Baby Red Foot Tortoise owner, advice needed

Cali1123

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Help !! I’ve done so much research about my baby. Some people say no basking area needed some say to have one that’s 95 degrees. Some say they don’t need much UVB light others say they need a good amount of it. I’ve heard so much things that contradict each other so I just need to know what to do. I do have a semi open enclosure but I put a humid towel over one side to trap the humidity in and I have a screen cover covering most of it and I mist the enclosure 2 times a day. I know everybody thinks closed chambers are way better so should I use plastic to cover up the entire enclosure or use plexiglass or something else ? This is only my second day with my baby tortoise as it arrived yesterday morning. I give it daily soaks and I use cypress as it’s bedding. I also put orchid moss in its hideouts to keep him more humid. I tried giving him some leafy greens yesterday but he didn’t want it or wasn’t hungry. He did drink some water from his soak. Is there anything I’m doing wrong or what else do I need to do in order to make sure he survives.
 

Toddrickfl1

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Hello welcome, and congrats on your new Tort. You don't necessarily need a basking spot for your Redfoot. You can keep the entire enclosure around 85-86. Now it's entirely up to you too if you want a basking spot. It won't hurt anything if you do. I do have one of my Redfoots that likes to sit under the CHE and bask. Most don't like other species do normally. As far as UVB you don't need much with Redfoots. In fact if you can get your tort out into the sun just a few hours a week you wouldn't even need a UVB light inside. If your tort doesn't get outside then definitely use one indoors. It can be a week one, you don't need a super strong one. You wanna keep your Hatchling at 80-100% humidity for the first few years and this is easiest done if your enclosure has a lid. If you can find a way to cover your enclosure it will make keeping the humidity you need so much easier. Torts don't like change so it may take your new buddy a little while to settle in. He might not eat much a few days. This is normal. Try some fruit, banana is what got my going when I first got him.
 

Cali1123

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Thank you so much. My baby also likes to bask under the CHE, I have a 5.0 Reptisun UVB and I keep it in the corner of the enclosure since I read that red foots don’t need much UVB and kind of prefer to be in the dark/shadows. I live in California so it doesn’t get much humid here but I will try to take him out about 30 mintues everyday for I won’t need to use the UVB much.
 

jsheffield

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As long as you keep the temp around 85, the humidity in the 80-100 percent range, and soak the redfoot when you can, they'll be fine.

I got into the habit of feeding my hatchling while it soaked (captive audience)... I would put a upside down terra cotta underpot in the soaking vessel, fill the water to just short of the underpot island, and put the food on the island.

Jamie
 

Cali1123

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As long as you keep the temp around 85, the humidity in the 80-100 percent range, and soak the redfoot when you can, they'll be fine.

I got into the habit of feeding my hatchling while it soaked (captive audience)... I would put a upside down terra cotta underpot in the soaking vessel, fill the water to just short of the underpot island, and put the food on the island.

Jamie
Okay yes I’ll definitely try that. The temperature is fine I think. I have a basking spot that hits around 95 but the rest of the enclosure is around 80. So he’ll be fine I’m pretty sure. It’s humid but I’m not sure if it’s humid enough. I’ll try to get a humid gauge soon. I’ll try giving him some more leafy greens later or a bit of banana during his soak. I tried to give him some food earlier after I took him outside for a bit to roam around but he only took the littlest nibble of the collard green and didn’t want it anymore.
 

Dankneepowpow

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The closed chamber is definitely the easiest way to keep humidity in the correct range. I live In Hawai’i where it’s naturally humid (around 70%) so I though having a wire mesh And consistent mistings would work. Turns out I couldn’t keep my humidity in the correct +80% range. I replaced the top with some plexi glass and it’s been smooth sailing ever since. I’ll attach a photo of my Redfoot hatchling enclosure. 44AD24B6-4263-4A1F-B5C5-BF9297B9683B.jpeg

I also keep my temperature inbetween 80-86 degrees at all times with no basking area. I use a ceramic heat emitter (CME) on a thermostat to make sure the temp never drops below 80.

dont worry too much if your tort is being shy, it may take the lil guy a few days to adjust to the new surroundings! Good luck!
 

