Red Foot Newbie Here

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

So I just was thinking if my little under a year old red foot tortoise is sleeping 18 to 22 hours a day how can he or she get enough UV exposure. I have the UV obviously on around 14 to 16 hours a day. Its fluctuating because I haven't set up my timers yet and I also have to mist alot because I haven't got my mister yet? Any helpful suggestions on that. Without my closed set up it's hard to keep the humidity up just putting water in corners ect.
I'm just trying to meet the needs of my little one.
Thank you, 😊

Being from the forest floor, red foots don’t receive as much uv in the wild as some tortoises do, no wild tortoise has access to 12 hours of uv, they have around 4 at most so it’s fine to reduce once you have the proper uv.

I wouldn’t recommend using any misters/foggers, they can make the air too wet, causing respiratory problems, if you need to keep spraying for now until your topper comes that’s ok coupled with the pouring. Mix your substrate up.
Ultimately to maintain your humidity where it needs to be for your little one, you’ll need that topper, so the sooner the better🙂 I wouldn’t want to be spraying long term because having that top layer constantly wet will leave them prone to a fungal infection.

In the meantime do you have a photo of your enclosure? I’m just thinking you may be able to partly cover some of it with tin foil until your set up, that should temporarily help things

 

[Bwaterford]

So here's my very temporary habitat till my new one arrives.

 

[Bwaterford]

So here's my very temporary habitat till my new one arrives.

Sorry no great pictures, his colors are way better than my camera...lol

 

[Bwaterford]

Sorry no great pictures, his colors are way better than my camera...lol

Temp is 85/90 in there Badking spot he doesn't use is95/98
And humidity is 70/80
Night temp is 80 and humidity is between 60/70

 

[Bwaterford]

Temp is 85/90 in there Basking spot he doesn't use is95/98
And humidity is 70/80
Night temp is 80 and humidity is between 60/70

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Temp is 85/90 in there Badking spot he doesn't use is95/98
And humidity is 70/80
Night temp is 80 and humidity is between 60/70

Yeah that basking spot is probably feeling too warm for them, they’re most active in temperature ranges of 80-86. 98 is too high for a red foot, if sat under a temperature like that, they could potentially overheat.

Once your new set up comes, I’d switch to just using CHEs and aim for that ambient temperature 24/7🙂most red foots aren’t a big fan of floodlights, it sounds like yours is avoiding it. Once you get your topper your humidity should stay in the 80+ range all over👍

Let me ask @Alex and the Redfoot if he can think of a way to temporarily cover this enclosures.

Obsessed with your crystal collection btw!😍

 

[Bwaterford]

Being from the forest floor, red foots don’t receive as much uv in the wild as some tortoises do, no wild tortoise has access to 12 hours of uv, they have around 4 at most so it’s fine to reduce once you have the proper uv.

I wouldn’t recommend using any misters/foggers, they can make the air too wet, causing respiratory problems, if you need to keep spraying for now until your topper comes that’s ok coupled with the pouring. Mix your substrate up.
Ultimately to maintain your humidity where it needs to be for your little one, you’ll need that topper, so the sooner the better🙂 I wouldn’t want to be spraying long term because having that top layer constantly wet will leave them prone to a fungal infection.

In the meantime do you have a photo of your enclosure? I’m just thinking you may be able to partly cover some of it with tin foil until your set up, that should temporarily help things

Also I don't spray in his cave he sleeps in so it's dryer in there, he burrows half his body down in it so he's definitely getting moisture, plus he gets soaked daily. He only gets up to eat and walk around a little, I'm not sure he's a fan of water because he never gets in his in habitat. I've only had him...2 whole days and he hasn't pooped yet.

 

[Bwaterford]

Also I don't spray in his cave he sleeps in so it's dryer in there, he burrows half his body down in it so he's definitely getting moisture, plus he gets soaked daily. He only gets up to eat and walk around a little, I'm not sure he's a fan of water because he never gets in his in habitat. I've only had him...2 whole days and he hasn't pooped yet.

Yeah that basking spot is probably feeling too warm for them, they’re most active in temperature ranges of 80-86. 98 is too high for a red foot, if sat under a temperature like that, they could potentially overheat.

