Not walking red footed

[Blinderl]

A lot of tortoises can swim. Best to let him do it with being on a bowl as many will just sit there doing nothing. That's are tortoises are weighed. Put a bucket or bowl, depending on tortoise size on a scale and tortoise on top of the bucket or bowl. This keeps them from scrambling away, but most just sit still. You need him to use his legs to build of strength and muscle if this is his problem. If he can't swim, either place a couple fingers under him to hold him up or get a small piece of flat Styrofoam and put that under him between front and back legs.
I used my bath tub. Most tubs are a little slanted at the end furthest from faucet. My tortoise would swim from the deeper end to the shallow end where he could barely touch bottom. Then I would either pull him back to deep end or turn him around so he would swim back to it and then he would turn himself around and go back to shallow end.

Thank you. I’m afraid he will sink but I will be with him every second and will try. It’s a mystery. I know his diet is good. Today kale. A few blueberries. Arugula. Red lettuce. 2 tortoise pellets. He ate all and peed and pooped. Daily soaks. UVB light is 12 inches away. I also take him outside for about an hour. It’s summer here in nj. UVA light. Heat lamp to 85oF. I got him a skateboard and trying to teach him how to use it.

 

[Blinderl]

Thank you. I’m afraid he will sink but I will be with him every second and will try. It’s a mystery. I know his diet is good. Today kale. A few blueberries. Arugula. Red lettuce. 2 tortoise pellets. He ate all and peed and pooped. Daily soaks. UVB light is 12 inches away. I also take him outside for about an hour. It’s summer here in nj. UVA light. Heat lamp to 85oF. I got him a skateboard and trying to teach him how to use it.

Also reptifogger

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Also reptifogger

It is not related to the walking problem, but foggers are not recommended due to the risk of respiratory problems. Humidity should be maintained using a closed chamber and pouring water instead.

 

[Blinderl]

Thank you. I’m also attaching a photo of the st up. This is his temporary until he can walk. I have a much bigger place for him the. The uvb is about 12 inches groom shell. The uva is about 2 feet. He has a ceramic heater which I adjust

 

[Blinderl]

Can he stand up or does he try to? If you touch his feet, does he pull them in?

Have you tried physical therapy in water? Balance him on some object like a upside down bowl so that his feet don't touch the bottom and let him paddle in the water.

I will tag @zovick here.

Thanks. I am moving his legs and will try the water therapy. When he soaks he’s on a small support and does. Move legs a little. I’m hoping he was so weak from illness but now getting stronger

 

[Blinderl]

A 30 min soak in warm water. I move his legs. I really appreciate the advice. Intensive is me working with him on a little skateboard. He hasn’t figured it out yet. I have to bring him to his water bowl which I do multiple times a day. I have him outside with me on warm days for an hour.

 

[COmtnLady]

Things I am about to say are not intended to insult you or upset you. This is constructive criticism of te theings I see that not the best for your tortoise.

First ~
Show us the top you put over his enclosure please.

2. What are your humidity and temperature readings?

3. Why is there hay/grass in his enclosure? Red Foots do NOT eat it, and it only absorbs moisture and goes moldy in a Red Foot enclosure. It needs to be removed before it causes problems.

4. What is the little container/barrel thing on the right with the tube coming out of the top?

5. Replace that gray water bowl with a terracotta saucer that is sunken down into the substrate. Those gray plastic things are not safe around tortoises (worse for young ones than for adults). The walls are too abrupt to easily get into and out of, and you don't have it down into the substrate at all, so it is like a fence keeping your tortoise out of what he needs to be able to access easily. Its even harder to get into with his back legs not working right now. Then think about how slippery the surface of the dish itself is. With the water in that gray bowl, the bottom is like oiled glass. Get rid of the gray plastic dish. A clean new terracotta plant saucer has much better traction, and when sunk down into the substrate it is exactly what a tortoise needs. (Don't use one that has been used under a flowerpot - chemicals and fertilizer can have been absorbed by a used saucer and then put those into your tortoise's water.)

6. When you say "bring him to his water bowl" do you place him inside it in the water or only put him outside it but near it?

Let's deal with those for now.
.

