i bought a red footed tortoise from my local pet shop when i bought her ( i think its a she) her shell was slightly pyramiding and she hasnt got any colour spots on her what so ever no red or slightly orange and im a bit concerned also im a bit worried about how much to feed her and when i give her a pinky once a week and fresh fruit and veg every day any help would be much apreciated tar.
red footed tortoise hasnt got any colour
- Thread starter Deviouse
- Start date
- Status
Some redfooted tortoises don't have much color. No big deal. And they probably won't develop any color over their lifetime. We have some pretty good articles at the Tortoise Library for you to read. You will find out all about feeding and housing your new tortoise. I'd love to see pictures of her.
Be wary of feeding fruit to redfoot tortoises on a daily basis. Although redfoots can handle more fruits than other tortoises, too much sugars will give them tummy aches (which you might find when they have runny poop). I've never read anything about people feeding pinkies to their redfoot, so that's something new. I'd up the amount of weeds (dandelion, broadleaf plaintain, sow thistle, chickweed), other leafy greens (escarole, endive, collards), and random other tortoise-safe plants (hibiscus, grape leaves, nasturtium), etc. The list goes on forever. Keep things varied and also.. we definitely need pictures!
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2012
- Messages
- 13,460
I would give plant protein not as much animal protein . If you do give animal protein I would use worms and bugs . Feed fruits maybe one to two times a week . Humidity and a good diet of weeds and flowers will help with the pyramiding . We need pictures everyone here loves seeing pictures of new tortoises.
Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app
Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app
i will get a picture up here in the next couple of hours and thank you all for your advice one question about substrate how do you make the bottom layer wet without making the top wet for good humidity as i keep reading about it and im finding it hard to do.
Hello and welcome...your redfoot looks good. So there isnt much coloring on her. I think there is plenty. Some have more then others. She is pretty. The pinkies you are using are for protien. I would continue. Broaden her diet though. Add more variety. They love sweet potatoes, blueberries, cantaloupe, mango, squash, do some research. You will find all kinds of things to feed. As far as the pyramiding, it really isnt all that bad. Humidity, hydration, exercise, natural sunlight(if she will bask, some dont) and a good diet will help with this...
That is a beautiful tort....good colors and the shell is not anything to be worried about...if you have the enclosure set up correct then you will see good growth from here on out.....
Pinkies are going to spark controversy in different circles....if your tort is use to pinkie consumption then so be it....if you are ok with offering it then so be it...if you want an alternative protein you can feed worms and other food items higher in protein....so you have options as well as continuing your current protein and calcium offering of the pinkie....
Pinkies are going to spark controversy in different circles....if your tort is use to pinkie consumption then so be it....if you are ok with offering it then so be it...if you want an alternative protein you can feed worms and other food items higher in protein....so you have options as well as continuing your current protein and calcium offering of the pinkie....
Does she actually eat the pinkies? I've never heard of that. I would also agree to use worms or bugs of some sort for protein instead. I've never seen a tort eat a mouse lol. Up the weeds, and leafy greens. Slow down on fruit or your tort will get picky and not eat her veggies and greens. Give fruit maybe once a week as a treat. Make sure to use calcium powder. I used coco coir as a bottom layer to hold in water and stay damp. Then i personally added repti bark on top because it stays dry but also is a good humidity holder. That way the top layer the tort is one is dry and won't cause shell rot, but the damp coco coir underneath keeps it humid. Or you could substitute cypress mulch, or something similar for the top layer. Maybe add sphagnum moss between the coco coir and the mulch to hold even more in. All up to you, best of luck. Cute tort!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IllrBeWI_LE
DO NOT CLICK ON THIS LINK IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE A REDFOOT CONSUMING A PINKY MOUSE.....DO NOT CLICK HERE, IT IS NOT INHUMANE--IT IS JUST THE CONSUMPTION...THE PINKY IS NOT ALIVE AND KICKING....
DO NOT CLICK ON THIS LINK IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE A REDFOOT CONSUMING A PINKY MOUSE.....DO NOT CLICK HERE, IT IS NOT INHUMANE--IT IS JUST THE CONSUMPTION...THE PINKY IS NOT ALIVE AND KICKING....
Thank you for all the advice people muchley appreciated going to look into the substrate and see what I can acquire near me and as for the pinky that's what the pet shop was feeding her and she loves them but I will look at worms and have a look also I was thinking about getting a tortoise table instead of getting a bigger tank what's the thoughts on this table top or not to table top
Yes, table top good---with some type of top that covers near 3/4 or so of the top to help create a warmer humid area within the enclosure....
