Squirt’s upgrade

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Yeah I definitely appreciate the format of it and find it helpful🙂
Think I’ll come up with a little rough weekly meal plan some point this week n post it to see what people think☺️

https://tortoiselibrary.com/nutrition-2/diet-plans-omnivore/ in case I haven't shared it earlier.. There are really nice feeding plans outlines there.
And this post is great, I think: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/new-member-here.196523/#post-2108444

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

https://tortoiselibrary.com/nutrition-2/diet-plans-omnivore/ in case I haven't shared it earlier.. There are really nice feeding plans outlines there.
And this post is great, I think: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/new-member-here.196523/#post-2108444

Oh those links are brilliant thanks Alex!! They’ll definitely help me come up with a nice dinner plan for her😁I’ll have a proper look through later, appreciate it!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Squirts been loving her new home!🥰she has been spending quite a bit of time in her old cave(convinced it’s her comfort blanket lol) but they’re spotting her have a good plod around in there each day😊she’s got her usual healthy appetite and having her usual clear out during soak time💩🤣

I think she’s probably not into exploring a whole lot cause it’s not the most interesting landscape yet, but I knew it’d be a working progress now it’s set up😊temps and humidity are perfect!

I’ve done her a pretty good meal plan, probably too good and overthought as per my process😂
but now I’ve done that my next visit to her is going to be focused on getting some live plants in there, I’ve got SO many spider plant babies propagating in water atm, I was just wondering if it’s okay to put a whole bunch of those in at once? I have a feeling she’ll start munching them right away😂will too many of them possibly upset her tummy? I could just put one or two in if that’s the case, I’m looking into other enclosure plants to add like pothos etc, I’m just crossing my fingers they don’t get completely destroyed right away! Be nice if they last a few weeks at least!🤣

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Good news!
You can save some spider plants for replacement. Most likely she will stomp them to death, they aren't very hardy.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Good news!
You can save some spider plants for replacement. Most likely she will stomp them to death, they aren't very hardy.

You’re probably right😂

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I noticed squirt pass a few pieces of substrate today during soak😣she’s done it going back before she had her large feeding slate, she’s not done it since but it bummed me out seeing it today cause no doubt it’s not comfortable coming out😬
The slate we use is huge and I can’t see her pushing her food onto the substrate when she’s feeding, so I honestly don’t know how she’s actually managing to do it! Does anyone have any tips to prevent it?? I’d dread the thought of her getting a blockage😕

Thinking about it, I managed to get my hands on a nice large terracotta saucer today to switch the smaller one out, wondering if that’ll be better for her food because of the sides? Can always get another big one for water

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

1. These could be the "left-overs" from her old days. Sometimes weird stuff takes weeks to pass.
2. She ate some on purpose and, perhaps, won't do that again.
3. Orchid bark would not be recommended if it causes constipations.
4. Soaks and fiber-rich diet help to push the stuff towards the exit.
5. Redfoots eat fruit with seeds. If not - they eat stones. Perhaps, it's the same thing as with chickens eating pebbles to help with digestion.
6. Cypress mulch makes me *really* nervous for the same reasons. Always see it in and never - out...

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

1. These could be the "left-overs" from her old days. Sometimes weird stuff takes weeks to pass.
2. She ate some on purpose and, perhaps, won't do that again.
3. Orchid bark would not be recommended if it causes constipations.
4. Soaks and fiber-rich diet help to push the stuff towards the exit.
5. Redfoots eat fruit with seeds. If not - they eat stones. Perhaps, it's the same thing as with chickens eating pebbles to help with digestion.
6. Cypress mulch makes me *really* nervous for the same reasons. Always see it in and never - out...

