Red foot care

[ariellemarina]

Hello,
I tried finding your different guides online as my friend found a red foot tortoise outside in Tucson Arizona and has just been keeping it in a box… I read in your on guide the care is similar to a leopard tortoise, but is there anyway that you can send me the links to a red foot guide and enclosure set up proper light and best closed chamber set up? I was thinking tortoise table enclosed with greenhouse for humidity? I also saw coco coir with orchard bark is recommended? Are you able to send me pictures of the best optimal lights, I saw on forum post but don’t know what it means, to keep humidity in close chamber do you spray in enclosure a couple times a day to keep humidity up? I just want the best for this poor baby tortoise it’s only about 2 inches. Or pictures of best set ups for red foot tortoise would be helpful, just so much contradictory information everywhere, thank you in advance for your trouble

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Welcome to the forum!

@Littleredfootbigredheart has compiled this sheet for baby redfoot tortoises:

Young red foot/ cherryhead set up

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information on an effective example of a starter enclosure for a red foot/cherry head😊 Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hopefully that housing thread above helps! It covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc), correct levels, importance of a closed chamber for red foots(only way to maintain the humidity you need indoors), appropriately maintaining the humidity(they are prone to shell rot so this is important! No misters or humidifiers), safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, a diet list and a really handy diet link to check out! If going with a greenhouse, the lower the ceiling height, whilst still allowing for recommended bulb height, the better! But I’ll add some more ideas below for closed chambers

This includes different closed chambers, some work better than others

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, this one here is good to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Really hope they help! Sorry it’s a lot to go over lol, but feel free to ask any further questions! Welcome to the forum

 

[Tom]

Hi! Welcome to the forum. It's fantastic that you want to help your friends tortoise. This is the wrong species for your climate, but there are so many of them living in AZ. It's really sad for them. I'll answer your question above and then link the care guides.
1. Care for babies of all tortoise species is pretty similar. Warm and humid for all of them. Only a couple of differences. Temperate species like desert tortoises or Russians, need the night temp to drop a little, while tropical species like red foots and leopards do not. The second difference is that forest tortoise like RFs do not need a basking lamp, while leopards and sulcata do. So your RF baby needs warmth and humidity, but no night drop in temp and no basking lamp.

2. You definitely NEED a large closed chamber for a RF. You can use a large plastic tote or greenhouse tent if needed, but a proper closed chamber enclosure works best.

3. Plain fine grade orchid bark works best for substrate. There is no need and no benefit to mixing substrates, but there is also no harm in it. I don't like coco coir for red foots because it is too messy and it can contribute to shell rot if kept too wet, or get dusty if kept too dry. Neither of those problems are a big deal for Testudo or DTs, but both can be an issue for a baby RF.

4. Misting the surface of the substrate does very little, and really only causes evaporative cooling. You need to dump water into the substrate to maintain dampness. How much water and how often varies tremendously from one enclosure to the next, and you have to go by feel. The amount needed even varies within the same enclosure seasonally.

5. For a RF you need a continual warm humid environment, but with substrate that is dry on top where their plastron rests. Orchid bark is perfect for this. The upper layers can remain dry-ish, while the lower layers are damp to keep humidity up in the chamber. Use at least 3-4 inches of orchid bark. To maintain the warm ambient temperature, use one or two ceramic heating elements, or radiant heat panels, and control them with a thermostat to keep the temp around 82-86 all the time.

6. Use terra cotta saucers for water and food bowls, and sink them into the substrate so the rim is near level with the surface. Have extra saucers on hand in case you break one, and to rotate them out when you are cleaning them.

Here are the care guides. Questions are welcome. Post pics in a thread on the forum to verify the species. Stay away from pet stores because they give terrible advice and will sell you all the wrong products.
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/redfoot-tortoise-care-sheet.175319/

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[ariellemarina]

Hi! Welcome to the forum. It's fantastic that you want to help your friends tortoise. This is the wrong species for your climate, but there are so many of them living in AZ. It's really sad for them. I'll answer your question above and then link the care guides.
1. Care for babies of all tortoise species is pretty similar. Warm and humid for all of them. Only a couple of differences. Temperate species like desert tortoises or Russians, need the night temp to drop a little, while tropical species like red foots and leopards do not. The second difference is that forest tortoise like RFs do not need a basking lamp, while leopards and sulcata do. So your RF baby needs warmth and humidity, but no night drop in temp and no basking lamp.

2. You definitely NEED a large closed chamber for a RF. You can use a large plastic tote or greenhouse tent if needed, but a proper closed chamber enclosure works best.

3. Plain fine grade orchid bark works best for substrate. There is no need and no benefit to mixing substrates, but there is also no harm in it. I don't like coco coir for red foots because it is too messy and it can contribute to shell rot if kept too wet, or get dusty if kept too dry. Neither of those problems are a big deal for Testudo or DTs, but both can be an issue for a baby RF.

4. Misting the surface of the substrate does very little, and really only causes evaporative cooling. You need to dump water into the substrate to maintain dampness. How much water and how often varies tremendously from one enclosure to the next, and you have to go by feel. The amount needed even varies within the same enclosure seasonally.

5. For a RF you need a continual warm humid environment, but with substrate that is dry on top where their plastron rests. Orchid bark is perfect for this. The upper layers can remain dry-ish, while the lower layers are damp to keep humidity up in the chamber. Use at least 3-4 inches of orchid bark. To maintain the warm ambient temperature, use one or two ceramic heating elements, or radiant heat panels, and control them with a thermostat to keep the temp around 82-86 all the time.

