Box and Red foot torts

Espie

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Roseville
Hello,
I have a 6 year old box tot who lives outside most of the year. He has a 10ft by 8ft area out side. I bring him in for winter
Petco has a red footed tort, I feel really bad for this little guy, he looks sad, kids knock on the cage, it breaks my heart.
I want to rescue him.
My questions are,

If I get him and make him live outside will it stress him out since he has been in a glass aquarium?

Would it be ok to cut the pen in half with a wall and let them live outside together?
Well they will be nextdoor neighbors..lol
My box is the size of my hand, so is the red foot but I think he will grow which is fine because I can eventually make the pen bigger for him. I have a big fenced in back yard.

Any advice is appreciated
 

wellington

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No it won't stress him to be moved out of the aquarium, he would love it
Yes they can live next to each other but not in the same enclosure.
Good luck.
 

Jan A

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Thank you so much in will rescue him this weekend. ??
Welcome to the forum!! Whereabouts are you located? Hopefully somewhere warm!! People on here have lots of experience with torts. The care & feeding sheets for caring for your tort on this site are the best up-to-date sources, not the pet store people, so I encourage you to read them in advance.

Thanks for rescuing this tort. I can't wait to see photos when you get him.
 

Espie

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Welcome to the forum!! Whereabouts are you located? Hopefully somewhere warm!! People on here have lots of experience with torts. The care & feeding sheets for caring for your tort on this site are the best up-to-date sources, not the pet store people, so I encourage you to read them in advance.

Thanks for rescuing this tort. I can't wait to see photos when you get him.
Hi, I live in northern California Sacramento area. Thank you for the welcome. I joined this site when I got my box tort and everyone and the fact sheets are always very helpful. Since the nights are still a little chilly here I'll keep both torts in at night in separate bins.i have a nice area in my kitchen for them.but the days have been beautiful and warm so I will put then out during the day. My box doesn't come out every day right now but I know his attitude and routine. I'm sure I'll get to know the new one really fast.
 

KarenSoCal

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In case you haven't read it, here's the care sheet for him.

Setting up a redfoot in an indoor enclosure is different than other tortoises, and their diet is different. Just be sure to read up on them first.

 

Tom

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Hi, I live in northern California Sacramento area. Thank you for the welcome. I joined this site when I got my box tort and everyone and the fact sheets are always very helpful. Since the nights are still a little chilly here I'll keep both torts in at night in separate bins.i have a nice area in my kitchen for them.but the days have been beautiful and warm so I will put then out during the day. My box doesn't come out every day right now but I know his attitude and routine. I'm sure I'll get to know the new one really fast.
Warm to you is not warm enough for a tropical tortoise that needs 80+ temps and very high humidity 100% of the time. Sacramento is not a good place for RF tortoises. Your climate is much too cold and much too dry. You are going to need a very large heated and humidified indoor enclosure, and the tortoise is not going to do well spending lots of time outside in cold dry conditions. Depending on which subspecies, this info also applies to your box turtle, unless you have a luteola.

When you "rescue" this tortoise, the money you spend will go toward them buying and trying to sell another RF tortoise in that same enclosure. Are you going to rescue that one too? Buying this tortoise only perpetuates the cycle. If you want a RF, read about them and figure out how you are going to manage their needs in a climate that is entirely wrong for them, and then get a healthy one from a reputable breeder who starts them and cares for them correctly. Don't support a business with your money that is doing it all wrong, buying from poor sources, and then telling the public all the wrong info and selling them all the wrong products.

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but its the truth. You can learn it from me before that damage is done, or you can learn it the hard way on your own and see the damage yourself.
 

pacific chelonians

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I live in Southern California and keep Radfoots outside year round I would say that he should stay inside until he’s at least 10 inches and then I would move him outside with a heated house and make sure that he has plenty of places to soak in water and a lot of shadeAgain this is just my personal opinion but mine have been fine and laying eggs for the last four years
 

Tom

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I live in Southern California and keep Radfoots outside year round I would say that he should stay inside until he’s at least 10 inches and then I would move him outside with a heated house and make sure that he has plenty of places to soak in water and a lot of shadeAgain this is just my personal opinion but mine have been fine and laying eggs for the last four years
San Diego has a lot milder climate and much more humidity than Sacramento.
 

Espie

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In case you haven't read it, here's the care sheet for him.

Setting up a redfoot in an indoor enclosure is different than other tortoises, and their diet is different. Just be sure to read up on them first.

Thank you I have been reading up and i think i have the means to give him a good life. I will check this sheet out as well.
 
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