Getting the hang of this!

[Nicoled]

I got my redfoot, Dovey, just over two weeks ago. He is approximately two years old. He was basically a rescue that I was so happy to find. I live in northern Alberta, Canada, so our temps are a bit chilly. I've finally got his home temps regulated... Still working on the humidity though.

Since he is my first tort, I didn't know how he should be behaving. Two weeks ago he kind of drug himself around and mostly lived in his shelter. His previous owner had him on a diet of bananas and tortoise pellets (dry... They are supposed to be moistened). I have changed his diet to 90% greens with some cucumbers and strawberries as a treat and I sprinkle vitamins on top. (I just put a cuttlefish bone in, he has yet to try it.) I am happy to report that he is now walking tall with all four legs and his head and legs have gotten much brighter in colour! He's very curious and likes to visit. I'm so happy that he's getting healthy.

Does anyone have any tips on humidity? I've read to put topsoil in with his substrate, is there a specific kind? Worried about chemicals. I spray his home about three times a day, but I'm only at 50% still.

Thanks for the help,
Nicole - from chilly northern Canada!!

 

[Tom]

No Nicole. Your temps are not "chilly". It was chilly when I came out of my house this morning and temps were in the 30s. Where YOU are it is officially COLD. Really really cold. Not just a little cold, but REALLY REALLY cold.

I'll leave the RF tips to those with more experience keeping them, but thought I'd say hello and welcome, and congrats on the new tortoise.

 

[ascott]

I love this peat moss;

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2783817&KPID=3850367&pla=pla_3850367

The first time you add water to it....it will take a LOOONNNNGGGGG time for the water to soak in, but each time after it absorbs it right in and can hold alot of water, you can add water to the areas you want to have moist...then add some on top and it will allow a good dryer layer atop and keep moisture below....I would use a depth of 5 to 6 inches at least...this will allow moisture below the top dryer layer...

I also would plan to cover as much of the top of the enclosure as possible....you can use a sized/cut piece of plexi glass, foil across the top or any other way you can think of to cover the top to retain warmth and humidity....

 

[Nicoled]

Haha thanks for the "warm" welcome, Tom! I guess it is pretty COLD here, minus 30 Celsius! (Not sure what that works out to in Fahrenheit.)

And thank you for the peat info. I will definitely be grabbing some! I put foil over the tank and it brought the humidity and heat up. You guys are great!

 

[pfara]

Try adding moist New Zealand sphagnum moss around the perimeter to help with humidity as well as something to bury into. Also, I like to keep heat sources (CHEs) over their water dishes.

Oh and welcome to the forum and to the redfoot family

 

[Nicoled]

Thank you! I just moved his "pool" under the heat lamp after I read this. He's been spending more time in there since. Great tip!

I'm happy to report that Dovey is thriving. His healthy diet, environment and all of the love we give him has him cruising around with tons of energy. His newest trick is trying to climb the logs of his house. Lol he is such a treat!!

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He also likes to climb on the hygrometer to see us. He can be quite noisy when he wants to be noticed!

 

[Saleama]

Haha thanks for the "warm" welcome, Tom! I guess it is pretty COLD here, minus 30 Celsius! (Not sure what that works out to in Fahrenheit.)

And thank you for the peat info. I will definitely be grabbing some! I put foil over the tank and it brought the humidity and heat up. You guys are great!

In fahrenheit, -30 celcius is aproximatly, lets see, double the celcius plus 32 minus10% equals too cold for human habitation! Actually, it is -22 and that translate to what I said before! Bless you folks that choose to live in that. I spent two years in Poland and it was almost too much, I can't imagine Canada. Welcome and good luck with the tortoise!

 

[Nicoled]

Either way, it's cold!! But we do have ridiculously hot summers (I'm NOT a summer lover) and mild spring and fall. The winter just feels like it lasts forever!!

We get the best of all worlds up here. Especially if you like cold winters. Lol