Please help with my Redfoots Enclosure

[BobbyJ]

Hello, I just brought home my first tortoise (Tito) on Wednesday. He is a redfoot tortoise i am currently keeping Tito in a large under the bed style plastic storage container with cypress mulch covering the bottom. i have a lamp on one side for basking, and on the other side of the 4 foot container, there's a little half log for him to hangout under. im unsure as to how wet or damp to keep the habitat .. please help .. thank you

 

[christinaland128]

Hi Bobby welcome to the forum. Plastic bins are good for enclosures because they help to hold in humidity (with the lid) and you don't have to worry about wood rotting. However, if it's small enough to fit under a bed and is probably too shallow.

I also have a red foot, and they grow about a centimeter a month. Which means he'll be climbing out of that in no time!

You can order a Christmas tree storage bin online, or you can find them sometimes at Home Depot or target.

Browse the forum for enclosure ideas. Reds require a lot of humidity . Here was my starter set up:[
ATTACH=full]122111[/ATTACH]

 

[BobbyJ]

Hi Bobby welcome to the forum. Plastic bins are good for enclosures because they help to hold in humidity (with the lid) and you don't have to worry about wood rotting. However, if it's small enough to fit under a bed and is probably too shallow.

I also have a red foot, and they grow about a centimeter a month. Which means he'll be climbing out of that in no time!

You can order a Christmas tree storage bin online, or you can find them sometimes at Home Depot or target.

Browse the forum for enclosure ideas. Reds require a lot of humidity . Here was my starter set up:[
ATTACH=full]122111[/ATTACH]

Thank you , getting the Christmas tree bin is no problem ,, so your saying keep the lid on .. That won't suffocate him ? I was reading up that they tend to develope respitory problems if there is not good ventilation .. Also .. How wet should my substrate be .. Right now I try to keep the basking spot really wet and the rest of his hut is just damp .. Is that okay ??

 

[crimson_lotus]

They develop respiratory issues if their habitat is too cold. High humidity and low temps will do this. You should get something to measure the temperatures as well as the humidity in the enclosure so this doesn't happen.

Is the bulb you are using also a UVB source?

 

[crimson_lotus]

Here is a good caresheet for redfoots so you know what temp and humidity range to aim for:

http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/species-information-2/chelonoidis/

 

[BobbyJ]

Here is a good caresheet for redfoots so you know what temp and humidity range to aim for:

http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/species-information-2/chelonoidis/

Thanks very much .. Well right now I have a 55 watt bulb and yes it's also a uvb.. The temp of my house is about 76 degrees so unless he's laying in the sun spot ( which he seems to love ) .. He's at 76 .. Once I get the bigger bin with taller walls im sure the heat will be kept in better ..