(pinkies are fine by the way, did not mean for you to replace what has been working--the pinkies are totally a "human issue" and not an issue at all for the tort )
(pinkies are fine by the way, did not mean for you to replace what has been working--the pinkies are totally a "human issue" and not an issue at all for the tort )
I envy folks who can offer the pinkies....I, on the other hand, am a big ole baby and get weirded out (totally my hang up dang it) making an offering like a pinky---When I had the bearded dragons I had to open the bag of crickets and dump the appropriate amount in and quickly walk away (so as not to hear the crackling of the feeding frenzy---dump I know)...when I smash a water bug I have to holler so I don't hear the pop sound....so, yes, I am a person that can not do it.....but I truly wish I could....
So, my point was not to sound like "don't do it" because that is not what I at all was thinking....I think that if you can offer that food, your tort will certainly gain different benefits than worms alone...your tort will get good protein as well as calcium---
I love snakes, but because of my dumb hang up--I do not host any...
So, my point was not to sound like "don't do it" because that is not what I at all was thinking....I think that if you can offer that food, your tort will certainly gain different benefits than worms alone...your tort will get good protein as well as calcium---
I love snakes, but because of my dumb hang up--I do not host any...
About fruit and 'meat' and red-footed tortoises...
There have been several posts in this relatively short thread about whether or not to offer, what to offer, how often, etc. To clarify this a bit:
Fruit: The main thing a wild red-footed tortoise eats in the wild is fruit- but their fruit is not the same as our fruit. Technically, a lot of veggies are actually fruits- if it has seeds, it is a fruit. This includes peppers, cucumbers, squash, pumpkin, and so on. THIS sort of thing should be a big part of the diet. As far as the 'sweet fruits' go, look for those that are higher in calcium or fiber- fig and papaya are great, but pineapple, mango, melon, and so on are good as well. Fruits high in fiber like apples or most pit fruits are fine in moderation. Some fruits, like bananas and grapes are mostly sugars with little fiber or calcium and should be used much less often.
Meat: Wild red-footed tortoises and many other forest species of tortoises will gladly feast on bugs, meats, etc. Some hingeback species are even known to hunt for fish. In the wild, the main meat a red-footed eats is termites and butterflies. They DO NOT NEED meat protein in a well-balanced diet with a little supplementation, but an occasional meat meal offers useful nutrients and variety.
Pinkies are a well-loved treat but are mostly fat with little calcium. The same applies to farm-raised worms. Small fish are really good (freeze-dried, or water packed, etc. to avoid unneeded oils). However- as long as you don't offer very much very often it is hard to find anything that is actually bad for them (cheap, fatty canned pet food would be one bad example but good quality canned or kibble is OK.)
There have been several posts in this relatively short thread about whether or not to offer, what to offer, how often, etc. To clarify this a bit:
Fruit: The main thing a wild red-footed tortoise eats in the wild is fruit- but their fruit is not the same as our fruit. Technically, a lot of veggies are actually fruits- if it has seeds, it is a fruit. This includes peppers, cucumbers, squash, pumpkin, and so on. THIS sort of thing should be a big part of the diet. As far as the 'sweet fruits' go, look for those that are higher in calcium or fiber- fig and papaya are great, but pineapple, mango, melon, and so on are good as well. Fruits high in fiber like apples or most pit fruits are fine in moderation. Some fruits, like bananas and grapes are mostly sugars with little fiber or calcium and should be used much less often.
Meat: Wild red-footed tortoises and many other forest species of tortoises will gladly feast on bugs, meats, etc. Some hingeback species are even known to hunt for fish. In the wild, the main meat a red-footed eats is termites and butterflies. They DO NOT NEED meat protein in a well-balanced diet with a little supplementation, but an occasional meat meal offers useful nutrients and variety.
Pinkies are a well-loved treat but are mostly fat with little calcium. The same applies to farm-raised worms. Small fish are really good (freeze-dried, or water packed, etc. to avoid unneeded oils). However- as long as you don't offer very much very often it is hard to find anything that is actually bad for them (cheap, fatty canned pet food would be one bad example but good quality canned or kibble is OK.)
thanks for that link! Never had a clue just haven't heard of it before so I wasn't sure.
just haven't heard of it before so I wasn't sure.- Status
