Redfoot not leaving hide

[Epimetheus]

Hi, i recently got a redfoot tortoise. I got her on friday afternoon after being placed in her terrarium she immediately went into her hot hide and hasnt left for food or water yet to my knowledge, but the food ive left in there looks untouched and water in her saucer is pristine. I know they get stressed when moved and will hunker down for a bit
My question is should i move her to hydrate in her saucer or would that extend her stress causing her to not eat or drink for longer

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello!
Bright lights and suboptimal temperatures can make them hide more. We can double-check if everything's in line.
To hydrate her - set a daily soaking routine. You need an opaque plastic container (e.g. dishwashing tub), fill it with warm water (90-91F, 32-33C) up to a level where her bottom and top shell meet. Put tortoise in the tub for a 30 minutes (you may start with 15 minutes and increase time every day). Water should stay warm at all time, so either use two containers and move tortoise between them or place the tub in the enclosure, close to heater (but not directly under it). Don't leave her without supervision. Redfoots generally like water and if temperatures are fine they usually relax and enjoy the soaking.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello and welcome to the forum!😁

I don’t suppose we could get a picture of your enclosure and let us know exactly what lighting/heating you’re using?
What uv do you have?
What are your temperatures?
Your humidity levels?
And what substrate are you using?🙂

I’ve got a list of foods we feed our red foot if you’d like some ideas for variety that might entice them out lol

But yeah don’t worry too much about the hiding just yet if they’ve been moved recently, just make sure you’re levels are reading correctly👍 and follow Alex’s advice on the soaks😊

 

[wellington]

If you can give pictures of the enclosure and the tortoise, it would be easier for us to help.

 

[Epimetheus]

Hello and welcome to the forum!😁

I don’t suppose we could get a picture of your enclosure and let us know exactly what lighting/heating you’re using?
What uv do you have?
What are your temperatures?
Your humidity levels?
And what substrate are you using?🙂

I’ve got a list of foods we feed our red foot if you’d like some ideas for variety that might entice them out lol

But yeah don’t worry too much about the hiding just yet if they’ve been moved recently, just make sure you’re levels are reading correctly👍 and follow Alex’s advice on the soaks😊

 

[Epimetheus]

i currently have a uv bulb and mercury vapor bulb but ive been told it is not enough, i have a uv tube light coming in today that will replace the single bulb closest to the camera
The Mercury Vapor bulb is 100 watt
Temps have been 80-85 and 70 at night i have a ceramic bulb aswell on the slate tile and around it. there is also a heating placed outside under where the rock hide is.
Humidity has been a struggle as im waiting for the tubelight before i foil the lid, ive been misting by hand every few hours and put the a water dish near the basking area( i think this is why she hasnt come out) the levels have sat at around 50-60 but they need to be around 80% correct?
Im using coconut coir for substrate which i though would hold water well
Id love any suggestions are appreciated
So far i just soaked her and place her back in and she did a once over walking around and went in the cactus hide

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

i currently have a uv bulb and mercury vapor bulb but ive been told it is not enough, i have a uv tube light coming in today that will replace the single bulb closest to the camera
The Mercury Vapor bulb is 100 watt
Temps have been 80-85 and 70 at night i have a ceramic bulb aswell on the slate tile and around it. there is also a heating placed outside under where the rock hide is.
Humidity has been a struggle as im waiting for the tubelight before i foil the lid, ive been misting by hand every few hours and put the a water dish near the basking area( i think this is why she hasnt come out) the levels have sat at around 50-60 but they need to be around 80% correct?
Im using coconut coir for substrate which i though would hold water well
Id love any suggestions are appreciated
So far i just soaked her and place her back in and she did a once over walking around and went in the cactus hide

With a UVB tube light you don't need to use MVB. Put a LED bulb (neutral or cold daylight - 5000-6500K) for ambient lightning and another ceramic heat emitter in the double dome instead. Connect both ceramic heaters to a thermostat and set it to 84F.

This way you will get more even temperatures across the enclosure, they should stay day and night in range 80-88F (82-86F is even better). Don't worry that you won't have a basking area in the enclosure: while redfoots bask, they don't do that much and grow just fine without basking bulbs (and more smooth).

