Will someone look at this picture and comment, please?

[Mantissa3]

My baby redfoot, Gibson, seems like the skin on his head is getting covered by a film, like if you streak a window. Maybe I'm the only one who notices it, or maybe I'm just being paranoid because Gibby is my first tort and I'm worried I'm not doing the right things to keep him well and make him happy.

I took a pic, then another one close up. Can any of you RF experienced keepers/tort lovers take a look and see if anything jumps out at you. I think I'm sensing "something changed/changing" but I can't really say what it is.



I do know he's growing a lot, since I draw his outline on a piece of printer paper every month, then date the outline to see how much he's grown.



Thanks in advance for help, feedback and comments!

Mantissa3

 

[wellington]

I don't really notice a film, jut lighter coloring. How is the humidity? RF need a high humidity, with out really living on a damp substrate all the time.

 

[ascott]

Yeah, I bet if you give his head a spritz of water...the "film" you reference is actually just what he looks like when his head is dry...

 

[Mantissa3]

I don't really notice a film, jut lighter coloring. How is the humidity? RF need a high humidity, with out really living on a damp substrate all the time.

Thanks for looking at my pictures! I have a humidity monitoring gauge and I've been up night and day for the past few weeks, terrified something is going to happen that I'm too inexperienced to predict, and the humidity range ALWAYS stays between 50-75 RH, depending upon whether I just misted or watered the plantings, or whether it isn't a "rain/mist" day for Gibby.

Could it be simply because he's growing so fast that the skin stretches or gets replaced?

 

[Mantissa3]

Yeah, I bet if you give his head a spritz of water...the "film" you reference is actually just what he looks like when his head is dry...

Thanks so much for looking at the pics and responding, Ascott!

He soaks every morning in warm water while I fix his breakfast before I go to work. Yes, when his head is wet from his bath, or when I mist him weekends and after work, his head darkens and I don't see the "film".

Having said that, it was darker all the time last week- no "filminess" at all, dry or wet.

Thanks!

 

[ascott]

He looks fine (beautiful actually)....remember, alot of folks when they put pics of their torts online here---they have been "juicied" up with water before the pic---so they look (as my son jokes) "luscious" lol...

When the Redfoot torts here elect to go to the dry area in their enclosures to "dry out" --their heads look just like yours does....all aok

 

[mainey34]

I see what you are talking about. Only redfoot owners would notice. They do get dry heads, and feet...where do you live? I know here in Arizona it is really dry, so my guys head is pretty white most of the time no matter what i do.

 

[Mantissa3]

He looks fine (beautiful actually)....remember, alot of folks when they put pics of their torts online here---they have been "juicied" up with water before the pic---so they look (as my son jokes) "luscious" lol...

When the Redfoot torts here elect to go to the dry area in their enclosures to "dry out" --their heads look just like yours does....all aok

Hi Angela:

Your response was so comforting- thank you so much for replying so quickly! (and thanks for saying Gibby is beautiful... I thought so from the time we met, but I've only ever seen one 30 year old redfoot covered in mud, so who knew the babies could be so perfect? :>)

I think he probably got a little bit dry yesterday since it was the first day I switched to a MV UVB bulb instead of the coiled flourescent I used to use, but I read they are "bad" here in the Forum.

Mantissa3

---

I see what you are talking about. Only redfoot owners would notice. They do get dry heads, and feet...where do you live? I know here in Arizona it is really dry, so my guys head is pretty white most of the time no matter what i do.

Thanks mainey34. I live the SF Bay Area, where it is cold most of the summer, not very humid in the context of Gibby's ancestors' South American jungles, and I know that I know nothing about caring for this baby who has taken over my heart- so thank you very much for looking at the pic and responding so quickly!!!

Also- would you mind one more question about his shell? If not, please will you enlarge this picture I've embedded/attached, and let me know if these little bumps you see all over his shell are bad?




I read all about keeping them smooth when they are babies, using the right combo of calcium, Vit D, the right UV spectrum, etc, and I'm worried his shell is not "smooth enough" with these little bumps all over him.

(or are they only talking about the big sections becoming bumpy, and this texture is kind of normal?)

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Those little bumps are totally normal!

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[Mantissa3]

Those little bumps are totally normal!

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

Yay! Thank you Heather.

Everybody I've "met" here is so kind- we are all just focused on the care of the animals, and learning from good mentors here.

I appreciate all of you including Gibby and me as he gets me trained, and as we refine his care routine and habitat.

Thank you,
Karen and Gibson the baby RF

 

[pfara]

Hehe.. another new mommy worry-wart. Welcome to the family

 

[Mantissa3]

Hehe.. another new mommy worry-wart. Welcome to the family

Thank you for your welcome message, pfara.

