New baby RF on it's way!

Hi all! I'm new to the forum. I have just purchased a 3 month old Brazilian cherry head red footed tortoise from turtles & tortoises Inc (she's not coming until at least next week, per my request because I still have to get her habitat set up) I am ridiculously excited, but wanted to get some input. I'm familiar with basic snake keeping, but with the tortoise I am a complete noob! OK, so these are the things I have purchased for her:
*36" x 24" zoo med wooden tortoise house
*zoo med powersun UV mercury vapor UVB lamp, 160 watt
*Forest Floor bedding
* 100 watt zoo med repticare infrared ceramic heat emitter for night time
*calcium blocks with cactus & vegetables
*nature zone bites for tortoises
* critical care powder & feeding syringes (just in case, heaven forbid!)
*shallow flat Terra cotta dish for soaking.

Am I missing anything, before she arrives?? Besides fresh fruits & veggies (obv.... ha!)

Just an FYI and some random info, our house is usually kept at about 70 degrees F, occasionally cooler at night but never below 65. We live in upstate NY, USA. Our house edges protected wetlands, in the summer months she will have a great outdoor roaming enclosure , but unfortunately she will only get about 4 months of that a year, weather permitting.

Any tips, advice, fyi's are greatly appreciated! I look forward to getting to know you all, and beginning my journey in torts!!

-Kasey

Hi Kasey, and welcome to the Forum!

A couple things - the Zoo Med tort house isn't very big. Footprint-wise, it's big enough for your baby, but once you start adding all the plants and 'furniture' it's not big enough. And your lights will be too bright/hot in that small tort table for a RF tortoise. Maybe you can trade in your 160 watt MVB for a 100 watt. And a lot of plants will give the baby plenty of shade to get away from the hot lights.

I agree with Yvonne. Actually, when I first got my tortoise, the pet shop recommended me to get the zoomed tortoise house too, and I wasn't as knowledgeable on tortoises at that time. And since then I've been stuck with that tortoise house since they don't accept refunds. This is what I did to increase space in the enclosure. I removed the wall with the dog hole in it to make it one giant box (The wall actually just slides out if you pull on it). This allowed me to add more stuff and make the area less cramped. Also, in a few months (after my exams) I'll try to get a carpenter to maybe make the box 2 levels to increase space for my tortoise since I don't have space to expand horizontally. Maybe you could try the same thing. Anyways if I were you I'd try to return the zoomed tortoise house and maybe try to use a flipped bookshelf as a tortoise table (it would be bigger) or maybe try building a closed chamber. (http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/#post-304363) Also, as Yvonne said, I'd suggest you switch to 100 watt MVP lamp if you going to keep the zoomed tortoise table. Right know with my 100 watts MVP lamp, I've getting a really good temperature gradient of around 25 degrees Fahrenheit difference on both ends. With a higher wattage the whole box would be heated with no cool side and that would be bad.

Good Luck and remember to post some pictures of your tortoise when you get her!

OK!! I'm going to switch the lamp to 100 watt...as far as the house, it's a starter setup, I know down the road she will need something bigger. I'm hoping to custom make her a habitat next summer Thanks guys!! I choose the RF because I hear they have quite the little personality! Can't wait, pics to come

Hi and welcome - very sensible move coming here for help to get it all set up before your tort arrives.
There will be a caresheet to cover temps, humidity substrate diet etc. somewhere under Species Specific.
One thing not on your list is a thermostat to run your CHE through.
This will switch it on and off to make sure it doesn't get too hot or cold and keep temps nice and even.
Have a good look at the Enclosures thread for ideas on what to put in.
www.thetortoisetable.org.uk will help you find tort safe plants for it.
Repot any store bought into chemical/fertiliser free soil and allow growing out time for any chemicals that may have been sprayed or fed plants. Then bury plants in pots so its easy to replace if they get nibbled or bulldozed.
Good luck and please come back and ask questions when necessary there's always someone around to help.

We're going to need pix of this baby when it arrives!

I have a cherry head too gorgeous torts they are!

Thanks everyone!! Yes, I set up her delivery for the 24th so I would have time to come get all the tips I could, and have everything in advance torts are so stinking cute, I literally can't stand it, but a lot of work! I've wanted one for over ten years, but I know it's a huge investment. I wanted to be ready financially and have the proper space. Stay tuned, 11 days!!

A thermostat does come in very handy. I had to make an emergency purchase after my habitat was getting too hot. Also, I'd get a mister, and something to hold in the humidity.

Warm welcome from Central Texas! I am a fairly new keeper but like you, was very serious about giving the animals best home possible. I keep baby Cherryhead (supposedly boy) and baby Redfoot (supposedly girl). I thought I had done my homework and was ready but didn't find this forum until after they had arrived and I was not aware of everyones here advice to keep them solo. For now they share their " bedroom" (their enclosure is a 40 galnursery tank made into closed chamber) but once they get bigger they'll most likely need to be separated. I too went with the RF because I had read so much about them being more social and personable but I think that goes for just about any tort breed. Lots will depend on their personality and on how they get to socialize with their humans. What I really wanted was a sulcata to roam my back yard. What had deterred me was a size they grow to be and the winter, though veru short, we still get cold spells. Being a very un-handy woman I just didn't have a vision for good winteroptiin for my pet so went with one that I know I can provide good care and environment year round. There are many interesting threads here on just about any topic that will help you be the best "redfoot parent". I also agree that 160 watt bulb maybe too much. I have 100 watt CHE and 100 watt zoomedbasking bulb, for UVB i have strip light. I am very happy for you! Please post pictures of your enclosure, look at some pics here, get ideas, and share your own. We are very happy to have you

Introducing Cherry Bomb! She (yes, I realize I have no idea if it's a "she or not, lol...) Arrived on Tuesday morning, fiesty, healthy, and a walking bottomless pit right from the start! I meant to get a pic up sooner but I wanted to give her a few days to adjust. I've learned quickly that they're more agile than they look, and are blessed with the ability to burrow themselves so perfectly into their bedding, I swore one day she escaped and I had a mini heart attack! Then I saw her she'll just under the surface... She's quite active! Hates her soaks so far, but is getting better and now is beginning to enjoy her short warm mistings. I just LOVE her!

Cute little tort, congratulations! Red foots are cool!

What's your humidity? It should be around 80% and your bedding looks a bit dry to me on the picture...

Good luck with your tort!

Yes, the surface was a little dry in the pic, I had just gotten home and prepped her food, but I do "mist" approx 1 1/2 cups of warm water throughout her enclosure 3 times a day, the top layer does dry up after a few hours but it's always moist underneath, and I do mist as often as I can... Plus she gets a 20 minute soak every night while I prep her dinner, as well as her water dish inside the enclosure which she does use... I am going out shopping today so I will try to find something to help me monitor humidity for her.. Thank you!!

Hello and welcome!

GREAT looking tort, congratulations! and that food dish is making me hungry! haha looks perfect.

If you did not buy already, go to your local hardware store for a small digital temp/humidity gauge... will be cheaper and nicer than any at the pet stores.

Best of luck!!!!