There is no effective way to maintain humidity in open top enclosures, so using foil or a greenhouse top is the way to go. Target humidity level is 80-90%.

I would advise to get some cypress mulch or orchid (fir) bark and lay a thin layer over coconut coir to keep top of the substrate dry. This will help to prevent shell fungal infections. Also, pack down coir with your hand to prevent mess and better moisture retention (from 6-8 inches to 4-5 inches).

You have analog thermometer/humidity gauge - they are inaccurate. Check any hardware store nearby to get a digital (with a display) thermometer/hygrometer (less than 10 bucks, usually), those with probes on the wire are more handy. Place it at 1 inch above the substrate, at some distance from the wall (e.g. on the side wall of the cave hide).

What tube UVB lamp did you order?

 

[Epimetheus]

With a UVB tube light you don't need to use MVB. Put a LED bulb (neutral or cold daylight - 5000-6500K) for ambient lightning and another ceramic heat emitter in the double dome instead. Connect both ceramic heaters to a thermostat and set it to 84F.

This way you will get more even temperatures across the enclosure, they should stay day and night in range 80-88F (82-86F is even better). Don't worry that you won't have a basking area in the enclosure: while redfoots bask, they don't do that much and grow just fine without basking bulbs (and more smooth).

There is no effective way to maintain humidity in open top enclosures, so using foil or a greenhouse top is the way to go. Target humidity level is 80-90%.

I would advise to get some cypress mulch or orchid (fir) bark and lay a thin layer over coconut coir to keep top of the substrate dry. This will help to prevent shell fungal infections. Also, pack down coir with your hand to prevent mess and better moisture retention (from 6-8 inches to 4-5 inches).

You have analog thermometer/humidity gauge - they are inaccurate. Check any hardware store nearby to get a digital (with a display) thermometer/hygrometer (less than 10 bucks, usually), those with probes on the wire are more handy. Place it at 1 inch above the substrate, at some distance from the wall (e.g. on the side wall of the cave hide).

What tube UVB lamp did you order?

The lamp I ordered is a 8watt and is 12 inches

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

i currently have a uv bulb and mercury vapor bulb but ive been told it is not enough, i have a uv tube light coming in today that will replace the single bulb closest to the camera
The Mercury Vapor bulb is 100 watt
Temps have been 80-85 and 70 at night i have a ceramic bulb aswell on the slate tile and around it. there is also a heating placed outside under where the rock hide is.
Humidity has been a struggle as im waiting for the tubelight before i foil the lid, ive been misting by hand every few hours and put the a water dish near the basking area( i think this is why she hasnt come out) the levels have sat at around 50-60 but they need to be around 80% correct?
Im using coconut coir for substrate which i though would hold water well
Id love any suggestions are appreciated
So far i just soaked her and place her back in and she did a once over walking around and went in the cactus hide

If using a light emitting heat source it should be an incandescent floodlight(example attached)on a 12 hour timer, using a CHE(ceramic heat emitter) for night heat.

Always avoid anything labelled halogen or mercury vapour👍

You’re right that uv needed replacing, compact uv bulbs aren’t any good, T5 fluorescent tube lights are what’s recommend, these are the brands to go for, zoo med reptisun 10.0 or Arcadia 12%, Uv can be on a separate 4hour timer from noon🙂

Red foot’s don’t necessarily need a ‘basking area’ they aren’t typically a basking species coming from the forest floor(some do though, it depends on the individual) there’s no need for a ‘cooler end’ and ‘warmer end’ with these guys, aim for an overall ambient temperature range of 80-86(82-84 being optimal)temps shouldn’t ever be going below 80 for one as young as yours both night&day.
Personally we rely on CHE’s(ceramic heat emitters) as our heat source 24/7, on thermostats, they’re a non light emitting bulb and I think you’ll find it easier switching to these as your heat source to keep your temps nice and stable. In this size one might be enough but I’d check, when using multiple hang them equal distance to distribute the heat more evenly.

You can then hang some ambient lighting on a 12hour timer, it can being either a led strip or a led bulb in 5000k-65000k colour range. Create lots of shady areas with safe plants and hides, red foots don’t like things too bright.