Yes, you nailed it- I watch him breathe while he sleeps sometimes, and wonder if I did something "wrong", etc, etc.

My husband is kind, patient, and will draw the line soon -

So tedious to get a new tort keeper trained - it obviously takes a village thanks for your patience.

Karen

 

[pfara]

There's plenty of patience here. And it's a totally normal reaction whenever a baby's involved. Tell your husband not to worry.. this forum can help buffer some of the crazies you might get when it comes to all things tortoise

 

[Mantissa3]

I just put Gibby in a warm bath this morning, but this time I added a couple of drops of a water conditioner I use for my pond fish. It has aloe vera in it- I thought it might be good for his dry little head, and it also removes chlorine, cloramamine, and other bad stuff.

I live in a city, so they treat the water heavily, which is why I have gallons of pond water conditioner for my outdoor goldfish pond. (Called Stress Coat by API - Aquarium Pharmeceuticals Inc.)

So- the combo of a bright day outdoors with me, switching from a coiled tube UVA/UVB bulb to a mercury vapor full spectrum bulb, and the chlorine in my tap water may be why I noticed his head drying out.

Anyway - when I bathed him (morning soak in super-warm water that he loves) and I'd added a couple of drops of the water conditioner, he acted MUCH differently than his usual behaviour in his morning baths.

He hunkered way down and stayed there, as if he were trying to get under the water. He drank a couple of mouthsfull. Then he dunked his entire head under the water and stayed there.

His whole head was under water so long I thought he was dead- and when I got ready to pull him out, I saw him blowing a few bubbles through his nose- bubbling up to the surface of his warm water bathtub.... too funny, and he can really hold his breath a long, long time- total surprise.

So- I've ordered some turtle water conditioner- and they say it's for tropical geckos, rain forest snakes water bowls, tortoises, etc.

Does anybody else have problems with chlorine and use this product?

http://tinyurl.com/lufsgt5

Thanks!
Karen

 

[Mantissa3]

There's plenty of patience here. And it's a totally normal reaction whenever a baby's involved. Tell your husband not to worry.. this forum can help buffer some of the crazies you might get when it comes to all things tortoise

Will someone here that knows how to raise redfoots tell me if Gibby is starting to pyramid? I've attached 2 photos with red boxes around where his "unevenness" is starting to show. When I rub his scutes I can now feel that the planes are not all turned the same way, as when he was littler - is this the dreaded pyramiding starting up?

Thanks for any help- I can provide more pics in better light if needed,
Karen

---

Will someone here that knows how to raise redfoots tell me if Gibby is starting to pyramid?

I've attached 2 photos with red boxes around where his "unevenness" is starting to show.

When I rub his scutes I can now feel that the planes are not all turned the same way, as when he was littler - is this the dreaded pyramiding starting up?

Thanks for any help- I can provide more pics in better light if needed,
Karen

 

[N2TORTS]

He looks just fine … as others have mentioned RF’s will dry out quite fast and depending on the water content and your area you may also notice a residual of calcium and other mineral deposits that have dried out on your torts head/body, thus giving it a “ ghostly” appearance.

JD~

 

[Mantissa3]

He looks just fine … as others have mentioned RF’s will dry out quite fast and depending on the water content and your area you may also notice a residual of calcium and other mineral deposits that have dried out on your torts head/body, thus giving it a “ ghostly” appearance.

JD~

Thanks- please will you comment also on my last post in the thread? I'm worried about the slight unevenness of his scutes- is this the start of pyramiding? Thanks, Karen

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I don't have a redfoot tortoise but I do have many tortoises, and I see NO signs of pyramiding going on with your baby.
With your water concerns, many keepers feel if the water is safe for humans to drink, it is safe for their tortoise. I live in the country on a non treated well for my water, and I don't know what I would use in your situation.
Is your humidity gauge an analog type or digital? I feel the digital humidity/temp gauges to be much more reliable than these analog ones.

 

[Tom]

I can't tell from the pics, but might it be hard water stains? I spray my young tortoises shells regularly several times a day, and I get some pretty noticeable hard water stains. Because of this I started collecting rainwater and running it through a micron filter into 5 gallon jugs for storage. I then use this rain water to rinse them after soaks and spray them daily. No more HWSs.

 

[Beck]

I'm not an expert, but just by watching mine grow: I think he had maybe the very start of pyramiding in a growth ring or two (maybe before you had him), but this new growth looks smooth - real smooth. Just keep his humidity up and make sure you have an accurate hygrometer.

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