NEW REDFOOT MOM

Joined
Sep 26, 2020
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
New york
Hey guys! We just got this beautiful baby girl from these guys off Craigslist. Found her randomly and felt so bad we just had to bring her home! She is 371 grams (about 13oz). She didn’t eat for like 3 days after we brought her home, thought maybe it was stress but now we can’t seem to get her to eat many greens. I have been chopping her up salads with like escarole, strawberries, papaya, some banana, Tuscan kale, raddichio, and various greens like this she mostly picks around the greens and will eat the fruit is that okay?? Also gave her some scrambled eggs cos I read she needs proteins and that was okay she loved those. We keep her humidity around 80% and temperatures that range from 97 under her basking light to around 70 in her cool hide. I have a vet appt for a check up 3 weeks from now.. Just would like to know your guys’ opinion.. Also she is not really pooping very much and I caught her eating her bedding last night because she is so naughty not sure what to do about that one haha might just switch it to something less tasty ? 7B3E4F17-307E-4D06-B2B3-FA464FCD8E0F.jpeg56451B40-1325-4D6C-83A9-22AC0B403AF5.jpegDAFE447F-7B74-40EF-B64F-B317EE17CBBC.jpeg
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Eating bedding is bad.
What type of bedding is it and what type of lights and heat are you using?
Can you post photos of them as well as the whole enclosure?
Redfoot need an ambient heat of 80 to 88.
80 and above is required for digestion and might be why he initially didn't eat.
82 is perfect IMO. No high heat and no bright lights.
Humidity must be kept high.
Your diet seems ok. But I'll be able to offer more help once I've seen your equipment.
Also. Be CERTAIN that your vet actually understands tortoises.
Many tortoises are harmed by vets reading out of date text books.
I actually do not support bringing a healthy, normal acting tortoise to a vet. Simply because of that.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 26, 2020
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
New york
Eating bedding is bad.
What type of bedding is it and what type of lights and heat are you using?
Can you post photos of them as well as the whole enclosure?
Redfoot need an ambient heat of 80 to 88.
80 and above is required for digestion and might be why he initially didn't eat.
82 is perfect IMO. No high heat and no bright lights.
Humidity must be kept high.
Your diet seems ok. But I'll be able to offer more help once I've seen your equipment.
Also. Be CERTAIN that your vet actually understands tortoises.
Many tortoises are harmed by vets reading out of date text books.
I actually do not support bringing a healthy, normal acting tortoise to a vet. Simply because of that.
•Her bedding is a mix of coco coir and reptile bark , it is 100% fir bark, there is a pic below. I pulled the piece I saw her munching on out of her mouth but I’m not sure if she was sitting there eating it or not.

•As for lights I’m not sure what the white light is on the enclosure but I have a mercury UVB bulb coming in the mail I use it for my Marginated tort and he loves it. I posted pictures of day and night bulbs below.

•The enclosure is an Aivituvin tortoise box. It’s huge, not sure the exact measurements. The picture I posted it’s when I was changing to her night light I won’t leave both those lights on during the day. I live in New York so my house gets relatively cold at night that’s why it is suspended directly over her nighttime hide. 44F992E4-1A48-4E19-8351-CA7EEEBADD34.jpeg
 
Joined
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Location (City and/or State)
New york

