Got my son a redfoot tort help!

[theguy67]

I don't really see much change, beyond that of going towards a good direction.

Eating poop is ok. We usually don't promote it, but that's because we're people and it grosses us out. Many animals will consume their feces.

At this point I wouldn't give him to the lady. She seems a bit...questionable. And you could take him to the vet, but it needs to be a reptile vet with experience with tortoises. If not, they may just assume he has an infection, give him something (which could complicate things), and hope for the best.

 

[Savanna86]

So it doesnt look like hes doing good going in a good direction? Hes definitely up and down and the white stuff kinda freaking me out, and are his nail suppose to be long? I dont know just never have up and down problems with any pet, he loves his fresh figs been eating that like crazy just dont want to lose him... hes so dang cute Im thinking Im going to keep him with me and continue asking questions on here if needed and do what Ive been doing...

 

[theguy67]

So it doesnt look like hes doing good going in a good direction? Hes definitely up and down and the white stuff kinda freaking me out, and are his nail suppose to be long? I dont know just never have up and down problems with any pet, he loves his fresh figs been eating that like crazy just dont want to lose him... hes so dang cute Im thinking Im going to keep him with me and continue asking questions on here if needed and do what Ive been doing...

Sorry, I mean't he appears to be doing better. On the right track. Eating and pooping are all good signs, especially if they are increasing.

When you say "ups and downs" do you mean activity? Babies do sleep a lot. Don't mistake sleeping with fatigue. With a new hatchling, sometimes I would only see them walking around once a day. This doesn't mean they aren't walking about when you're not around.

His nails look normal too me, maybe a little long. You could put a flat stone in there. Although the mulch might be enough to wear down his nails some.

How are your parameters? Temp and Humidity still up?

 

[Savanna86]

Oh ok yea ups and downs meaning one minute hes up walkinh aroumd head up high no dry eyes no white spots then other times hes very sluggish very dry eyed white spots all over his body not shell but body, and im alittle nervous still cause he doesnt seem to be growing much but his shell looks like hes blowing up! And around the bottom sides of the shell is getting dark im not sure if thats something normal or not. Since i have been talking with you and the other guy who has the videos hes been doing a whole lot better! Just ran home and saw his food was dried up so i put new food in cause my son is at practice he runs up to me.... he doesnt hide much sleeps out in the open, and after his soaks he trys to cuddle seriously no joke i had my hoodie on just came inside and its cold out side washed my hands and started his soak once done dried him off and he trys to walk everywhere now he crawls up to my neck into my hoodie and lays down cutest thing ever! I feel like hes eating just fresh figs tho no greens he wont touch them i put in the figs and hes tearing through it! I put greens, figs, and mango on a dish little amounts of each and nope just the fig is gone... i see alot of positive changes so far and thank you so much everyone for helping us, im still nerved up because hes still so small but he will stay home with us at home not at no vets where they going to give him some shot that tortoises dont respond well to or in a little tank to watch all set! The lady from pet store said she would take him and put him into a tank with her babies to see if he feels better but if something should happen she would keep the body and there is no refunds or exchange, i like my option better and if i have any problems hoping i can still come to you guys.... his temps are good 75% humidity and about 80-83°for heat but we trying to warm up the house cause its freezing outside tonight is the 80s ok? Or higher better?

 

[Savanna86]

Im wondering if this site which is from the tortoise forum is correct these foods are good to give my little guy want to change things up give him more choices but afraid to give him the wrong stuff... http://tortoiselibrary.com/nutrition-2/diet-plans-omnivore/

 

[theguy67]

Above 80 is generally what is aimed for. Mid 80s during the day, and a dip to 80 at night is ok.

The "up and down" you talk about can't really be properly understood without a timeline, but I think this is all stuff from before you posted this thread, which we've kinda talked about in the beginning? Like you said, he seems to be doing better since you've made the changes.

