Wanting to adopt a red foot in Florida, but will to take a road trip

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I currently am summer sitting a female Red foot and I fell in love so much I made this area for her. I am looking to adopt 1 or 2 more any age, perferbly female, as I do not want babies. I do have an indoor enclosure for at night and when it gets cold. Dreding having to give her back.
20230531_105128.jpg
 

ZEROPILOT

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I'm just south of you in Sunrise.
Redfoot do well here outside.
Redfoot, especially adult Redfoot don't usually climb much. (Usually) but I'd still be concerned about the height of those walls.
That sized enclosure is adequate for one. Never keep two together. But groups of 3 or more can work especially if there are no adult males.
 
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Please start here: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/#post-2036954

they should not be kept in pairs...

@ZEROPILOT is our resident florida redfoot expert
Thank you for this, so much information. Going to be really sad when she goes back to her owner at the end of August. Question for you, since you live near by. What do you forage from your yard? I have a huge garden, hibiscus, haliconias, plumeria. Currently I go to a nursery/ farmers market and buy dandelion, collard, kale etc.

Also I can easily raise the wall with pavers, but she doesn't seem to be able to climb more than a few inches. I made her a pool out of a large Tupperware and had to cut oneside out so she can easily climb in and out. Also, it keeps the water level low enough. Thank you again

I am open to any advice.
Please start here: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/#post-2036954

they should not be kept in pairs...

@ZEROPILOT is our resident florida redfoot expert
 

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SinLA

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Thank you for this, so much information. Going to be really sad when she goes back to her owner at the end of August. Question for you, since you live near by. What do you forage from your yard? I have a huge garden, hibiscus, haliconias, plumeria. Currently I go to a nursery/ farmers market and buy dandelion, collard, kale etc.

Also I can easily raise the wall with pavers, but she doesn't seem to be able to climb more than a few inches. I made her a pool out of a large Tupperware and had to cut oneside out so she can easily climb in and out. Also, it keeps the water level low enough. Thank you again

I am open to any advice

That tortoise looks terrible. Did they rescue it or are they responsible for her condition? Her shell should be smooth like a helmet. Those gernade bumps are MBD which you can read about. How old is she?
 
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I think they bought her as a baby. I do not know much, as it was last minute. Whomever was going to watch the turtle for the summer fell through. I was giving a tank, light, substrate and romaine lettuce. As I did research myself I have changed everything.

I am going to send her the article you wrote. Maybe she will decide to let me rescue her, from them.

I am at work but will read more through about MBD. Do you think I need to make her a vet appointment immediately?
 

SinLA

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No if she is active and moving around and eating you don’t need to make a vet appointment. You just need to make sure she is treated well going forward.
 
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I know it might sound crazy but she seems so much happier and active since I got her a month ago. Even just changing her substrate in her tank, I noticed a difference. I am hoping she will let me keep her, so I can give her a better life than a small tank.

I bought calcium and pellets to add to her diet. Going to get terracotta saucers this weekend to replace the Tupperware pool. Anything else a must, especially with the MBD?

I am so glad I posted on here.
Thank you!!!
 

SinLA

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Here are photos of what they should look like. Maybe you can show them these photos. I"m not sure if we have a FAQ just for redfoots (@ZEROPILOT ??) but she's NOT going to survive if she is kept in the same conditions she's been kept in

 

SinLA

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That may be too much for them to digest but the bottom line - s/he's not getting enough humidity and her diet doesn't sound right for her species (they need protein I believe, but I don't know much about redfoots). She needs help or she won't live long, or for as long as she lives, she won't live well. her shell is in bad shape...
 

ZEROPILOT

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Thank you for this, so much information. Going to be really sad when she goes back to her owner at the end of August. Question for you, since you live near by. What do you forage from your yard? I have a huge garden, hibiscus, haliconias, plumeria. Currently I go to a nursery/ farmers market and buy dandelion, collard, kale etc.

Also I can easily raise the wall with pavers, but she doesn't seem to be able to climb more than a few inches. I made her a pool out of a large Tupperware and had to cut oneside out so she can easily climb in and out. Also, it keeps the water level low enough. Thank you again

I am open to any advice.
Wow
That Redfoot is in absolutely horrible condition.
He/she has had far too little humidity and who knows what else.
I've never seen a Redfoot in Florida that looked so poorly. The environment outdoors is almost ideal most of the year. Free humidity. Free sunshine and you can even find free foods locally year round.
There's no excuse for this.
See if you can adopt this RF or at least get the current owner to drastically change the way they are caring for him.
 

ZEROPILOT

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That tortoise looks terrible. Did they rescue it or are they responsible for her condition? Her shell should be smooth like a helmet. Those gernade bumps are MBD which you can read about. How old is she?
MBD is a serious bone disease.
It can go hand in hand with outward signs of poor husbandry like pyramiding. But pyramiding alone doesn't prove MBD.
However, in this case. I definitely wouldn't rule it out.
It's the worst looking (Florida) Redfoot I've ever seen.
How does he walk? Are his legs strong? When he walks does he drag his shell or is it completely off of the ground?
 
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ZEROPILOT

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Almost any fresh, uncooked and unprocessed foods you eat, he can eat. Fruit, vegetable matter, mushrooms, meat, hibiscus leaves and flowers.
UVB is critical. Sunlight is the best UVB. A few hours a week is enough. But a few hours a day is great.
Humidity needs to be over 70%.
You can take a hose and wet down that outside area. As it evaporates it'll give off humidity. That and the natural humidity you already have is good. So is a good rain. They love the rain.
The temperature they need is very close to what makes us comfortable. 80 to 86.
 

SinLA

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@ZEROPILOT is this normal for a redfoot? Again not my area of knowledge but I've never noticed bumps like these before:
 

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This tortoise is kept indoors in an aquarium?
What type of heating?
What type of UVB source?
What are they feeding?
This looks like a blatant case of animal cruelty.
I am pretty sure it was kept inside. In an aquarium. I think the diet was romaine, blueberries and raspberries, as that all she gave me when she dropped the tortoise off. I am going to just tell my coworker I am keeping her.

Since she has been at my house about a month I keep the aquarium on my back patio table. I only put her in it at night. Now that I have and enclosed area she spends all day outside. I have a mister that I turn on in the mornings on the bush she likes to hide under. She walks fine and is actually quite quick.

I feel so bad and want to do my best to help her!!
 

ZEROPILOT

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I am pretty sure it was kept inside. In an aquarium. I think the diet was romaine, blueberries and raspberries, as that all she gave me when she dropped the tortoise off. I am going to just tell my coworker I am keeping her.

Since she has been at my house about a month I keep the aquarium on my back patio table. I only put her in it at night. Now that I have and enclosed area she spends all day outside. I have a mister that I turn on in the mornings on the bush she likes to hide under. She walks fine and is actually quite quick.

I feel so bad and want to do my best to help her!!
Do not place any animal outdoors in the daytime in a glass container because the sunlight will turn it into a microwave

Also, at any time. A rain storm can make it into a drowning hazard
 

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