Interesting, hadn’t considered maybe it’s been in there a while and took longer to pass lol, they were only tiny pieces, but didn’t like seeing them cause I fear her accidentally eating a bigger chunk one day😣she did pass them ok though so maybe it’s not as big an issue as I think.. yeah I don’t think we’d use cypress for her personally, even though some people do and it’s seems to work for them, she just seems to do best on her orchid bark and there’s less splinter bits in my opinion, some cypress mulch can be a little sharp to me.. but again that’s probably not a huge issue for them lol
Might try using the new large terracotta for her salad, see if it keeps the food in better, though like I say I don’t really see her food go on to the substrate so maybe she did do this on purpose😂she likes keeping me on my toes she does🥲

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Just one citation to give you an estimate:

June 13, 2007 - Dry Poop and Orange Plastic
I found the orange plastic piece that Frankie ingested on April 30th! Found it this afternoon while giving Frankie a carrot. It was in a bit of poop that was under the porch. I cleaned that area of poop a few weeks ago so the piece & poop must have past sometime since then. It could very well be that that piece of plastic hung around in his bowels for more than 30 days. Is that really possible?? Regardless of how long it was inside Frankie, I am glad it made its way out.

She won't eat a real big unpassable chunk - she'll try to bite it, make "meh" and will look for something smaller.

As for the cypress mulch, definitely there is no reason to use it instead of orchid bark. It was just available for me to buy when I was setting up the enclosure.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Just one citation to give you an estimate:


She won't eat a real big unpassable chunk - she'll try to bite it, make "meh" and will look for something smaller.

As for the cypress mulch, definitely there is no reason to use it instead of orchid bark. It was just available for me to buy when I was setting up the enclosure.

Woahhh that’s actually really interesting to read! I’m genuinely wondering if that’s been the case here! Had no idea something could take that long to go through her system but it’s obviously entirely possible!
Haha you’re probably right there, she’d surely be like ew no there’s no way this is going down😂
Feeling less worried about it now, thanks Alex!😊

Lol every time you get notified I’ve posted you must sit thinking, here we go again, the over thinker🤣

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Got a few spider plants in yesterday! They aren’t the most luscious of visual barriers ngl😅maybe if she doesn’t destroy them, they’ll have time to get better🥲either way I’m off out to a reptile store today to see if I can find some different ones to put in there.

One thing that is slightly concerning me atm, after observing her these past few days, I’m noticing she’s not really exploring anymore😕she’s spending about 95% of her time tucked into her old cave, I considered turning one of the bulbs down the other day, but all it does it cause the other 100 to throw the exact amount of heat, the temps are pretty good as they are in my opinion, the whole viv is 80-86, directly under the one bulb is 88-90 but she doesn’t sit under it, one small section is 75-77, so surely if she was feeling warm I’d see here there more? She sleeps in her cave where the temp gun is reading 80-82 at night.
Now in all technicality she wouldn’t walk round much in her old enclosure because of the lack of room, so in that sense she’s not acting out of her normal self, she’s still eating drinking etc, however in the old set up she wasn’t tucked in her cave the whole time, she’d ‘bask’ meaning she was pretty much constantly under her uv, I’m getting paranoid in this one she’s not allowing herself to get any uv whatsoever, I know they don’t really have super high uv requirements being from the forest floor, but I’m definitely worried about her getting none at all😕that and I definitely want to see her moving more!

The temps shouldn’t be causing the issue, I can’t work out if she’s still just feeling bored by the lack of visual barriers, or if she’s still in a settling in period, that old cave is all she’s ever known, is it possible even after all these weeks, she’s using it as a comfort blanket? My hopes with the more plants in there, the more she’ll explore, but if I’m being honest, I don’t see it making the radical difference I’m envisioning😣should I be concerned if she continues acting like this?😕

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

At least when she’s eating she’s getting some, in better news, geranium seems to have finally gone down nicely, she absolutely loves the plantain leaves!! I need to find different types to plant! She also had a nom on the filaree😊

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

She has checked all the new stuff, discovered hides and comfort zones. She is well fed. I think she is just relaxing. You may put spider plants life at stake and move them between her hide and feeding slate. This can provoke some more walking.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

She has checked all the new stuff, discovered hides and comfort zones. She is well fed. I think she is just relaxing. You may put spider plants life at stake and move them between her hide and feeding slate. This can provoke some more walking.

