you get a uvb tube and not another individual light. The coil ones that go into those fixtures tend to irritate/burn the eyes of whatever is living in the enclosure it's being used in.

Tort actually doesn't look too bad. Needs a beak trim or maybe some cuttlebone to get that back to normal. Enclosure definitely needs some changing. My tort came in the exact same one when I brought her home. She used to flip herself all the time trying to get out and she was about the same size. The bigger the enclosure the more content the tort will be and will most likely try not to escape.

Ok yea her beak was like that when I got her so I wasn’t aware it was long. First time tortoise owner been doing research so I appreciate all the advice. I will get her a cuttlebone this weekend. I plan on getting her a bigger enclosure that’s not see through very soon. She hasn’t tried to escape yet so I’m lucky there but I know the see through isn’t ideal for them apparently.

 

[wellington]

Get the humidifier out. They can cause illness. Better to wet the lower layers of the substrate by pouring warm water in the corners.
She needs a much bigger enclosure or she will not be able to walk for long. They have to be able to roam to build muscle strength and keep it. Outside during the day is best. Build a fenced in safe area outside. Bring her in at night. She needs a room size enclosure inside if you plan on housing her inside. There is no premade enclosure big enough for her unless you buy a pop up portable green house 12x12 at least.
Glad she started eating outside.

 

[Kkunsman]

Get the humidifier out. They can cause illness. Better to wet the lower layers of the substrate by pouring warm water in the corners.
She needs a much bigger enclosure or she will not be able to walk for long. They have to be able to roam to build muscle strength and keep it. Outside during the day is best. Build a fenced in safe area outside. Bring her in at night. She needs a room size enclosure inside if you plan on housing her inside. There is no premade enclosure big enough for her unless you buy a pop up portable green house 12x12 at least.
Glad she started eating

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I agree with WELLINGTON and CRIMSON LOTUS above.
You also likely have all of the wrong lighting and heating from the look of those dome lamps.
You need a strip florescent T5 HO UVB and a CHE for warmth.
Redfoot aren't big on grazing. So the fact that he/she doesn't eat unless he's outside tells me that either you aren't feeding the correct foods or something in that seriously small enclosure is causing him so much stress that he feels very uncomfortable.
Get him some mushrooms, fruit and something dark and green such as kale and feed him outside. See how that goes. Then let him be outside as much as possible while you get his indoor enclosure squared away.
Also, don't forget his soaks.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Ok thank you online research told me different I will switch the basking light for another uv bulb

No
No UV BULBS!
Only UVB Linear strip florescent. Preferably a T5 HO 5.0 for this species. Although a 10.0 will also work. (The long tube kind)
No "screw in" UVB bulb is acceptable. In fact, try to forget everything that you read online

 

[Maddoggy]

Not much on advice but I can tell you are trying . If you do what they tell you I think you have a long happy life with your tort . Good luck

 

[Tony B]

Seems it's not hot enough,closer to 90 on the hot side in my opinion and experience,habitats too small,I think it's apitite will improve with higher temp though.