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thatkiidsean

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Hey guys, I went to PetSmart today to look at some tortoise supplies. I plan on getting a red foot tortoise just trying to figure out thr right stuff to get. I priced the following and hoping you can tell me if this is right what i am missing or could get rid off. I have to check Petco and my local Pet store but I think the Petstore will be be expensive,

Heres what I have.
Repti rock: Small -$5.49
Repti rock Medium- $9.90
2-3 Bags of Repti Bark- $9.99 each
Large All Things Livin half log hideout $9.99
All THings Living Heat Lamp $17.00 for 8.5 in and $16.99 for 5.5 in
Exo Terra Vision lamp 26w 25.99
All things living 75 watt $8.99
Zoo Med analog dual therm/humid guage 13.49
Exoterra 60w Daytime Heat lamp 60w $6.99

I amready have a big rubbermaid container for the lil guy and where do I get the nest tortoise food what brand? I need all the feedback I can get!
 

Levi the Leopard

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Oh boy... You gotta shop at home depot, Lowes and Walmart..much cheaper ;)

What is a repti rock? A water dish? If so, don't buy it. Spend $2-4 on a clay terra cotta saucer instead. They are the dishes you put under a potted plant to trap excess water. Better and cheaper.

Skip the repti bark. Too drying. They do sell coco coir called "eco earth-bed a beast". A single package of 3 bricks for $7.99. Again better and cheaper.

IMO No on the half log. You'd want to make a humid hide and that won't do it. It could be a cheap rubbermaid box or something "prettier" but $10 on the log....well, there are better more effective hides to spend your $ on.

I buy the domes (brooder clamp lamp) for my heat sources at home depot and Walmart. $10-14 for a 10"

No on the zoo med analog reader. Again, home dept sells a digital one that records a 24hr period high and low for $9

I didn't comment on lighting because a Redfoot keeper should chime in there...

Tortoise food: buy some Mazuri from a local feed store or members of TFO and get to learning about local grasses and weeds :D
 

dmmj

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I would ditch the rocks, price home improvement stores.
 

thatkiidsean

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What would be considered a local feed store? Sorry I am totally new to all this. How would I make a rubber maid hid like how would I cut it?
Where in Home depot should I find the heat domes and the digital thermometer? The people at Home Depot here are kinda useless... LOL
 

tortadise

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Scissors will cut the hole or and exacto knife(just be careful with it) electrical isle has the domes. Just make sure and get the one with a ceramic socket and not plastic.
 

Levi the Leopard

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Have any horses or livestock near you? A store that caters to them/sells those related products is a feed store. Local would mean its near you or to your area.

No worries..we all start out new at some point ;)

For a cheap humid hide I've purchased a black dish washing tub from the dollar store (Walmart sells the same one for $2) flip it upside down (opening on top of the substrate) and cut a door on the side big enough for your tort to pass through. Then to make it more aesthetically pleasing I hot glued some fake plants to the outside. A large tupperware would work, too. The log hide has a double opening. The point with a humid hide is an area where heat and moisture levels are elevated (because it can't escape out of big openings) creating a burrow like microclimate for your tortoise to enjoy. Does this make sense? I don't have any photos on my phone to show you...but I'll try to elaborate more if you still need help understanding it :)

The domes are found in an aisle near the lights. But you can ask them for the brooder clamp lamps and they can take you to it. It has the ceramic socket, only difference when compared to the Petsmart one is HDs is silver, Petsmart is black.
The digital thermometer/hydrometer combo is made by AcuRite. Sold near the patio furniture inside the store near the garden center doors. The cheapest one is about $9 and they go up in price from there. Many of us here use the $9 one. It's the one I described above.

Look into using CHEs and a thermostat, too.
I don't keep Redfoots but I think they'd be set up with CHEs on thermostat to maintain the ambient temps and then some tube UV lighting. Add some plants for cover so they can retreat from the lighting.

Now, I've read that's it's debatable on if they should have an additional basking spot or not. Do your research there so you are comfortable with your decision.
 

Levi the Leopard

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Just for an idea..If you went with the CHE, thermostat, tube lighting (depending on the size of your enclosure) you'd buy:
2 of the ceramic based domes ($14 each home depot)
2, 100 watt CHE ($15 each online)
1 thermostat ($30)
1 tube UV lighting (no clue on pricing because here in my area I don't use artificial UV)
The plastic tub for a hide ($2)
The coco coir ($7.99)
A terra cotta saucer water dish ($3)
A flat rock from home depot to feed off ($2)
Some tropical foliage/fake or live plants for decor...

How big is the enclosure you have set aside?
This is the closed chamber I use for Leopard babies. It's a little different set up than what you need but the decorations inside are similar to what a Redfoot would enjoy. Hope this helps.
 

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thatkiidsean

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Apr 20, 2012
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Thank you so much!!! I will definitely check it out once I get to Home Depots
 

naturalman91

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i buy everything i need at lowes,home depo, walmart or almost any hardware type store the only thing i don't buy from them is my UVB tubes and CHE's (ceramic heat element) because they don't care them i use the all living things brand CHE's because there cheap and they work and i use a normal light like you have screwed into your ceiling right now for the basking area just adjust it to get proper temp i can't remember off hand what brand my UVB strip is but it's a fluorescent tube light red foot's hate harsh/bright light so buying a expensive mercury vapor bulb for UVB would be a waste of money that's just me tho i'm sure some people out there disagree
 

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