 

[JoJosMom]

Pneumonia can cause paralysis in tortoises. If the pneumonia was not treated immediately and turned into a severe case, it can affect part and/or all of their bodily functions. I would highly suggest trying the hydro-therapy as mentioned above. In order for hydrotherapy to be successful, you have to be patient and consistent, however in this instance, if this is caused by pneumonia, he may never walk again. Has he been back to the vet since the treatment for the pneumonia? If not, I would recommend seeing a tortoise specialist.

 

[Blinderl]

Things I am about to say are not intended to insult you or upset you. This is constructive criticism of te theings I see that not the best for your tortoise.

First ~
Show us the top you put over his enclosure please.

2. What are your humidity and temperature readings?

3. Why is there hay/grass in his enclosure? Red Foots do NOT eat it, and it only absorbs moisture and goes moldy in a Red Foot enclosure. It needs to be removed before it causes problems.

4. What is the little container/barrel thing on the right with the tube coming out of the top?

5. Replace that gray water bowl with a terracotta saucer that is sunken down into the substrate. Those gray plastic things are not safe around tortoises (worse for young ones than for adults). The walls are too abrupt to easily get into and out of, and you don't have it down into the substrate at all, so it is like a fence keeping your tortoise out of what he needs to be able to access easily. Its even harder to get into with his back legs not working right now. Then think about how slippery the surface of the dish itself is. With the water in that gray bowl, the bottom is like oiled glass. Get rid of the gray plastic dish. A clean new terracotta plant saucer has much better traction, and when sunk down into the substrate it is exactly what a tortoise needs. (Don't use one that has been used under a flowerpot - chemicals and fertilizer can have been absorbed by a used saucer and then put those into your tortoise's water.)

6. When you say "bring him to his water bowl" do you place him inside it in the water or only put him outside it but near it?

Let's deal with those for now.
.

I appreciate the advice. 1. I dont have a top over the space now - he isnt walking. I have another habitat that has high sides and is much bigger for when he recoverers. Do I need a cover?
2. Humidity is between 75 and 85%. Temp around 78 - 84 degrees F
3. I got hay before I knew this -he does not eat it but I put some under him after his bath for a dry substrate -since he cant move I am concerned about too much humidity under his shell.
4. That is a repti fogger -- I have switched to spritzing by hand
5. Will def replace the bowl and I have terracotta already -he cant get to his water -I take him to it twice a day. I put him so that he can reach it to drink and I watch to make sure he is drinking.
He seems to be moving his legs alittle, he is digging into the substrate. But not enough to walk.
The UVB light is about 12 inches from his shell. The regular light is further because it heats up. The heat lamp I adjust.
He is eating well and is very alert. I take him outside everyday (new jersey) and he eats dandilion greens. I give him a soak almost every day. I am hoping that because he almost died, he became emaciated, and now is building strength -- taking a long time though.

 

[COmtnLady]

Thanks for the answers.

1 & 2. The top keeps in the humidity and heat. There is no way to keep Red Foots at the levels they NEED without enclosing their chamber. Your Red Foot needs it to be at a minimum of 84-86% humidity or higher, and 85F give or take a degree or two in order to live a healthy life. They evolved in the equatorial region of South America and there is nowhere in the Northern Hemisphere where their healthy range of temps and humidity exists. Your tortoise is too cold and too dry, which is affecting its health.

Warm him up and get the humidity held in at the level where he is living. Because he is not as healthy as could be it would help to have it be even warmer, about 90F with the high humidity. Think of it as a snuggly blanket to help him feel better. Anytime a tortoise is sick it is a good idea to make it warmer... they can't shiver like we do, or do other things to warm themselves when they aren't feeling well.

3. Since it is too dry in the enclosure the hay will probably take longer to go moldy, but it should still be removed now. You are trying to keep a tropical species in Temperate conditions which will cause health problems. If you had a Hermanns or Russians the set up you have would be fine, it is bad for a Red Foot though. Enclose the whole thing, tightly close it up - any/every openings will act like a chimney and vent out what you are trying to keep in. Your chamber needs to be tightly enclosed. Create a tent with a shower curtain (careful to not touch any lights or hot things - fire hazard). Tape the edges down to the sides of the enclosure. Seal it closed, don't even worry about "enough oxygen" because A. the cubic feet of air that will be enclosed is more than adequate, and B. every time you open to feed, or take your tortoise out to soak, or whatever, huge exchanges of air happen to refresh it for another day.