Once your new set up comes, I’d switch to just using CHEs and aim for that ambient temperature 24/7🙂most red foots aren’t a big fan of floodlights, it sounds like yours is avoiding it. Once you get your topper your humidity should stay in the 80+ range all over👍

Let me ask @Alex and the Redfoot if he can think of a way to temporarily cover this enclosures.

Obsessed with your crystal collection btw!😍

Lol my crystals, love them but collect dust. You should see my sons Whole House, you would think you walked into a really expensive and fancy crystal store, he probably has 100 cathedrals, and 300 or more that are all kinds and rang in size up to 5 feet.... He's a crystal fanatic....lol

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Also I don't spray in his cave he sleeps in so it's dryer in there, he burrows half his body down in it so he's definitely getting moisture, plus he gets soaked daily. He only gets up to eat and walk around a little, I'm not sure he's a fan of water because he never gets in his in habitat. I've only had him...2 whole days and he hasn't pooped yet.

That’s ok🙂yeah they’ll burrow down to regulate their temperature🥰

Definitely keep up with the daily soaks, especially if they aren’t self soaking, which I wouldn’t worry about, some don’t, ours rarely self soaks. Is the water dish a terracotta saucer? If the dish is smooth, it’s probably not feeling very steady for your little guy getting in, most pet store dishes are a hazard unfortunately.

Poop wise I wouldn’t worry just yet but I would think they should go in the next day or two, best advice I can give there is, to keep them in their soak tub until they pass something for you, just keep the water warm enough and don’t worry if he gets fussy, I know it looks stressful for them, but it actually makes really good exercise and should hopefully get things moving! Just make sure your right there with him during the soak😊

Lol my crystals, love them but collect dust. You should see my sons Whole House, you would think you walked into a really expensive and fancy crystal store, he probably has 100 cathedrals, and 300 or more that are all kinds and rang in size up to 5 feet.... He's a crystal fanatic....lol

Wow that sounds amazing!! I collect them too and would love to fill my house with them!😃you aren’t wrong about the dust though lol, I dread dusting time😂

 

[Bwaterford]

That’s ok🙂yeah they’ll burrow down to regulate their temperature🥰

Definitely keep up with the daily soaks, especially if they aren’t self soaking, which I wouldn’t worry about, some don’t, ours rarely self soaks. Is the water dish a terracotta saucer? If the dish is smooth, it’s probably not feeling very steady for your little guy getting in, most pet store dishes are a hazard unfortunately.

Poop wise I wouldn’t worry just yet but I would think they should go in the next day or two, best advice I can give there is, to keep them in their soak tub until they pass something for you, just keep the water warm enough and don’t worry if he gets fussy, I know it looks stressful for them, but it actually makes really good exercise and should hopefully get things moving! Just make sure your right there with him during the soak😊


Wow that sounds amazing!! I collect them too and would love to fill my house with them!😃you aren’t wrong about the dust though lol, I dread dusting time😂

Thanks for the info,
Here's a picture of new habitat, does this look ok? Also if you can send me a picture of what lighting and bulbs I should use. Thank you

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

As a temporary "band-aid" with humidity you can use baking supplies: transparent film (sleeve) or paper. Rise the basking bulb and check temperatures often. There is a high risk of overheating with a small plastic container.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Thanks for the info,
Here's a picture of new habitat, does this look ok? Also if you can send me a picture of what lighting and bulbs I should use. Thank you

It's not the best option for tortoises, unfortunately. Too open to raise a hatchling (especially, a redfooted) and too small for older tortoises. Also, wood doesn't last long in redfoots enclosures because of high humidity.

Such tables can be used for a while (1-2 years), when covered with a greenhouse top.

 

[Bwaterford]

As a temporary "band-aid" with humidity you can use baking supplies: transparent film (sleeve) or paper. Rise the basking bulb and check temperatures often. There is a high risk of overheating with a small plastic container.

Temperature in container stays around 82, he doesn't bask so I haven't had it on, night is about 80, humidity is roughly 75 day and 60 to 70 at night.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Temperature in container stays around 82, he doesn't bask so I haven't had it on, night is about 80, humidity is roughly 75 day and 60 to 70 at night.

