Red Foot Questions! (long/pics)

[Toot]

Ok so I just got a new red foot yesterday that needed a good home. I am in love but do have some questions and concerns since its been years since I have had a tortoise and never a red foot.
I was told he/she is a cherry head and thought to be male what do y'all think or is it too small to take a guess?
Also I don't ever remember any other tortoise/turtle making a noise, he does a clicking/ chirp? Not all the time (did it on the way home when pooping) he pooped a lot on the way home then again this morning so I guess at least his plumbing is working no nasal discharge that I have seen but his nose looks light colored is that normal?
He looked really dry to me almost like he had dried food on his face so I soaked him when I got home, and used a soft tooth brush on him but not too much on his head which is still dry looking but looked slightly better (at least to me)

I thought his shell was just covered in dried food/dirt but after his soak again today I noticed it looked rough on his plastron could this be an infection? He wasn't kept in the best conditions and looks to be rather small for his supposed age from the pictures anyone have a guess on age?
Oh and he has been mostly fed "commercial food" so he is being super stubborn on eating anything else I have tried dandelion leaves & flowers, rose petals, honey suckle flowers, apple and some other leafy greens. Anyone have a suggestion on a food that drives their red foot wild?
Now that he is in a bigger enclosure with some "real" food & an outdoor enclosure when its warm, I hope that he can really start to flourish!

He is a active little dare devil who thinks he is a jeep and needs to climb over his long instead of going through it

Sorry my post is so long I ramble and if it doesn't post correctly please forgive me I'm posting from my IPhone

This is on the way home showing his dull face.

This is his first soaking last night

Having a snack after his soak

After his 2nd soaking this morning

This is this afternoon after some outdoor time

And one of him thinking he is a Jeep.

Thanks in advance!
-Toot

 

[Toot]

based on some other thread posts and pictures I decided to go ahead and put some Clotrimazole 1% on his plastron after his soak (after he had dried), to see if that improves it any over the next few days, unless someone has any different advice? oh and I weighed him (before pooping ) at 185g and 4 inches SCL

 

[ascott]

What a beautiful little tortoise and a lovely face....I think that he has or is dealing with a bit of shell rot...

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

He is in good hands.

 

[Madkins007]

1. Pretty little 'cherry-head' (aka Brazilian or Eastern) (https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/red-foots/red-footed--cherry-head ).

2. Female so far but FAR to early to tell or be worried about it.

3. Definitely was being kept too dry. Soaks, good humidity, and food with moisture in it will really help.

4. Plastron rot looks pretty minor. A good cleaning with Betadine, using the ointment, and keeping the surfaces dry should clear it right up. (Dry surfaces and high humidity is one of the joys of red-footed keeping!)

5. Good foods to get them to eat? Red stuff (strawberries, red-dyed banana, flowers), ripe banana or most other fruits, slugs, baby mice or rats, etc. Don't worry tons about this, though- new animals often don't eat until they feel safe in their new homes. Also, they can get stubborn about changing their diet, but will eat when they are actually hungry. Also- temps and humidity affect and can really help here.

6. Noises are not the best news, but I think I would not worry about it until the other issues are resolved. Better temp and humidity control can do lots of good things here too.

 

[Toot]

Thanks for the replies!

Your right the gender doesn't matter and is too early to really know but just wanted some input so we could try and pick out a name but we chose Watson from the 1st picture its on the strip of paper beside her .

I will have my husband pick up some Betadine on his way home & keep applying the cream daily. She must have been hungry today as she sampled some of everything and seemed to enjoy her cantaloupe!

I do have another question I was at Walmart and saw the coco fiber basket liners in garden center and picked one up to use as an extra hide in her enclosure good idea or bad? I know people use coco coir substrate so I thought the "cave" could work, I gave it a good rinse cut out a hole and put in it and she has already been checking it out If its safe I may have to get another for less than a $1

I am using a "fogger" to keep the air moist and substrate dry and doing her daily soakings which she seems to really enjoy

Thanks all

 

[DvotedMOMMY]

I do have another question I was at Walmart and saw the coco fiber basket liners in garden center and picked one up to use as an extra hide in her enclosure good idea or bad? I know people use coco coir substrate so I thought the "cave" could work, I gave it a good rinse cut out a hole and put in it and she has already been checking it out If its safe I may have to get another for less than a $1

I am using a "fogger" to keep the air moist and substrate dry and doing her daily soakings which she seems to really enjoy

Thanks all

She looks very happy in her new home! You sound like you are doing everything correctly, and she will turn out to be just fine!

I too, after you mentioned these coco coir baskets? Would like to know if it is good as a humid hide..

Good luck with your little one!

 

[Madkins007]

I don't know any reason the baskets would not work. Good find!

Be sure to only use the Betadine for one or two days- it kills tender new cells that start the healing, but it does such a good job of killing all kinds of bad stuff it is worth it for a little while.

I have a couple concerns about foggers, one real and one theoretical.
- The real one is that they cool off the air. You can overcome this many ways- point it high and let it 'settle' down, point it at a warm spot so the fog more rapidly converts to true humidity, point it at a live plant that will do the rest of the work for you (and the right plant will love you for it).
- The theoretical one is that many are concerned about what the fine mist does to the respiratory system. Most of the methods mentioned above fight this point as well.

Be sure to keep the mister clean- they can grow molds and mildews quickly.

I am so glad s/he is eating!

 

[Toot]

I don't know any reason the baskets would not work. Good find!

Be sure to only use the Betadine for one or two days- it kills tender new cells that start the healing, but it does such a good job of killing all kinds of bad stuff it is worth it for a little while.

I have a couple concerns about foggers, one real and one theoretical.
- The real one is that they cool off the air. You can overcome this many ways- point it high and let it 'settle' down, point it at a warm spot so the fog more rapidly converts to true humidity, point it at a live plant that will do the rest of the work for you (and the right plant will love you for it).
- The theoretical one is that many are concerned about what the fine mist does to the respiratory system. Most of the methods mentioned above fight this point as well.

Be sure to keep the mister clean- they can grow molds and mildews quickly.

I am so glad s/he is eating!

He is loving the basket liner so I will have to get him another one tomorrow!

Thank you for the heads up on the betadine and The fogger. Currently I only fill the fogger with warm water so the cooling is limited which would also be because it is aimed at a "hot spot" and on the plus side just happens to be pointed at a plant too I also refill it daily and will give it a weekly cleaning I have a little O.C.D when it comes to things like that .

Once out of his "quarantine period" I will have his bigger indoor set up ready and I should have all the kinks worked out by then or at least I hope so and of corse when its warm enough he will be outdoors enjoying some nice Georgia sunshine!

Thanks again