Sphagnum Moss good for 1-2months old baby RedFoot- newbie help pls

[labanog]

Hi Everyone, just want to ask if its a good idea to put sphagnum moss inside the babys redfoot hide? Im from the Philippines, its basically 60-70% humid in normal day, with indoor temp ranges from 80-90F.

So got a baby redfood, only learned it was really small when I get it from the breeder, roughly 2” and if you look at its buttom there seems tobe some yoke still drying up. Will try to take Photos tom. They just arrived ther their new home are tired and sleeping hehe

1. Read that sphagnum moss is good for RF to help keep humidy up, but when reading the RF forum seems tobe mix reviews. Is it safe okay to put it in the babys hide? currently its roughly 78-80 humidity in their home.

2. would it be okay to keep it wet/moist everyday? I plan to soak them daily from 20-30min in the morning.

3. Feed them 2x daily mix of greens and mazuri is okay? but other say feed only 1 a day.

4. In the Phil do you still need to put a CHE in the enclosure? I normally turn it on at night only since its pretty warm here in Asia.

Any help is much appreciated.
Thank you in Advance

 

[wellington]

Moss can cause impaction and can tangle around limbs.
Coconut coir or orchid bark is best.

 

[Tom]

Hi Everyone, just want to ask if its a good idea to put sphagnum moss inside the babys redfoot hide? Im from the Philippines, its basically 60-70% humid in normal day, with indoor temp ranges from 80-90F.

So got a baby redfood, only learned it was really small when I get it from the breeder, roughly 2” and if you look at its buttom there seems tobe some yoke still drying up. Will try to take Photos tom. They just arrived ther their new home are tired and sleeping hehe

1. Read that sphagnum moss is good for RF to help keep humidy up, but when reading the RF forum seems tobe mix reviews. Is it safe okay to put it in the babys hide? currently its roughly 78-80 humidity in their home.

2. would it be okay to keep it wet/moist everyday? I plan to soak them daily from 20-30min in the morning.

3. Feed them 2x daily mix of greens and mazuri is okay? but other say feed only 1 a day.

4. In the Phil do you still need to put a CHE in the enclosure? I normally turn it on at night only since its pretty warm here in Asia.

Any help is much appreciated.
Thank you in Advance

1. No moss. It will be eaten and it can cause impaction.
2. If you keep the environment too damp, you will get shell rot on the plastron. Maintain high humidity and warm temps with a large closed chamber enclosure. This applies anywhere in the world.
3. Feed the tortoise as much as it wants of the right foods. They should be able to graze all day.
4. Only your thermometer can answer this question. Does it stay 82-86F all day and all night every day. If yes, then you don't need additional heat. If no, then set your CHE on a thermostat to 83 and it will only turn on when it is needed.

 

[labanog]

thanks @Tom and @wellington for the reply

1. okay got this, so sphagnum moss is a no go, will remove it from their enclosure.

4. yes temp here in the Philippines maintain around 82-85F range most of the time, sometimes hotter.

new question.

5. since philippines is a tropical weather country and during the noon outside temp can get to 90-110F range if direct sunlight, do red foot enjoy this outdoor weather? since they are baby they need UVB, do I also bring them out w a hide so they can hide? but still have sunlight? maybe 1hr a day? is there a prefered sunlight time for tort? morning sunlight or noon sunlight? kr afternoon sunlight?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Keep that Refoot in temperatures of no more than 92°f.
They can and do overheat in the sunlight if it gets too hot.
As for food, don't forget to add fruit, edible flowers and cactus. Redfoot can eat foods containing sugar. Most can not.

 

[labanog]

Hi is this normal for baby RF? they are fresh from the breeder and she said they are around 1 month old, i read and guessed that this are due to the baby yolk which havent fully dried up or do they fall off? or do i need to scrub it off?

thank you again Tort Gurus hehe

 

[labanog]

Keep that Refoot in temperatures of no more than 92°f.
They can and do overheat in the sunlight if it gets too hot.
As for food, don't forget to add fruit, edible flowers and cactus. Redfoot can eat foods containing sugar. Most can not.