If you don't use any heaters/lamps, then you can cover the box with any transparent material (like cling film), just to trap humidity inside and allow some ambient light from the room. If the box is under direct sunlight during the day - you still have to watch temperatures once it's covered.

You redfooted hatchling can do some days without a UVB lamp just fine while you decide or setting up a new enclosure.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Thanks for the info,
Here's a picture of new habitat, does this look ok? Also if you can send me a picture of what lighting and bulbs I should use. Thank you

No problem, unfortunately I do agree with Alex that these are less than ideal to house any tortoise, especially babies that need high humidity😣I would encourage to go over my first response here to create an appropriate enclosure that will last you longer, I know it’s a lengthy response, but I made sure to include all the information you need🙂

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

For now, you can use this with a topper, but bear in mind it likely won’t last long being made of wood

 

[Bwaterford]

No problem, unfortunately I do agree with Alex that these are less than ideal to house any tortoise, especially babies that need high humidity😣I would encourage to go over my first response here to create an appropriate enclosure that will last you longer, I know it’s a lengthy response, but I made sure to include all the information you need🙂

I really can't build something right now, I need to figure out something for a year or so at the least that will work. I am remodeling a room upstairs where my tortoise will be housed and have a contractor for a neighbor so hopefully by next year I can make a more practical set up. I have read everything on here and am making notes for reference.
The conflicting info I'm getting is about humidity.....
Some say 80 is good other say I need way more.
Some say use misters and foggers to maintain and other say don't, just put water in the corners and stir up substrate. If my humidity is always 80 and when I mist 3 times a day it's 95 and above and only drops to 70 at night for about 6 hours.
Regardless of how humidity is obtained they say high over 80 will lead to shell fungus and rot. So how do I really know what's accurate?
Frustrating.....
I just want to do everything right.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I really can't build something right now, I need to figure out something for a year or so at the least that will work. I am remodeling a room upstairs where my tortoise will be housed and have a contractor for a neighbor so hopefully by next year I can make a more practical set up. I have read everything on here and am making notes for reference.
The conflicting info I'm getting is about humidity.....
Some say 80 is good other say I need way more.
Some say use misters and foggers to maintain and other say don't, just put water in the corners and stir up substrate. If my humidity is always 80 and when I mist 3 times a day it's 95 and above and only drops to 70 at night for about 6 hours.
Regardless of how humidity is obtained they say high over 80 will lead to shell fungus and rot. So how do I really know what's accurate?
Frustrating.....
I just want to do everything right.

I'll try to clarify a bit:
1. Shell rot and shell fungus. If to be precise - shell rot is a bacterial infection, it's a serious life-dangering condition. It can happen when shell is damaged and bacteria growing under top keratin layer. Hard to treat, usually requires antibiotics and vet aid. Shell fungus - is a 'mold' growing on the shell, white fluffy patches. Almost always it happens on plastron (bottom shell) where is dark, wet and warm (like any other mold). Easy to treat at home with "athlete's foot" creme. Often "shell rot" is used as a substitute term for 'shell fungus', while it's not totally right.
2. Fungal infections on plastron (shell fungus) happen, when plastron is contacting wet surface for prolonged time and doesn't dry out. Simply put, when top layer of substrate is wet and dirty - your redfoot will get fungus on its plastron.
3. So, spraying the substrate and using misters wets top substrate layer, increasing chances to get fungal infection. Also, misters and foggers create microscopic water droplets which aren't a good thing to inhale. Not all of them are bad and dangerous but you have safer alternative.
4. Pouring water in substrate keeps top substrate layer dry (less risk of shell fungus) and create water deposit in lower substrate layers. This water evaporates slowly and provides consistent high humidity for a week or longer. Stirring up substrate need to be done once in a month or so.
5. High ambient humidity has nothing to do with shell rot and fungus. With low temperarures in the enclosure there is a risk of respiratory infection, so keep your redfoot at 80+F day and night to prevent that. When you do daily maintenance in the enclosure and temperature drops, humidity drops as well and there is air flow, so no worries here.
6. For a redfoot hatchling I would provide humidity gradient 85-100% across the enclosure. RFs are prone to pyramiding and higher humidity without temperature "hot spots" helps to avoid that. Such gradient will happen more or less naturally (in warmer zones around heaters humidity will be lower).