Big day for a tortoise & questions

[newCH]

Hi all,
First met me ask, Sheldon loves to drink water. Is that a redfoot trait or something ?
Even when I mist his food he will drink from the tiny puddles before he eats.
He also drinks a couple of times when I soak him every night & also from his water
dish. There is no way he will ever be dehydrated. The highest I've seen my temp go
is in the low to mid 80's, so its not from heat.

Also, I made him an outdoor playpen (see post in enclosure forum) and he was high
stepping around the place. He looked hungry for a moment, so I brought him some
spring mix & he woofed it down. No picky Sheldon. Why would he eat better outside ?
Today our outdoor temps were in the upper 70's and there was sun, I think
that makes him happy, also to feel a light breeze.
Sorry for asking so many questions, I'm a new tort parent !

 

[VBgecko]

The only stupid question is an unasked one … That's my motto …

 

[pfara]

The drinking thing is an individual tort thing, I think. I wouldn't be concerned about it. How old is Sheldon and are you sure it's a "he"? I've read several threads where female reds soak themselves and load up on water right before they lay eggs.

Do you provide areas in your enclosure that hit over 90F? Just curious. As for your outdoor question, the sun offers the right spectrum of light that seems to create higher activity levels in tortoises (just a guess and also from reading up on lighting Q&As). The sun along with larger areas to roam and more stimulation that only the outdoors can offer are probably a few of the reasons why Sheldon ate more. Again, just my opinion. And keep asking questions! This is a forum, silly

 

[VBgecko]

I'm not 100% but my personal observation is that Red Foots LOVE the water and any kind of humidity they can get their stumps on. Not just an environmental requirement they just enjoy it.

Compared to other species of torts, I've noticed the forest dwellers are water babies. I posted a thread a little while back because Scooter was staying submerged (head and everything) for long periods of time. Just trying to make sure he wasn't attempting tortoise suicide. Curious little species the South Americans are.

As far as personality changes being out side, just ask yourself one question. Do you want to stay inside all day?

My little guy adores being outside! I'm pretty sure everyone's do. Consider yourself lucky that you can at least put Sheldon outside throughout the winter months. Scooter is trapped in sub zero hell LOL. But with his upgraded indoor enclosure, I think he's enjoying it a little more. Introducing outdoor stimuli (I added some fall leaves) really picks up his little spirits and he goes rip roaring around investigating everything. So I guess there's that.

I'm not sure if Scooter eats more when he's outside because I just let him do his thing in the garden, I only really keep an eye out for predators and make sure he has access to fresh water … He does his own foraging with A LOT of options. I've even busted him snacking on an earthworm, so it's not like I have to remind him to eat a balanced diet. Regardless, I've only known my tort to be a stomach with legs so maybe Sheldon is just showing you he's a happy camper

 

[stojanovski92113]

My larger redfoot drinks quite a bit. She will walk by the water dish dunk her head in, walk away comeback and sit in the water dish, then lap around again for a quick sip. And my second larger one drinks a bit too. The other two I have, I have to put them in the saucer and then they will drink. My one especially doesn't drink too much!! But it sounds as if your tort is acting normal in my opinion.

 

[newCH]

Thanks for all your replies. I was starting to think Sheldon was really
a fish with a tort costume on !
Sheldth is about 4 mos.old and just under 2 oz. And I want him
to be a boy.... so I hope he is.... guess it's 50/50 %
Right now, he can be outside when im there, doing yardwork,
checking/feeding the bunnies etc.
Ewww, yeasterday I caught him eating his poop and urates !
Gross ! I stopped him, he ate the spring mix and he went back to look for it again ! ~ Dessert ???
Probably another normal tort thing !!!! ▪▪▪
( i just created a new tort emoticon ! )
Thxs again
vbgecko, i couldnt find the post on tort suicide, but i did find where
they played in the leaves. You have a good sense of humor !

 

[ZEROPILOT]

newCH (SO. FLA) I am probably not far from you. Most of the day right now is a little too cool for your tort to be outside. I'd start at about 11:00. a.m. Mine don't drink too much free standing water, but they all have access to pools and they drink and swim around in there a lot. Your temps are like mine...and they will serve you well. Be careful when you first start letting your tort out by himself in whatever pen or enclosure you make/get. Little Red feet can climb, crawl and flat-out vanish in a flash! Mine scaled an 8" sheer wall and got into her neighbors pen. I searched for hours....

 

[newCH]

Thxs, this is what I put together. There is a post
on the enclosure forum.
its 4x3 with tarp 14 inches high.

 

[inkling13]

I've only known my tort to be a stomach with legs so maybe Sheldon is just showing you he's a happy camper

lol You've noticed that too? I really wonder where my two torts put it all, it just doesn't make sense sometimes. They can each demolish a pile of greens the size of their shell and turn around looking for more. Veggies are inhaled as fast as their little beaks can chomp and woe to anyone who gets between them and a piece of fruit. I know their food contains a lot of water but where do they fit it all? They are walking around in a corset-like shell not baggy sweatpants but no one seems to have told them that.

 

[VBgecko]

lol You've noticed that too? I really wonder where my two torts put it all, it just doesn't make sense sometimes. They can each demolish a pile of greens the size of their shell and turn around looking for more. Veggies are inhaled as fast as their little beaks can chomp and woe to anyone who gets between them and a piece of fruit. I know their food contains a lot of water but where do they fit it all? They are walking around in a corset-like shell not baggy sweatpants but no one seems to have told them that.

When I first got Scooter I was very meticulous about the amount of food he got.

I was reading up all on the perfect nutrition and proper portions in an attempt to correct the pyramiding he came with. We're talking I was a mother with her first child asking everyone if they washed their hands up to their elbows before going near my kid.

Yeah, that went out the window the first summer he was outside. He was eating the crap out of everything constantly (as torts do when they graze all day). Now I toss in a mound of food as big as him in the morning and then periodically toss in more later in the day.

He seems happy … I will note (before someone crucifies me) it still is a varied diet of mostly mixed greens and veggies, then he gets a couple mixed fruit days tossed in during the week and the odd protein day a couple times a month (his favorite).