Cali1123

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The closed chamber is definitely the easiest way to keep humidity in the correct range. I live In Hawai’i where it’s naturally humid (around 70%) so I though having a wire mesh And consistent mistings would work. Turns out I couldn’t keep my humidity in the correct +80% range. I replaced the top with some plexi glass and it’s been smooth sailing ever since. I’ll attach a photo of my Redfoot hatchling enclosure. View attachment 295205

I also keep my temperature inbetween 80-86 degrees at all times with no basking area. I use a ceramic heat emitter (CME) on a thermostat to make sure the temp never drops below 80.

dont worry too much if your tort is being shy, it may take the lil guy a few days to adjust to the new surroundings! Good luck!
The closed chamber is definitely the easiest way to keep humidity in the correct range. I live In Hawai’i where it’s naturally humid (around 70%) so I though having a wire mesh And consistent mistings would work. Turns out I couldn’t keep my humidity in the correct +80% range. I replaced the top with some plexi glass and it’s been smooth sailing ever since. I’ll attach a photo of my Redfoot hatchling enclosure. View attachment 295205

I also keep my temperature inbetween 80-86 degrees at all times with no basking area. I use a ceramic heat emitter (CME) on a thermostat to make sure the temp never drops below 80.

dont worry too much if your tort is being shy, it may take the lil guy a few days to adjust to the new surroundings! Good luck!
Thank you ! I will for sure try the plexi glass method as I’m almost certain it’s not humid enough as my enclosure is right now for the baby. He usually just snuggles up by the humid hut or by the little basking spot. He’s usually only very active when I take him outside to get some natural sunlight so I won’t have to use the UVB as much. I wish you the best of luck with your Tort as well !
 

Dankneepowpow

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I was asking all the same questions you’re asking about a few weeks ago when I got my hatchling lol. It can be so confusing the amount of contradictory information that is out there. This care sheet has been super helpful for me:


I’ve been following the advice from this caresheet along with the advice of the other members on this forum. I’m sure you’ll raise a happy and healthy tort!
 

Cali1123

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I was asking all the same questions you’re asking about a few weeks ago when I got my hatchling lol. It can be so confusing the amount of contradictory information that is out there. This care sheet has been super helpful for me:


I’ve been following the advice from this caresheet along with the advice of the other members on this forum. I’m sure you’ll raise a happy and healthy tort!
Thank you so much ! I really appreciate it :) and do you use real plants ? If so can I go to my local hardware store to get them or will fake plants work just fine as a hiding place ? I know babies like to nibble on the real plants but I’m not sure if it matters too much or not.
 

Dankneepowpow

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Thank you so much ! I really appreciate it :) and do you use real plants ? If so can I go to my local hardware store to get them or will fake plants work just fine as a hiding place ? I know babies like to nibble on the real plants but I’m not sure if it matters too much or not.
I use real plants. I think fake plants will work fine but if you can use real plants you might as well. Make sure to use plants that can be eaten by your tort just in case though! I have a spider plant, air plant, and bromeliad in my enclosure. I see my tort chomping away on the spider plant from time to time. This website is super helpful on figuring out if plants are okay for your tort:

 

Cali1123

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I use real plants. I think fake plants will work fine but if you can use real plants you might as well. Make sure to use plants that can be eaten by your tort just in case though! I have a spider plant, air plant, and bromeliad in my enclosure. I see my tort chomping away on the spider plant from time to time. This website is super helpful on figuring out if plants are okay for your tort:

Okay for sure, Thank You so much. You have been a really big help !
 

Dankneepowpow

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Okay for sure, Thank You so much. You have been a really big help !
Glad I can help! One thing I should add: if you do use real plants make sure to clean them and repot them because you don’t know if there are added fertilizers and pesticides on them. I repot them in organic potting soil and spray them down with water before I put them into the enclosure. Good luck!
 

Cali1123

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Glad I can help! One thing I should add: if you do use real plants make sure to clean them and repot them because you don’t know if there are added fertilizers and pesticides on them. I repot them in organic potting soil and spray them down with water before I put them into the enclosure. Good luck!
Oh okay that’s very true, Thank You !
 

Dyan S

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Okay yes I’ll definitely try that. The temperature is fine I think. I have a basking spot that hits around 95 but the rest of the enclosure is around 80. So he’ll be fine I’m pretty sure. It’s humid but I’m not sure if it’s humid enough. I’ll try to get a humid gauge soon. I’ll try giving him some more leafy greens later or a bit of banana during his soak. I tried to give him some food earlier after I took him outside for a bit to roam around but he only took the littlest nibble of the collard green and didn’t want it anymore.
 

Dankneepowpow

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Bromeliads are tort friendly??
According to the tortoise table they are good to go. My tort isn’t very interested in the bromeliad I have In the enclosure though. One thing I do really like about the plant is that it hold water which helps keep the humidity high! They look cool too :)

 

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