Stork arriving with baby yellowfoot on Wednesday

Loni

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New to tortoises and after much research and agonizing have purchased a baby yellowfoot that was incubated to be a male from an established breeder here in Canada. He (?) arrives Wednesday.

I have asked the breeder to provide information regarding his current set up and diet. Ambient and basking temperatures, substrate, humidity and diet so there will not be sudden changes. What I have so far is:

The nursery is an antique 24 x 48 x 19 cedar chest lined with heavy duty clear plastic sheeting. The top is removed and I have a reptile screen that fits at the basking end. The dome lights will sit on it. I have 150 w mercury vapor lamp in dome shade and a 50w ceramic emitter in a dome shade on a temperature and humidity controller. I have a piece of plexiglass cut to fit the balance of the top. It is on legs so it is 6 inches off the floor. The substrate I have is course coconut husk bedding and organic compost mix. I am setting up Saturday so I can have stable temp and humidity sorted out before he arrives. I have organic clover, dandelion and alfalfa seeds on order that should arrive any day. I will feed chemical free wild dandelion, plantain and white clover during the summer, I will plant mini flats the can be changed out through the winter. I have rose leaves and grape leaves available. I will put worms in the substrate so he can hunt. I found a source of Mazuri Tortoise diet and cactus pads. Organic fruit is never an issue here. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis so I make my own calcium from organic free range soy free eggs. I will have to get a source for calcium plus D3 for the winter.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated! 35924285_686851518313456_2135232910918156288_n.jpg
 

Loni

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Breeders response is:

I keep them on damp spagnum moss. I keep a hide on each side(1 side with heat pad underneath to keep warm) and basking area in the middle and I place feeding station there as well.
Ambient temp mid 70s with a drop at night.
I keep heating pad on 24/7 but at night I just turn off their basking light. Gives them a nice tempt drop.
 

Loni

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I have read the Beginner Mistakes and Basics threads a couple of times. Life saver articles...truly.

Are Redfoot and Yellowfoot tortoises as interchangeable (husbandry wise) as the threads seem to indicate. There is very little that I can find specifically on the yellowfoot. Any advise would be greatly appreciated!
 

Redfool

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Redfoot care only wetter and more humid. Yellowfoots are rainforest dwellers.
 

tortoiseplanet

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Breeders response is:

I keep them on damp spagnum moss. I keep a hide on each side(1 side with heat pad underneath to keep warm) and basking area in the middle and I place feeding station there as well.
Ambient temp mid 70s with a drop at night.
I keep heating pad on 24/7 but at night I just turn off their basking light. Gives them a nice tempt drop.

They shouldn’t be kept on sphagnum moss. Tortoises will eat it which causes impaction. Heat mats should also not be used for tortoises, use overhead heaters such as a CHE.
 

jacksknight

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Sphagnum moss should be fine, we use it and it holds moisture very well. I have never seen ours try to eat it, they don't seem to be interested in it at all. The under mount heater should be fine as well.
 

tortoiseplanet

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Sphagnum moss should be fine, we use it and it holds moisture very well. I have never seen ours try to eat it, they don't seem to be interested in it at all. The under mount heater should be fine as well.

Sphagnum moss does hold humidity, although there are plenty of other alternatives that don’t pose serious health issues. Most tortoises tend to eat them and there are countless stories of impaction from them. Tortoises do not recognize heat from underneath them. They are programmed to thermoregulate from overhead heat. Heat mats also tend to over heat, in result causing burns on the bottom of the carapace.
 

Loni

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Sphagnum moss does hold humidity, although there are plenty of other alternatives that don’t pose serious health issues. Most tortoises tend to eat them and there are countless stories of impaction from them. Tortoises do not recognize heat from underneath them. They are programmed to thermoregulate from overhead heat. Heat mats also tend to over heat, in result causing burns on the bottom of the carapace.
Thank you again!
Sphagnum moss should be fine, we use it and it holds moisture very well. I have never seen ours try to eat it, they don't seem to be interested in it at all. The under mount heater should be fine as well.
Thank you. I don't see how I could use a heat pad in my set up even if it was recommended as I am not using a glass or metal enclosure. The cedar chest is too thick to attach it from below and activating the toxic gases in the cedar is the last thing I want to do. I can't attach it to the plastic liner, it would melt. I would not want to just bury it in the substrate, even if it didn't start a fire, if the baby burrowed into the substrate a little, he could be right on the heat pad!
 

Loni

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Sphagnum moss does hold humidity, although there are plenty of other alternatives that don’t pose serious health issues. Most tortoises tend to eat them and there are countless stories of impaction from them. Tortoises do not recognize heat from underneath them. They are programmed to thermoregulate from overhead heat. Heat mats also tend to over heat, in result causing burns on the bottom of the carapace.
If baby tortoises are like other baby animals I have had, I can see it being a problem because they investigate their surroundings with their mouths. Not sure they could spit that stuff out once it was in their mouths. I did see something on one of the reptile websites up here. It is a hollow bamboo tube that you fill with sphagnum and then fill with water. You stand it under your heat source. It is to raise humidity for amphibians. Thought I might give that a try as the tortoise could not get to the moss.
 

Toddrickfl1

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If baby tortoises are like other baby animals I have had, I can see it being a problem because they investigate their surroundings with their mouths. Not sure they could spit that stuff out once it was in their mouths. I did see something on one of the reptile websites up here. It is a hollow bamboo tube that you fill with sphagnum and then fill with water. You stand it under your heat source. It is to raise humidity for amphibians. Thought I might give that a try as the tortoise could not get to the moss.
I use sphagnum moss in my RF'S hide I've never seen him eating it.
 

daniellenc

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Another moss user and no eating here. I put it in his hides and under his cypress mulch to hold humidity. A few pointers are make sure your MVB is safe to be put on a thermostat because all I know are not and they get too hot. Also no night drop ever and no temps under 80 degrees. Your CHE is probably adequate and UVB can be mounted under the plexiglass. You’ll need to keep it 80-85 degrees and completely closed to create adequate humidity in Canada. Start getting to know your local weeds there’s so many they can eat and congrats!
 

Loni

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Another moss user and no eating here. I put it in his hides and under his cypress mulch to hold humidity. A few pointers are make sure your MVB is safe to be put on a thermostat because all I know are not and they get too hot. Also no night drop ever and no temps under 80 degrees. Your CHE is probably adequate and UVB can be mounted under the plexiglass. You’ll need to keep it 80-85 degrees and completely closed to create adequate humidity in Canada. Start getting to know your local weeds there’s so many they can eat and congrats!
Thank you!! I hadn't considered putting it under another substrate!
 

Kevinrrussell

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I have read the Beginner Mistakes and Basics threads a couple of times. Life saver articles...truly.

Are Redfoot and Yellowfoot tortoises as interchangeable (husbandry wise) as the threads seem to indicate. There is very little that I can find specifically on the yellowfoot. Any advise would be greatly appreciated!
No...diet yes but yellows need warmer temperatures...yellows are shy....they get bigger...reds seem more friendly .. just what I read. I would like to add a yellow to my stan.lee...
 

Kevinrrussell

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Sphagnum moss does hold humidity, although there are plenty of other alternatives that don’t pose serious health issues. Most tortoises tend to eat them and there are countless stories of impaction from them. Tortoises do not recognize heat from underneath them. They are programmed to thermoregulate from overhead heat. Heat mats also tend to over heat, in result causing burns on the bottom of the carapace.
I agree....on all points..yellows like it Warmer all the time and humid.
 
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