Your little one does indeed need around 80% humidity 24/7 to thrive, the right substrate and a good closed chamber set up goes a long way in making this work. You will struggle with an open top tank like this, a temporary solution would be to make some kind of greenhouse style lid for your tank and hang you lighting from the frame maybe. I’ll attach a pic for an idea, doesn’t have to be that roof shape.

We personally keep our red foot on orchid bark, we focus on the under layer of the substrate being nice and damp to create the humidity, then the top layer being dry, the trouble with constantly spraying is, one, it can only lasts so long, and two, keeping that top layer constantly damp will leave them more prone to a fungal infection, always avoid misters for this reason. To stop that top layer getting a little too dry because you don’t want dusty substrate, we mix it now n then, which also helps gives a humidity boost without extra water🙂to maintain our humidity we simply pour some lukewarm water into the corners of the substrate, not loads! Just enough to dampen the whole under layer. You can keep an eye on your monitors&substrate to do the pours as and when needed, which in a good closed chamber set up, you shouldn’t have to do loads😊
The coir you’re using is fine but I’d recommend adding a top layer of orchid bark personally, and make sure the coir underneath is staying damp and packed down, not left loose and fluffy.
Substrate wise never add any kind of moss, that’s something some stores think nothing of, but it can actually be pretty dangerous.

This size will last you for a little while, but a good cost effective closed chamber set up moving forward would be a greenhouse style enclosure, simply make your own large base out of a safe material, or even use a garden bed frame! For both these options line with some cheap pond liner, the lining going up the sides too and make sure those sides are high enough. Then simply secure a greenhouse topper on top, if you can’t find an exact fit place it over like the one with the white base in the photo, I’d place some lining under the cover and base though to avoid condensate getting on your floor.
Some people even hang their lighting and heat from the greenhouse frame! Simply wrap the wire around for the height you need(check with a temperature gun/add thermostats, roughly 18-21 inches for the uv) and secure with cable ties. Or you could make your own stands out of safe timber, again I’ll attach some pics.

The terracotta bowl you have is perfect! I’d just sit it more flush with the substrate and remove the corner one👍

Id definitely recommend a temp gun to make sure your monitors are reading correctly, the gauges can be a bit inaccurate sometimes.

Ignore whatever else is in the photos in the enclosures, they’re just to give you an idea😊

Let me know if you like the food list for some ideas🙂

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

The lamp I ordered is a 8watt and is 12 inches

Have you got a photo of the package?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

The lamp I ordered is a 8watt and is 12 inches

Is it Arcadia ShadeDwellerPro lamp? It should work with low enclosure height (at distances around 10-12 inches above substrate). However, it's very dim - you'll definitely need an ambient light.

 

[Epimetheus]

Have you got a photo of the package?

It will deliver around 4 today ill send a picture once i get it

 

[Epimetheus]

Is it Arcadia ShadeDwellerPro lamp? It should work with low enclosure height (at distances around 10-12 inches above substrate). However, it's very dim - you'll definitely need an ambient

 

[Epimetheus]

Amazon.com

Heres the amazon link

 

[wellington]

Is this a hatchling? If not, the enclosure is to small.
If it is, it will be fine for a while. However get rid of the water dish and just use the saucer and bury it level with substrate. Also get rid of the fake cactus. You need the roaming room.

 

[Epimetheus]

Then i have one of theses in the small dome

 

[wellington]

The puck disc for temp is inaccurate, get a digital and it needs to be tortoise height not at the top of enclosure.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Amazon.com

Heres the amazon link

Thanks! Once this lamp will arrive - check if there are installation height recommendations, charts or output power tables. I don't know anything about this lamp brand, so can't vote for it's safety and reliability. Very similar looking lamps from another chinese brand (Giangarden) were potentially unsafe for animals.

Good quality UVB lamps aren't cheap, yet worth the money (longer lifespan and predictable UV output).

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Then i have one of theses in the small dome

Should be good. Place one of these in the double dome, install UVB tube next to it. Install a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) in the small dome and move it to the middle. If one CHE won't be able to keep temperature in the tank, add the second one in the double dome. A thermostat for CHEs is a must have.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I’m not 100% if that uv is going to be any good for you, I’ve not heard of that brand, I guess the only way to know would be a meter but they aren’t cheap either.
The other two recommended brands are more expensive but definitely worth it for a good safe uv source🙂