6. Use terra cotta saucers for water and food bowls, and sink them into the substrate so the rim is near level with the surface. Have extra saucers on hand in case you break one, and to rotate them out when you are cleaning them.

Here are the care guides. Questions are welcome. Post pics in a thread on the forum to verify the species. Stay away from pet stores because they give terrible advice and will sell you all the wrong products.
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/redfoot-tortoise-care-sheet.175319/

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[ariellemarina]

For verification of red footed tortoise, also this is friends picture I will not let the turtle free roam.

 

[ariellemarina]

Hopefully that housing thread above helps! It covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc), correct levels, importance of a closed chamber for red foots(only way to maintain the humidity you need indoors), appropriately maintaining the humidity(they are prone to shell rot so this is important! No misters or humidifiers), safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, a diet list and a really handy diet link to check out! If going with a greenhouse, the lower the ceiling height, whilst still allowing for recommended bulb height, the better! But I’ll add some more ideas below for closed chambers

This includes different closed chambers, some work better than others

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, this one here is good to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Really hope they help! Sorry it’s a lot to go over lol, but feel free to ask any further questions! Welcome to the forum

I see that orchard bark is the best substrate to use but is the red foot able to burrow in it because the turtle like to borrow?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

For verification of red footed tortoise, also this is friends picture I will not let the turtle free roam.

It could just be the lighting, but the lack of any colouring on the legs and head leads me to think this might possibly be a red foot baby, though I’d need someone more experienced like @Tom or @Yvonne G to confirm.

I see that orchard bark is the best substrate to use but is the red foot able to burrow in it because the turtle like to borrow?

If deep enough they can burrow in it, if this tortoise like burrowing, you could add a damp coco coir base

 

[Tom]

For verification of red footed tortoise, also this is friends picture I will not let the turtle free roam.

This is a desert tortoise. Gopherus morafkai from your area of the world. Here is the care info:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[ariellemarina]

Hi! Welcome to the forum. It's fantastic that you want to help your friends tortoise. This is the wrong species for your climate, but there are so many of them living in AZ. It's really sad for them. I'll answer your question above and then link the care guides.
1. Care for babies of all tortoise species is pretty similar. Warm and humid for all of them. Only a couple of differences. Temperate species like desert tortoises or Russians, need the night temp to drop a little, while tropical species like red foots and leopards do not. The second difference is that forest tortoise like RFs do not need a basking lamp, while leopards and sulcata do. So your RF baby needs warmth and humidity, but no night drop in temp and no basking lamp.

2. You definitely NEED a large closed chamber for a RF. You can use a large plastic tote or greenhouse tent if needed, but a proper closed chamber enclosure works best.

3. Plain fine grade orchid bark works best for substrate. There is no need and no benefit to mixing substrates, but there is also no harm in it. I don't like coco coir for red foots because it is too messy and it can contribute to shell rot if kept too wet, or get dusty if kept too dry. Neither of those problems are a big deal for Testudo or DTs, but both can be an issue for a baby RF.

4. Misting the surface of the substrate does very little, and really only causes evaporative cooling. You need to dump water into the substrate to maintain dampness. How much water and how often varies tremendously from one enclosure to the next, and you have to go by feel. The amount needed even varies within the same enclosure seasonally.

5. For a RF you need a continual warm humid environment, but with substrate that is dry on top where their plastron rests. Orchid bark is perfect for this. The upper layers can remain dry-ish, while the lower layers are damp to keep humidity up in the chamber. Use at least 3-4 inches of orchid bark. To maintain the warm ambient temperature, use one or two ceramic heating elements, or radiant heat panels, and control them with a thermostat to keep the temp around 82-86 all the time.

6. Use terra cotta saucers for water and food bowls, and sink them into the substrate so the rim is near level with the surface. Have extra saucers on hand in case you break one, and to rotate them out when you are cleaning them.

Here are the care guides. Questions are welcome. Post pics in a thread on the forum to verify the species. Stay away from pet stores because they give terrible advice and will sell you all the wrong products.
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/redfoot-tortoise-care-sheet.175319/

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[ariellemarina]

Hello since it’s a Sonoran tortoise I read the info, so orchid chips recommended and also closed chamber with added humidity? Anything specific too the desert tortoise I should know? Che, basking and uv still needed correct, for hatching in home

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello since it’s a Sonoran tortoise I read the info, so orchid chips recommended and also closed chamber with added humidity? Anything specific too the desert tortoise I should know? Che, basking and uv still needed correct, for hatching in home

A che might not be needed here, this kind of tortoise has a night drop, ceramics are needed in the event you’re in a cold climate and temperatures dip too low at night, or if your basking bulb isn’t keeping ambient temperatures where needed during the day, uv and a closed chamber still needed though yesoverall temperature requirements are different for this kind of species to something like a red foot

 

[Tom]

Hello since it’s a Sonoran tortoise I read the info, so orchid chips recommended and also closed chamber with added humidity? Anything specific too the desert tortoise I should know? Che, basking and uv still needed correct, for hatching in home

I like hand packed damp coco coir for baby DTs. They don't need humidity to be as high as some other species, but moderate to high is good, say 60-80%, and they should have a humid hide. They definitely do better in closed chambers. I've done it many times both ways, and the difference is surprising. Whether or not you need a CHE set on a thermostat to maintain ambient temperature depends on your room temp. In any normal house, 65-75 degrees, you shouldn't need ambient heat. The basking lamp, ambient light, and the UV tube will heat up the closed chamber sufficiently during the day, and a little col down at night is good for them.