As far as eating. I've noticed my babies eat very small portions. There may be food left over, but he is still eating. As far as eating figs, some tortoises can become picky. I think that may be why Ernie Johnson warned against bananas (although just a guess). Try offering a variety. One day figs, the next day something else. Maybe have a fruit day, then a greens day.

 

[Savanna86]

Definitely ng to try and change up fruits and veggies each day there is a tortise library thing on this site im assuming its a good thing to follow i posted in previous post, im posting pictures of how he looks right now he has that white stuff bear his mouth and under chin area only spots i see, and wondering if his shell looks like its pyraming i believe its called, so is bananas bad for them or just makes them more picky? I noticed he ran over the minute i dropped a piece in his food and ge looved it but this was before i started talking to you guys, i do believe he is lacking the vitamins that help with bones and beak stuff have to find something he can eat i have tortise food like tablet hay things... told to put orange juice over them so they become soft... not sure if true or if thats good for them...

 

[Tortgrl43]

Good info on the redfoot! There is a drug addict in an area near me who has three tortoises that aren't being properly cared for. My heart breaks for them as he is too selfish to give them to me. I am still learning about these beautiful creatures but I already know more thanks to this forum. Thank you all!

 

[theguy67]

Honestly, i have a hard time seeing the "white spots" you are talking about in those pictures.

He may have pyramiding - hard to tell in the pictures - but he is very young. Increased humidity (like you've already done) will stop this.

I wouldn't use orange juice. It's very high in sugar.

That link you posted seems to have a good basis for a diet of an omnivore.
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/redfoots-diet.143936/ < Here's another thread that will kinda show you that everyone sorta does their own thing. It can be confusing, but there is no single "perfect" diet. Just follow the general guidelines. To begin, greens like mustard greens, turnip greens, collard greens - all are good. It seems lettuce (especially iceberg) is very low in nutritional value, so avoid those. Tropical fruit like mango, papaya, and figs. Others will also feed apples, berries, melons, etc. Then a source of protein. You can also offer things like grass, clovers, weeds, hibiscus flowers, etc. but you have to ensure your yard is not treated with herbicides/insecticides.

You will find that as you continue to learn, this will change some.


Do a search for mineral supplements on this forum, and post any questions on here. I have to get ready for class.

 

[Savanna86]

Thanks so much!! Huge help really appreciate all the info and help!! Honestly would be lost and this little guy probably wouldnt have lasted if i continued to listen to the store people!

 

[theguy67]

Unfortunately, that's how some pet stores are. They are there to make money, and don't really have to know long term care.

 

[Frogg.Queen]

It’s unfortunate to see the health conditions of your little red foot .
I think you may have received incorrect information from whoever sold you the baby redfoot. You should read up on their care from a trustworthy site (I recommend reptile magazine).
I have some ideas or suggestions you could do to help out your tortoise:
Have you been soaking him? Soaking baby tortoises stimulates their body to poop. Make sure when soaking, put him in a small tub of water, only filling the tub with a small bit of water (the water line should be around their knees)
As for respiratory infection, what’s your humidity in his enclosure? I think the RI may be from low humidity or low temperature. If it’s too dry (below 50%) you should try slowly accelerating the humidity to a high 70%. if you put the baby from a low humidity to s high humidity in a short period of time, it could hurt his health more. You should increase heat as soon as you can, providing an 80 degree basking spot for him, with the rest of the enclosure being around the mid to low 70’s, if a tortoise gets too cold, especially as a baby, they can be prone to sicknesses. You should also provide UVB if you aren’t already.
Another possibility for illness could be his diet. There are some foods that people commonly feed to a baby tortoise, only to accidentally make the tortoise sick from improper nutrients.
Redfoots need 50% greens, 40-30% fruits, and less than 10% proteins (forest dwelling tortoises need a tiny amount of protein in their diet, I suggest earthworms for the simplicity).
There’s a great site called tortoisetable.org that tells you what foods you can and can’t feed a tortoise. Since he hasn’t been pooping tho, try not to overfeed him, give him a small handful of food every few days.
A tip I’d also like to suggest for your little guy: you should add some carrots into his diet while he’s sick, giving them carrots can aid them in fighting sicknesses like colds and RI.
Also, one suggesting that I absolutely have to tell you: Please please PLEASE try to make his environment low stress! If his enclosure is in in a heavily trafficked area, relocate it to a more calm and quiet room. It’s best not to take him out of the enclosure at all unless you plan on soaking him. Sometimes the best recovery for any reptile is when you give them some space.
If worse comes to worse you should attempt to find a vet that can help you. You should search for a local herp vet for help if the time comes. A doctor’s orders will always help.
I wish you luck on your situation!! I hope he’ll be okay.