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ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Ok
1) your tortoise is eating the substrate because that Freight bulb is making the substrate....Red. Your substrate itself is fine. It's just that some tortoises like RF are hardwired to eat red things. It's actually a common issue.
Please discontinue the use of that red light.
2) Do NOT use an MVB with your Redfoot. Get a refund.
It is too desicating and too bright. It's also too hot and provides sporadic UVB levels. Too much or not enough.
Use a strip florescent T5 5.0 like the one in the photo. It's probably just a little more expensive that that EASY BAKE OVEN MVB. ($55)And it will be all of the light and UVB that you're going to need.
3) for heat, use a CHE.
Also pictured.
A CHE will need it's own ceramic based fixture with a rating as high as or higher wattage than the CHE. A CHE provides heat without any additional light.20200219_145404.jpg20200131_082139.jpg
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 26, 2020
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
New york
Ok
1) your tortoise is eating the substrate because that Freight bulb is making the substrate....Red. Your substrate itself is fine. It's just that some tortoises like RF are hardwired to eat red things. It's actually a common issue.
Please discontinue the use of that red light.
2) Do NOT use an MVB with your Redfoot. Get a refund.
It is too desicating and too bright. It's also too hot and provides sporadic UVB levels. Too much or not enough.
Use a strip florescent T5 5.0 like the one in the photo. It's probably just a little more expensive that that EASY BAKE OVEN MVB. ($55)And it will be all of the light and UVB that you're going to need.
3) for heat, use a CHE.
Also pictured.
A CHE will need it's own ceramic based fixture with a rating as high as or higher wattage than the CHE. A CHE provides heat without any additional light.View attachment 317270View attachment 317271
Oh my goodness okay wow I feel so dumb about the light I didn’t even think about that. I’m not listening to this dumbass down at the pet store anymore. I will fix all of this ASAP Money is no issue when it comes to my torts I just want them to have a good life man. Thank you so much for all of your help! I will post pictures of her plastron in the AM.
Sorry if I seem so ignorant I thought I did my research there is so much conflicting info out there.
 

Mrs.Jennifer

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Oh my goodness okay wow I feel so dumb about the light I didn’t even think about that. I’m not listening to this dumbass down at the pet store anymore. I will fix all of this ASAP Money is no issue when it comes to my torts I just want them to have a good life man. Thank you so much for all of your help! I will post pictures of her plastron in the AM.
Sorry if I seem so ignorant I thought I did my research there is so much conflicting info out there.
You’re right! There is a lot of conflicting info out there. Listen to the experts here and you will provide the best care possible.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Oh my goodness okay wow I feel so dumb about the light I didn’t even think about that. I’m not listening to this dumbass down at the pet store anymore. I will fix all of this ASAP Money is no issue when it comes to my torts I just want them to have a good life man. Thank you so much for all of your help! I will post pictures of her plastron in the AM.
Sorry if I seem so ignorant I thought I did my research there is so much conflicting info out there.
"Out there" a lot of old, bad information is still lurking.
Here. It's all up to date and provided by actual keepers.
It's been a wealth of knowledge for all of us.
Myself included.
Once you have the correct equipment and a decent understanding of what your little friend requires. It gets much easier.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 26, 2020
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
New york
You’re right! There is a lot of conflicting info out there. Listen to the experts here and you will provide the best care possible.
I absolutely agree, everything I’ve read from here actually makes sense. That’s exactly why I posted up, I’m so grateful to have found this forum you guys are like a family here
 
Joined
Sep 26, 2020
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
New york
"Out there" a lot of old, bad information is still lurking.
Here. It's all up to date and provided by actual keepers.
It's been a wealth of knowledge for all of us.
Myself included.
Once you have the correct equipment and a decent understanding of what your little friend requires. It gets much easier.
Yes you guys are truly amazing thank you so much for everything. Seriously. I will probably be posting every question I have from here on out, not trusting my pet store in the least bit everything he has told me thus far has been wrong, outdated, or just straight up ignorant. And the way they were keeping this leopard tort last time I was there made me sick haha the kid at the front counter will be informed next time I see him.
 

Jan A

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Yes you guys are truly amazing thank you so much for everything. Seriously. I will probably be posting every question I have from here on out, not trusting my pet store in the least bit everything he has told me thus far has been wrong, outdated, or just straight up ignorant. And the way they were keeping this leopard tort last time I was there made me sick haha the kid at the front counter will be informed next time I see him.
Welcome to the forum. I'm a newbie, too, but don't have a tort yet. But I learn so much from newbies asking questions!!
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
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Good to know! How can you tell if they are cherry heads? I’m very curious
Cherries have little arm spurs. Darker plastrons and different nasal scutes. But the market seems to be flooded with hybrids bred for coloration.
Not that yours is a positive hybrid.
That's just a guess.
 
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