4. From back in entry #12 in this thread:

NEVER use misters, humidifiers, sprayers, or foggers. They create droplets that are too large for your tortoise to breathe comfortably. Look at his nares compared to the droplets size. Misters, foggers, sprayers, and humidifiers have been known to cause Respiratory Infections.

The only positive I can see concerning this is that without a top on the enclosure, the sprayer still should not be used, but most of it will drift off into the room instead of causing problems with your tortoises' respiratory system. Two wrongs don't really make a right, but at least the damage is slightly mitigated.


5. Place him in the water dish. You have a tortoise that can't walk at the moment, putting it outside the water is ineffective. He can sit in the water for quite a while without problems provided he can hold his head above the water. Watch for the first few moments to make sure he can't get into trouble, and after a while (maybe an hour) pick him up and place him on SUBSTRATE not hay. The hay has got to go. Continue daily soakings, too (not "almost every day", daily until he's able to use his legs, or you have the humidity up to 85% all the time). Sitting in the water will help a little bit until you get his enclosure properly enclosed.

6. Since you are taking him outside every day, you don't need to use the UVB in the enclosure. He will absorb enough during his hour or two outside. Do you have a sensor to measure the amount of UVB at tortoise height? You really don't know what is being provided without one. Height is not good enough. There are too many variables to just guess - different companies' bulbs put out different amounts, as the bulb ages it loses power, different wattages, etc.


These might give you some ideas for things to avoid or to incorporate in the future ~

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scroll down a bit for ideas to make a good enclosure ~

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Have you been doing the water therapy that helps build up leg muscles?



.

 

[COmtnLady]

In case you haven't seen this yet:


The easiest way to create a constant even humidity level ~

Two variations ~
The one I use is three or four inches of coco coir as a base with four or more inches of Orchid Bark on top.
The one a lot of others use is five or six inches of orchid bark only. (Some people prefer to use cypress mulch - but I dislike the smell and that it seems to be long "poky" splinters rather than little rounded bits of bark.)

First ~
The base of your enclosure MUST be water-proof or it will drip on your floor and ruin things. Some people seal it with silicon and paint-on sealants (be certain to check that it is safe to use around animals and kids), some have formed bases of man-made materials, some use a liner made of plastic or rubber, like a pond liner, or industrial strength plastic sheeting. The water-proofing needs to be deep enough to create a leak-proof box, at least 8 inches deep.

Then ~
I buy the three-packs of compressed bricks. They're usually cheaper than the loose type and don't take up much room to store them until needed.


In a clean five gallon bucket (one that hasn't been used for cleaning or has any oily, greasy, soapy, or salty residue) fill it 2/3 to 3/4 full of warm water and submerge one of the coco coir bricks. Allow it to soak until the brick falls apart and there are no lumps at all. Wring out as much water as you can by hand, and pack it TIGHTLY into the bottom of the enclosure. Begin firmly packing it, about four inches deep, at one end and work your way to the other. Because each enclosure is unique, you will have to guestimate how much yours will need. Pack it as solidly as you can. Watch to see how much water spreads out into the not-yet-packed area to gauge if you are wringing out enough water. It is easier to adjust as you go along than to remove too much after.

Once the entire bottom of the enclosure is packed solid, about three or four inches deep, add the Orchid Bark on top. It doesn't need to be as solidly packed, just firm it up so that your tortoise can walk on it fairly easily.

If you only use orchid bark, basically firm it up and add warm water to about an inch deep on the bottom. Pour the warm water into corners and along the sides so that most of the surface remains as dry as possible.

Seal your chamber and allow it to acclimate for several hours or overnight. Check the humidity and temperatures after its had a while to stabilize. Red Foots are tropical and need 84F and 84% humidity, or higher, 24/7. If the humidity is too much, vent it only until it is in range, adjust the temp as needed.

When your gauges show the humidity going down, add a couple cups of warm water to the corners only. Wait and see what that brings the humidity up to. If it needs more, add more, but go slowly. Its always easier to add than to remove excess. In a little bit you will get used to how much and it will become second nature.






.

 

[COmtnLady]

This is a good thread to read so that you know where the tort comes from and why it needs the warmth and humidity -

** Everything on TF is evolving as various members discover better ways to do things. This thread was written a while ago and since then we have learned that you NEVER use sand or moss or gravel around captive tortoises.

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