Okay copy Thank you

for fruits, how often should i feed them? 3 or 4 times a week is okay? plan to feed them maybe melon or papaya? also got some cactus pads. at the website tort table i saw you can feed squash, carrot and chaluyot, but under sparingly, so i should only give it to them maybe 2-3 a week? are those considered as “fruit” part of their diet? or they are still “vegy” part and should feed them the melons and watermelons inatead? thanks

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hi is this normal for baby RF? they are fresh from the breeder and she said they are around 1 month old, i read and guessed that this are due to the baby yolk which havent fully dried up or do they fall off? or do i need to scrub it off?

thank you again Tort Gurus hehe

Yes
It's normal

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Okay copy Thank you

for fruits, how often should i feed them? 3 or 4 times a week is okay? plan to feed them maybe melon or papaya? also got some cactus pads. at the website tort table i saw you can feed squash, carrot and chaluyot, but under sparingly, so i should only give it to them maybe 2-3 a week? are those considered as “fruit” part of their diet? or they are still “vegy” part and should feed them the melons and watermelons inatead? thanks

Feed different items
Mix it up. Whatever is convenient for you today might be different from what you feed next week.
However, the fruit can be 75% of the diet on occasion when it's plentiful. Like right now in south Florida I'm loaded down with Mangoes and Loquats. My RF are getting some almost every day as part of the meal. At other times, they'll be without it for months. And be eating more Surinam Cherries or something else.
Whatever is growing. Whatever is available. Just use a variety and keep it easy on yourself.

 

[labanog]

Feed different items
Mix it up. Whatever is convenient for you today might be different from what you feed next week.
However, the fruit can be 75% of the diet on occasion when it's plentiful. Like right now in south Florida I'm loaded down with Mangoes and Loquats. My RF are getting some almost every day as part of the meal. At other times, they'll be without it for months. And be eating more Surinam Cherries or something else.
Whatever is growing. Whatever is available. Just use a variety and keep it easy on yourself.

okay got it thanks, so @Zero what is your recommendate ratio for better RF diet, if you put a ratio for fruits,green leafy veggy, veggy, mizuri?

i was thinking

fruits-40%
leafy vegy-40%
vegy (carrots,squash)-10%
mizuri-10%
total=100%

is this type of diet a good mix good?

 

[wellington]

As for outside time, about 1/2hour a day or 3 to 4 days a week for now and can be longer as they get older.
Morning or late day is better, cooler times usually. Be sure more shade then sun is available. They can still get some uvb in the spotted shady areas and even on cloudy days.
If it's too hot like ZEROPILOT mentioned then keep them inside. Too much outside time when still little can help to cause pyramiding unless you have high humidity where you are.

 

[Tom]

Hi is this normal for baby RF? they are fresh from the breeder and she said they are around 1 month old, i read and guessed that this are due to the baby yolk which havent fully dried up or do they fall off? or do i need to scrub it off?

thank you again Tort Gurus hehe

This breeder did not start these babies correctly. Most breeders don't start babies correctly. They should have been in a brooder box with warm temps and high humidity for 7-10 days while they absorbed their yolk sacs and healed up their umbilical scars.

Not much you can do about it now. The damage is done. I would tell the breeder and try to help them learn. This is not because the breeder is in your country. Breeders all over the world do it wrong like this.

This species especially, but really all species should have lots of shade and heavily planted enclosures when they are little babies. They don't need direct sun all day, and if they are normal and health, they will hide most of the time when outside. Babies do best when they spend most of their time indoors in warm humid closed chambers. My general rule of thumb is one hour of sunshine per inch of tortoise a few times per week. Once they get to out 6 inches, they can stay outside all day, weather permitting. By 7-8 inches, they can live outside full time with a heated shelter and a secure enclosure.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

okay got it thanks, so @Zero what is your recommendate ratio for better RF diet, if you put a ratio for fruits,green leafy veggy, veggy, mizuri?

i was thinking

fruits-40%
leafy vegy-40%
vegy (carrots,squash)-10%
mizuri-10%
total=100%

is this type of diet a good mix good?

