Baby Raymond is here (Red Foot)

[crabby-J]

Well I just picked up Ray from the Fedex station, he seems stressed out but doing ok so far. He's very tiny, still has his lil egg tooth even. I cannot imagine he is very old so I have him in a small enclosure that is heated nicely from 80-90+ degrees. Once I got him in his enclosure he just sat there, but once he warmed up he started looking around. I gave him a soak and some fresh water and a little greens. He is my first tort so I am very nervous about this experience and just hope he stays alive! (and is not to stressed from the shipping part) Now I'm letting him just relax, got my UVB/UVA going so he can see his temp home. I'm more nervous about him then my crabs!! And crabs are not the easiest things to care for!! LOL funny that hermit crabs have very similar requirements so this should be easy, they can even eat much of the same foods! I will have a MILLION questions so if your experienced with hatchling red foots please let me know! Thanks!!!

 

[Delilah1623]

Good luck! I just got my baby redfoot, Theodore, on Saturday! It sure is nerve wracking!!

 

[phebe121]

Aww how fun post pics

 

[verda]

Congrats on your new baby! I too just got a baby redfoot a couple weeks ago, was shy at first and would try and hide. Now he doesn't retract into his shell at all, and if he see me with the little container with the worms he would come and I can't even hold him back to put the worm down.

 

[kathyth]

Congrats on the baby.
You should research the following.....

Turtletary.com Redfoot caresheet and Tortoise Library.
I would recommend that you do this ASAP to prevent issues.
Good luck!

 

[crabby-J]

Thanks I've read a lot about them already!! Just worried because I don't know how they behave and what is normal and what is not normal, so far he soaked, ate and was exploring like a mad man now he's just sitting there..whats normal for a tort? What are signs of bad things I should look out for??

 

[crabby-J]

So far so good, he's been eating, drinking and sleeping..lol oh and soaking! LOL Charging my camera for better pics

 

[pfara]

Thanks I've read a lot about them already!! Just worried because I don't know how they behave and what is normal and what is not normal, so far he soaked, ate and was exploring like a mad man now he's just sitting there..whats normal for a tort? What are signs of bad things I should look out for??

Behavior varies from tort to tort. My torts, at first, seemed to act opposite of what other redfoot owners said: mine ate well enough but I'd never catch them drinking (even while soaking). Then I would freak out because it didn't seem like they touched their food most days. One thing that was "normal" behavior was the whole sleeping/hiding thing. I just left them alone for the first two weeks. I still hardly saw much of them until they were over a year old.

The one thing I did that gave me peace of mind was the monthly check-ups. As long as their weight and length grew steadily, I felt fine. I also kept a daily journal going for the first 6 months just in case.

 

[crabby-J]

Ok so all has been going good, he's still eating well, have not seen him drink much and I weighed him on 10/17 and he was 1.2 oz and I weighed him again today and he was the same weight? Is this ok or should I be worried??

 

[crabby-J]

Good luck! I just got my baby redfoot, Theodore, on Saturday! It sure is nerve wracking!!

Congrats on your baby! Baby Ray is still really scared of me, he won't let me hand feed him and gets nervous when I take him out to soak, hopefully he will warm up

 

[Delilah1623]

I am sure he will! Sounds like he is doing good!

 

[stojanovski92113]

Congratulations!! I just got my two baby cherry heads a month ago. I soak them every morning. They do drink Usually within a few minutes or so. They don't use the bathroom always in the saucer when I soak them though. They sleep and hide a lot, but they also are alert and sunbathe for a while too during the morning and mid-afternoon. They eat a little bit & some days they eat a lot more. Sometimes they dint touch really nothing! Everyone may have a different answer but I think in general baby torts sleep a lot & their appetite may vary. Every morning I do a visual check of my torts too! Eyes are wide open, nose is clear, carapace & plastron, nails, etc.

 

[Leopard Tortoise Lover 16199]

Congratulations on your new addition! Cherry heads are so beautiful!