Stressed out !!

[bellamia]

New owner here and feeling very stressed I have had my redfoot babies for 2 months now .My concern is when will I be able to relax and just enjoy them ?
like so many other new keepers here I always think I'm doing something wrong!

Diet , substrate ,too hot, too cold , lights to low , too high , is the temp correct ?
Airflow ,okay?
Am I soaking enough ? I'm feeding enough? Are they pooping and peeing ?
Worms ? Was that a sneeze I just heard ? Are they sleeping too much ?
And what is that little mark on his shell? She'll rot? She'll fungus ?
Maybe nothing .
I have read all I can and have learned much from all of you but I think I speak for all new owners when I say this Is stressing me out !
Just when I think I have it all right i start to second guess myself
I thank you all on behalf of all of us new keepers for being so patient with us and answering the same old questions a million times ! LOL
Now I best run to check that they have not flipped over !!

GRRRRRR !!!

 

[kathyth]

That made me laugh!
I certainly remember over- worrying about everything, especially if I saw conflicting information.
If you are following Redfoot care, from this forum, you will be fine. You will adjust and relax.
Enjoy your babies. They are tougher than we think.
😊

 

[Jacqui]

We do tend to worry about a new hatchling much more then our older adults. I always compare it to somebody who just had a human baby. At first your worry about everything and everything has to be sterile. With time you slowly start relaxing and the next thing you know your child will be outside playing in the dirt.

Just remember to not think everything has to be "perfect". There can be variances in temps and your tortoise will survive. It does not always have to be say 82 degrees. They can do a sneeze or a wheeze and still be okay... don't you some times have to sneeze yet aren't sick?

I know it's easy for me to say relax, but believe me, slowly you will start to relax. Plus for me, more enjoyment comes when they can be outside in the sunshine running around being tortoises.

 

[bellamia]

I actually did not worry so much when I did have my kids ! This is by far worse !
After all I did not have to keep thermostats and probes and gages on them ! LOL
Thank you at least I can laugh about all this and I'm sure in time will calm down.

 

[Eloise's mommy]

I thought it was fun always worrying and checking on my RT. I worried but it was good worry that kept me learning around 6 months in I was in to a routine and stopped the worrying so much but I still keep a close eye out I check on my baby in the morning first thing as soon as I get home at night and any time I hear movement in the enclosure. I'm a year in now I really just want to catch something awesome happening

 

[Saleama]

I changed my substrate 3 times before tossing the entire enclosure and getting a new, much bigger one all within the first two weeks. I bought and changed the lights and heating 3 or 4 times in the first month AND changed from open to covered to completly closed within 2 months and that is just for the Leos and Sulcatas. The Russians went through a similar process before going into an outdoor garden and the box turtles went from 10 gal to 20 long to 20 gal tub to 50 gal tub to 6 x 3 wooden table all within the same 2 or 3 months... so No, I have no idea what you are talking about?

Oh! I also changed food trays and water dishes many many times as well as flip proofing on a daily basis during that time!

---

To answer your question though, for me, around 2 - 3 months! LOL.

 

[bellamia]

That's funny thanks so I see it's normal to fret this way.