Worried about my redfoot tortoise eating habits

[sheridanholliday]

Hello Everyone! I'm new to the forum and I wanted to ask a quick question. Recently, my Redfoot tortoise, Luther, hasn't been eating as he used to. I live in Chicago and right now it is pretty chilly outside. I have his 40gal. enclosure set up with UVB, heat lamp, and a ceramic heat emitter for the night and his temperature and humidity look good. He soak himself and is drinking water perfectly fine. I recently took him to the vet about two months ago to treat a patch of shell rot that he had and the recommended I add tortoise carpet to his enclosure. Do you think that could be messing with his routine or impacting him in any way? Any suggestions on what I should change? I have attached a photo of his enclosure below.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I use artificial grass for the basking platform in my water turtle tank...but a RF wants substrate, he likes to dig around to find bugs or just to dig in for a nap...no to the grass...and I believe that tank is way too small...if it was bigger he could have gotten drier and no rot possibly...his temp needs to be 85 or more...what kind of UVB light are you using?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Whatever vet told you to use that substrate is a vet to be avoided.
So many vets have no idea what they are doing when it comes to tortoises and so few will admit it. Don't pay that Kwack to learn as he or she goes at your tortoises expense
First of all, shell fungus can be treated by you for one dollar.
Get a tube of athletes foot cream from the dollar store and use it on the areas in question.
What is the humidity, the temperature and what was the substrate?
How old is the tortoise?
What are you feeding?
Let's get your keeping straightened out.

 

[sheridanholliday]

I use artificial grass for the basking platform in my water turtle tank...but a RF wants substrate, he likes to dig around to find bugs or just to dig in for a nap...no to the grass...and I believe that tank is way too small...if it was bigger he could have gotten drier and no rot possibly...his temp needs to be 85 or more...what kind of UVB light are you using?

Thank you for responding! I will definitely remove the grass because of your information and what i'm seeing in his behavior. This was the tank that they recommended for his size as of now. He is about 10-11 months and I got him when he was a hatchling so he was very small. I plan to upgrade his tank soon, however I have to wait for some repairs in his area I have picked out. His temp is in the 85-93 range and I am using the ZooMed Repti-Sun 10.0 UVB. Do you propose an upgrade in UVB?

 

[sheridanholliday]

Whatever vet told you to use that substrate is a vet to be avoided.
So many vets have no idea what they are doing when it comes to tortoises and so few will admit it. Don't pay that Kwack to learn as he or she goes at your tortoises expense
First of all, shell fungus can be treated by you for one dollar.
Get a tube of athletes foot cream from the dollar store and use it on the areas in question.
What is the humidity, the temperature and what was the substrate?
How old is the tortoise?
What are you feeding?
Let's get your keeping straightened out.

Thank you! This vet has been problematic in the past but in my area I haven't found a reputable one to care for my little one. However, I will definitely be doing some more research into care facilities for him. The humidity is around 70-80 and his temp is 85-93 range. He is on a mix of sphagnum moss, Cyprus mulch, and sphagnum moss. Luther is about 10-11 mo and I feed him a mixture of dark leafy greens with a variety of fruits. He gets a dried medley of shrimp, mealworms, and crickets crushed up along with his calcium powder about once a week as well. Hopefully you are able to provide some tips for me to become better with my husbandry!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Thank you! This vet has been problematic in the past but in my area I haven't found a reputable one to care for my little one. However, I will definitely be doing some more research into care facilities for him. The humidity is around 70-80 and his temp is 85-93 range. He is on a mix of sphagnum moss, Cyprus mulch, and sphagnum moss. Luther is about 10-11 mo and I feed him a mixture of dark leafy greens with a variety of fruits. He gets a dried medley of shrimp, mealworms, and crickets crushed up along with his calcium powder about once a week as well. Hopefully you are able to provide some tips for me to become better with my husbandry!

The one thing that pops out is the moss..its dangerous because it frequently gets eaten but it doesnt easily digest and will cause impactions.
The high temperature is about as high as I'd safely recommend and in that small aquarium, he might not be able to cool himself down.
The CHE is a great choice. Do you regulate the heat with a thermostat?
I'm concerned that your UVB light may be a coiled, compact bulb. Is it? You need a linear T5 HO strip UVB tube.
What other lighting is that pictured?
How are you providing and maintaining humidity with that open top enclosure? It would be nearly impossible.

 

[sheridanholliday]

The one thing that pops out is the moss..its dangerous because it frequently gets eaten but it doesnt easily digest and will cause impactions.
The high temperature is about as high as I'd safely recommend and in that small aquarium, he might not be able to cool himself down.
The CHE is a great choice. Do you regulate the heat with a thermostat?
I'm concerned that your UVB light may be a coiled, compact bulb. Is it? You need a linear T5 HO strip UVB tube.
What other lighting is that pictured?
How are you providing and maintaining humidity with that open top enclosure? It would be nearly impossible.

The sphagnum moss makes sense. I am trying to regulate the humidity using the moss and so far it has been helpful. Any tips on trying to maintain without so much moss to avoid impaction? Should I try and find another top for the enclosure? I do regulate the heat with a thermostat but i've been looking for a newer one as the current one is looking like it is in decline. Any recommendations would be extremely helpful. The UVB is coiled. I have a 100watt basking bulb, a ZooMed Repti-Sun 10.0 UVB, and a CHE. These lights are all on a timer that regulates day and night.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Get rid of the coil bulb....

 

[sheridanholliday]

Get rid of the coil bulb...

Get rid of the coil bulb....

Will do, Thank you!