 

[Frogg.Queen]

It’s unfortunate to see the health conditions of your little red foot .
I think you may have received incorrect information from whoever sold you the baby redfoot. You should read up on their care from a trustworthy site (I recommend reptile magazine).
I have some ideas or suggestions you could do to help out your tortoise:
Have you been soaking him? Soaking baby tortoises stimulates their body to poop. Make sure when soaking, put him in a small tub of water, only filling the tub with a small bit of water (the water line should be around their knees)
As for respiratory infection, what’s your humidity in his enclosure? I think the RI may be from low humidity or low temperature. If it’s too dry (below 50%) you should try slowly accelerating the humidity to a high 70%. if you put the baby from a low humidity to s high humidity in a short period of time, it could hurt his health more. You should increase heat as soon as you can, providing an 80 degree basking spot for him, with the rest of the enclosure being around the mid to low 70’s, if a tortoise gets too cold, especially as a baby, they can be prone to sicknesses. You should also provide UVB if you aren’t already.
Another possibility for illness could be his diet. There are some foods that people commonly feed to a baby tortoise, only to accidentally make the tortoise sick from improper nutrients.
Redfoots need 50% greens, 40-30% fruits, and less than 10% proteins (forest dwelling tortoises need a tiny amount of protein in their diet, I suggest earthworms for the simplicity).
There’s a great site called tortoisetable.org that tells you what foods you can and can’t feed a tortoise. Since he hasn’t been pooping tho, try not to overfeed him, give him a small handful of food every few days.
A tip I’d also like to suggest for your little guy: you should add some carrots into his diet while he’s sick, giving them carrots can aid them in fighting sicknesses like colds and RI.
Also, one suggesting that I absolutely have to tell you: Please please PLEASE try to make his environment low stress! If his enclosure is in in a heavily trafficked area, relocate it to a more calm and quiet room. It’s best not to take him out of the enclosure at all unless you plan on soaking him. Sometimes the best recovery for any reptile is when you give them some space.
If worse comes to worse you should attempt to find a vet that can help you. You should search for a local herp vet for help if the time comes. A doctor’s orders will always help.
I wish you luck on your situation!! I hope he’ll be okay.

I forgot to talk about the shell rot!!
To help with that, there are some simple remedies that I’ve heard really help.
I can’t mention any in particular, but if you search ‘shell rot’ in the health section of these forums you’ll find lots of help!

 

[Savanna86]

Thanks so much he seems to be doing better i think with going to the bathroom and only thing i have notice is out of no where he will start breathing heavily for a bit but then he stops, and breathes normally again, he soaks once a day im having some trouble again getting humidity to stay at 70%-80% keeps dropping to 50-60%, we have been giving a pretty healthy variety or foods he absolutely loves figs thats what helped him go to the bathroom again... my son will feed him in the morning a mix of greens, figs, mango, then at night we put out a different mix greens, tried a plum tonight, sweet potatoes and i bought baby food chicken which he seems to like everyone has been saying chicken but wasnt sure how to cook it, was reading about pyramiding with their shells and with the shell rot that was going on and white stuff he had on him the shell wasnt totally smooth some part of the shell under him seem deformed i am not sure you seen all the pictures, but hes been doing pretty good just trying to fix this humidity...and wasnt sure if he was having wye problems cause hes always rubbing his eyes there is grey around his eyes and some days the grey looks alot more then other days... ive been looking around on this site and the tortoise library which is attached to this site and hopes im doing something right... i think ill always be nervous till he gets bigger.... thanks so much for the info all info is greatly appreciated making sure this little guy has a long healthy life!