Fair enough lol, the overthinker strikes again😉should I be worried about the potential lack of uv though or? Just not used to seeing her in her hide so much, I’ve read lots of people get concerned when their tort is tucked into their hide most the time😕

Slim pickings for plants in store so looks like I’m going to have to overpay online, they all add up and she may just destroy them but I really wanna try getting more in there😂

I’ll try that plant placement too!😁

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Yes, tucked in the hide for the whole day can be concerning sometimes. But redfoots often aren't really outgoing, especially females (of course, every rule has exceptions). Even outdoors they can stay hidden most part of the day except few morning and afternoon hours.

At this point, I would not much worry about UV. But keep an eye on the situation.

As for the plants, I will try something "more interesting" like pothos, carex (sedge) or boston fern. But you will need something "grown up" to make a fair hiding place. I don't know what people do to grow dense bushes of spider plants (those I have aren't look cool at all).

P.S. - Best regards to Squirt from "sister in hide"

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Yes, tucked in the hide for the whole day can be concerning sometimes. But redfoots often aren't really outgoing, especially females (of course, every rule has exceptions). Even outdoors they can stay hidden most part of the day except few morning and afternoon hours.

At this point, I would not much worry about UV. But keep an eye on the situation.

As for the plants, I will try something "more interesting" like pothos, carex (sedge) or boston fern. But you will need something "grown up" to make a fair hiding place. I don't know what people do to grow dense bushes of spider plants (those I have aren't look cool at all).

P.S. - Best regards to Squirt from "sister in hide"

Mmm we’ll keep monitoring her, would definitely be nice to see her mooching round a bit more lol, or just chilling in the open for a little while, I genuinely think she’s being stubborn with the cave, like “I loves my old cave, it’s comfy so try moving me I dare you!”😂
Yeah the ones I currently have my eyes on are:
Pilea
A large Boston fern
A prayer plant
Some carax grass
And just a little air plant for fun lol

The site I’m looking at sell them pretty decent sizes😊

Ahhh hello cutie pie!!😍

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Prayer plant is a nice addition, but will require some support for the branches or pruning - otherwise stems are broken easily: many leaves on a single thin stem is a recipe for disaster when tortoise rushes through. I've lost more than a half of my prayer plant recently because Besha walked over its leaves and not under as usual.

Air plants are cool and should do fine in RF enclosures.

I hope Squirt will enjoy the new toys

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Prayer plant is a nice addition, but will require some support for the branches or pruning - otherwise stems are broken easily: many leaves on a single thin stem is a recipe for disaster when tortoise rushes through. I've lost more than a half of my prayer plant recently because Besha walked over its leaves and not under as usual.

Air plants are cool and should do fine in RF enclosures.

I hope Squirt will enjoy the new toys

I might possibly put the prayer plant on top of the hide to use more as decor because they’re so nice to look at! Be a shame for her to stomp that one😅but I’ll focus on carax and a few ferns to build up a little hedge lol

Fingers crossed she’ll like them😁

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Tradescantia zebrina should make a great decor for the hide (it's too fragile to put it in the walking area). Or the famous pothos - great decorative vines and a morning chow in one plant.

For the prayer plant I would use a "hat-like" pot to support the stems.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Tradescantia zebrina should make a great decor for the hide (it's too fragile to put it in the walking area). Or the famous pothos - great decorative vines and a morning chow in one plant.

For the prayer plant I would use a "hat-like" pot to support the stems.

Oooo thanks for the suggestions! I’ll look into those!
When you say hat like pot, could you attach a pic maybe cause I’m not quite sure what you mean for that?🙂