Sure.
Although I'd put carrots in the fruit list just because of the sugar. Corn also.
Don't forget mushrooms and animal protein (meat) too.

 

[mb1212]

Hi Everyone, just want to ask if its a good idea to put sphagnum moss inside the babys redfoot hide? Im from the Philippines, its basically 60-70% humid in normal day, with indoor temp ranges from 80-90F.

So got a baby redfood, only learned it was really small when I get it from the breeder, roughly 2” and if you look at its buttom there seems tobe some yoke still drying up. Will try to take Photos tom. They just arrived ther their new home are tired and sleeping hehe

1. Read that sphagnum moss is good for RF to help keep humidy up, but when reading the RF forum seems tobe mix reviews. Is it safe okay to put it in the babys hide? currently its roughly 78-80 humidity in their home.

2. would it be okay to keep it wet/moist everyday? I plan to soak them daily from 20-30min in the morning.

3. Feed them 2x daily mix of greens and mazuri is okay? but other say feed only 1 a day.

4. In the Phil do you still need to put a CHE in the enclosure? I normally turn it on at night only since its pretty warm here in Asia.

Any help is much appreciated.
Thank you in Advance

Sounds like good plans. Have fun

 

[Cpassmore]

Don't worry about the yolk sac. Mine was also too young to morally or ethically be sold....but I didn't know until after the fact. And it has gained more than 120 grams and thriving. Just keep your humidity up and your temperatures right, with healthy food and I promise you'll be fine. I worried for a long time, but you'll be alright!!!!

 

[Cpassmore]

And now it looks like this, with zero pyramiding and great! Excuse the raspberry face and greens lol

 

[labanog]

As for outside time, about 1/2hour a day or 3 to 4 days a week for now and can be longer as they get older.
Morning or late day is better, cooler times usually. Be sure more shade then sun is available. They can still get some uvb in the spotted shady areas and even on cloudy days.
If it's too hot like ZEROPILOT mentioned then keep them inside. Too much outside time when still little can help to cause pyramiding unless you have high humidity where you are.

great thanks for the advice, will try to introduce them to the sun slowly at short time at first. lately they just like to hide in there home which i think is normal
since still a baby.

 

[labanog]

This breeder did not start these babies correctly. Most breeders don't start babies correctly. They should have been in a brooder box with warm temps and high humidity for 7-10 days while they absorbed their yolk sacs and healed up their umbilical scars.

Not much you can do about it now. The damage is done. I would tell the breeder and try to help them learn. This is not because the breeder is in your country. Breeders all over the world do it wrong like this.

This species especially, but really all species should have lots of shade and heavily planted enclosures when they are little babies. They don't need direct sun all day, and if they are normal and health, they will hide most of the time when outside. Babies do best when they spend most of their time indoors in warm humid closed chambers. My general rule of thumb is one hour of sunshine per inch of tortoise a few times per week. Once they get to out 6 inches, they can stay outside all day, weather permitting. By 7-8 inches, they can live outside full time with a heated shelter and a secure enclosure.

Thanks Tom, yeah was surprise when I got them that there still some yolk, will continue to monitor them. Normally how long does is dry up and go away?

 

[labanog]

Sure.
Although I'd put carrots in the fruit list just because of the sugar. Corn also.
Don't forget mushrooms and animal protein (meat) too.

okay gotcha on the carrots, unfortunaly mushroom is not readily available here in the philippines, we only have the dried chinese style for cooking or canned ones, for the meat protien, dont have bugs availble in stores, what alterntive can i use? do i feed them now at baby stage or after 1yo?

 

[labanog]

wow

And now it looks like this, with zero pyramiding and great! Excuse the raspberry face and greens lol

hehe very cute! thanks for sharing, getting less worried now about the yolk thing, will let mother nature runs its course! Cheers! 😊