 

[theguy67]

Thanks so much he seems to be doing better i think with going to the bathroom and only thing i have notice is out of no where he will start breathing heavily for a bit but then he stops, and breathes normally again, he soaks once a day im having some trouble again getting humidity to stay at 70%-80% keeps dropping to 50-60%.....

Did you cover the top of the enclosure? I noticed it was a screen top earlier. If it's left open (as in just screen), it will be impossible to keep the humidity up.

 

[Savanna86]

I put a towel over the top, someone had said something about aluminum foil or something on the top and it seems like under his shell is kind of deformed near his neck and back end, but no shell rot anymore i dont think

 

[theguy67]

A towel will help some, but its best to cover the lid with plastic. Tape it down the best you can, and use foil around the lamp.

 

[TechnoCheese]

It’s unfortunate to see the health conditions of your little red foot .
I think you may have received incorrect information from whoever sold you the baby redfoot. You should read up on their care from a trustworthy site (I recommend reptile magazine).
I have some ideas or suggestions you could do to help out your tortoise:
Have you been soaking him? Soaking baby tortoises stimulates their body to poop. Make sure when soaking, put him in a small tub of water, only filling the tub with a small bit of water (the water line should be around their knees)
As for respiratory infection, what’s your humidity in his enclosure? I think the RI may be from low humidity or low temperature. If it’s too dry (below 50%) you should try slowly accelerating the humidity to a high 70%. if you put the baby from a low humidity to s high humidity in a short period of time, it could hurt his health more. You should increase heat as soon as you can, providing an 80 degree basking spot for him, with the rest of the enclosure being around the mid to low 70’s, if a tortoise gets too cold, especially as a baby, they can be prone to sicknesses. You should also provide UVB if you aren’t already.
Another possibility for illness could be his diet. There are some foods that people commonly feed to a baby tortoise, only to accidentally make the tortoise sick from improper nutrients.
Redfoots need 50% greens, 40-30% fruits, and less than 10% proteins (forest dwelling tortoises need a tiny amount of protein in their diet, I suggest earthworms for the simplicity).
There’s a great site called tortoisetable.org that tells you what foods you can and can’t feed a tortoise. Since he hasn’t been pooping tho, try not to overfeed him, give him a small handful of food every few days.
A tip I’d also like to suggest for your little guy: you should add some carrots into his diet while he’s sick, giving them carrots can aid them in fighting sicknesses like colds and RI.
Also, one suggesting that I absolutely have to tell you: Please please PLEASE try to make his environment low stress! If his enclosure is in in a heavily trafficked area, relocate it to a more calm and quiet room. It’s best not to take him out of the enclosure at all unless you plan on soaking him. Sometimes the best recovery for any reptile is when you give them some space.
If worse comes to worse you should attempt to find a vet that can help you. You should search for a local herp vet for help if the time comes. A doctor’s orders will always help.
I wish you luck on your situation!! I hope he’ll be okay.

Actually, respiratory infections are caused by it being humid and cold, not dry and cold. You can have it super humid, and as long as the temp is high enough, it won't get RI. I believe the rest of the info is ok, though

 

[theguy67]

Actually, respiratory infections are caused by it being humid and cold, not dry and cold. You can have it super humid, and as long as the temp is high enough, it won't get RI. I believe the rest of the info is ok, though

I'm know its commonly stated that RIs are caused by damp, cold environments...but that does not mean a dry cold one won't cause infection either.

BUT in this case, I was skeptical that it even had/has a RI.