New Vivarium

[Chenderson]

Hi all, spent all day yesterday transferring to a new vivarium. Thought it might be worth throwing it out there and getting any advice as I am rather new to this whole thing.

• 5' Long

• Hot and cold end, controlled by 150Watt Exo Terra Basking lamp, and a temperature controller, hot end stable at 92-95, cool end around 80-85.

• UVB strip light, with reflector, likely changing for a larger size on pay day.

• Humidity controlled manually by daily misting, and weekly soaking of under substrate(Clay and sand mix probably not ideal) stays between 70-80, lows of 60 if I'm stuck at work.

• Hides, a resin animal skull on its side on hot side to provide mild shade(Favorite). Large cave on cool end(Rarely used, but is newly introduced). Wooden snake log running from hot to cool end(Regular use).

• Piece of slate for food. Shallow water dish with inbuilt ramp(cannot flip) about 1.5 times the length and width of tort.

• Exo-Terra thermostats on either side, and Exo-Terra Hygromoter in centre.

• Plastic(y) vivarium/fishtank backing to help retain humidity.

• Substrate comprised of 50/50 Cypress Mulch and Sphagnum Moss.

• Two plastic hanging plants(leafy things), one on either side.

All advice is welcome, my main concerns are tumbling and baking (150Watt Bulb), has been a lot more active since upgraded from a 75Watt and 100Watt. For reference purposes, tortoise is roughly 4" long, and 84g on last weigh in, age unknown. And is a Colombian Redfoot believed to be female, pet shop told me it was male however.


I am currently at work, however if anybody would like to see more pictures, just let me know, can sort it out later tonight. Be gentle!

 

[Chenderson]

Is it possible for an admin to move this to the enclosure section? By the way, rather than creating another thread, the picture of Genkai turned out quite well. Can anybody point out any bad signs of growth or deformation such as pyramiding,or natural? I will post more pictures after bath time, I believe there may be something wrong with the Scutes along the spine, look to be sagged, that may just be first time paranoi/inexperience from myself though.

 

[lismar79]

Sagged scutes is a sign of mbd which is from lack of calcium, but I don't see that at all.

 

[Chenderson]

Sagged scutes is a sign of mbd which is from lack of calcium, but I don't see that at all.

Thanks Lismar, I was talking about this in general chat with more pictures. I was informed it was me being paranoid, the top scutes along the vertebrate are slightly flattened. I was informed that is normal and will even out as she grows.

 

[lismar79]

Thanks Lismar, I was talking about this in general chat with more pictures. I was informed it was me being paranoid, the top scutes along the vertebrate are slightly flattened. I was informed that is normal and will even out as she grows.

It ok to be paranoid, we all are or were at one point

 

[crimson_lotus]

Nice looking enclosure! Looks like you have everything covered. I think it's too young to sex your Red, they all look female in the beginning.

 

[Chenderson]

Was mentioned in the general forums, under a similar thread. Somebody pointed out my tortoise looks like a yellowfoot! Can I get confirmation from somebody what they believe my tortoise looks like? Or atleast what signs to look for, as a definitive answer. I am worried I may have the wrong environment, and potentially buy the wrong tortoise a potential mate!

 

[HLogic]

Was mentioned in the general forums, under a similar thread. Somebody pointed out my tortoise looks like a yellowfoot! Can I get confirmation from somebody what they believe my tortoise looks like? Or atleast what signs to look for, as a definitive answer. I am worried I may have the wrong environment, and potentially buy the wrong tortoise a potential mate!

That looks like a redfoot to me and the plastron shot in the other thread 'says' Colombian.

 

[Chenderson]

That looks like a redfoot to me and the plastron shot in the other thread 'says' Colombian.

Thanks again HLogic, I presumed she was from my own observations, but her shell colouring and even leg scales, look similar to that of yellowfoot.

 

[HLogic]

The carapace looks nothing like a YF. YF's don't have areolae on their scutes. YF's usually have a diffuse reticulated pattern on the carapace.

 

[Chenderson]

The carapace looks nothing like a YF. YF's don't have areolae on their scutes. YF's usually have a diffuse reticulated pattern on the carapace.

Fair enough, I was just looking at the sticky post here, and trying to judge. The head scales match a RF which is good.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I like the unusually dull coloration. It doesn't look like every other Redfoot. Since like the rest of us, you may end up with three or six of them...His uniqueness will be very nice. Mine all look identical..Jet black with brown and some red specks. I'd like some diversity.

 

[Chenderson]

I like the unusually dull coloration. It doesn't look like every other Redfoot. Since like the rest of us, you may end up with three or six of them...His uniqueness will be very nice. Mine all look identical..Jet black with brown and some red specks. I'd like some diversity.

Yeah, when I went to the pet store there were a few redfoots in a vivarium together. They were all as you described, except her running around a much lighter colour, and much more active. She must have been from a different batch.

 

[finetrim]

From the pix she looks like a yellow foot. From my under standing the markings on the nose are different between the Red and Yellow besides the color. Hears a pix of our Yellow Foot. After looking at both pix, looks like you have a Red Foot. Found a pix of a yung Red Foot pix online heres the link, (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.theturtlesource.com/turtleContainer/RedFootTHREE(1).jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.theturtlesource.com/i.asp?id=225689748&p=Red-Footed-Tortoise&h=195&w=259&tbnid=60buJfnmihZ3kM:&zoom=1&tbnh=150&tbnw=200&usg=__8csB49nK2fpsk85f-PxYDtrZe94=&docid=IJ1YutHHCF-gvM&itg=1&ved=0CKQBEMo3&ei=IwwBVau2IImLNoeVgvAM).

 

[Chenderson]

That is a nice looking tortoise, I can see what you mean they do look similar. I'm just going off the scale pattern on the head as the main distinguishing point at the moment.