CRITICAL REDFOOT RESCUE...

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Oh good! So glad you took him in and he's doing well [emoji3526] I love the updates on him. Did you name him? I can't remember if you said you did. I can go back in the thread and see.
The name HOPE has come up. But I usually only name the ones that I intend to keep forever.
I still intend to get this fellow well enough to send off to a forever home. But it's possible that I'll keep him.
(I kept the last one I tried to give away)
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Darwin arrived at around 50g, at roughly 2 months of age.

My research indicates 25g (+/-) is a reasonable hatching weight.

J
Geez
He's supposed to be 1.5 years old and he's just now at 2 months size.
I'm curious to see what the vet has to say. I've got an appointment in November.
He's up almost 10 grams. A 25% gain. But still so tiny.
I'm wondering if dwarfism is a thing in reptiles.
 

jsheffield

Well-Known Member
Moderator
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2018
Messages
3,114
Location (City and/or State)
Westmoreland, NH
Geez
He's supposed to be 1.5 years old and he's just now at 2 months size.
I'm curious to see what the vet has to say. I've got an appointment in November.
He's up almost 10 grams. A 25% gain. But still so tiny.
I'm wondering if dwarfism is a thing in reptiles.

From what I've seen and read, there's a huge range of size and growth and growth rates... if he's gaining weight on a balanced and varied diet, is getting soaked regularly, seems active, lives in an environment with the proper temp and humidity, and produces poop on a regular basis I don't think you should worry.

He may have gotten off to a rough start, but seems to be thriving and in great hands now.

I keep my weight and health charts for my torts not to compare them to other torts, but to compare them to how they were doing last week, or last month... if there's growth or improvement, then I count it as a win.

Jamie
 

Turtle girl 98

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2019
Messages
768
Location (City and/or State)
Sandstone mn
The name HOPE has come up. But I usually only name the ones that I intend to keep forever.
I still intend to get this fellow well enough to send off to a forever home. But it's possible that I'll keep him.
(I kept the last one I tried to give away)
That makes sense. I really like the name Hope. I hope you end up keeping him. You've gotten him to come along ways. [emoji3526]
 

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,017
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
The name HOPE has come up. But I usually only name the ones that I intend to keep forever.
I still intend to get this fellow well enough to send off to a forever home. But it's possible that I'll keep him.
(I kept the last one I tried to give away)
You could name him Tort with no name!
I've been thru the desert on a tort with no name. I still have the desire for Wild Child but I am still cautious about my health. Wish I had a crystal ball :)
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
From what I've seen and read, there's a huge range of size and growth and growth rates... if he's gaining weight on a balanced and varied diet, is getting soaked regularly, seems active, lives in an environment with the proper temp and humidity, and produces poop on a regular basis I don't think you should worry.

He may have gotten off to a rough start, but seems to be thriving and in great hands now.

I keep my weight and health charts for my torts not to compare them to other torts, but to compare them to how they were doing last week, or last month... if there's growth or improvement, then I count it as a win.

Jamie
I really find it almost unbelievable that at 1.5 years old he is so small. But aside from his physical issues that he is still fighting to be normal and thrive.
Most baby tortoises get sick and die so easily.
This guy is so strong.
How can he still be so strong?
I thought that he could very well die days after I got him. And he's doing great. Better than I ever would've guessed, anyway.
I've never seen anything like him before.
I mean, he was so sick and weak.
I did nothing much.....
I'm going to see if Dr.K can get more of the old dead skin off of his face and determine if the mouth needs repair so that he can see better and bite cleaner.
I'm going to assume that he can eventually live with little to no assistance. Just like my other 4.
 
Last edited:

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Hello Ed. Only just seen this. My hatchlings usually weigh about 20g.
Thanks, Craig.
It's been a while since we've spoken.
Ever heard of a one and a half year old 48 gram Redfoot the size of a golf ball?
(Neither had I)
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I'm making a small closed chamber for this little guy with Orchid bark and a water pool.
I think he's ready for one.
I'm going to photograph every step along with a parts list in a new posting that will be called "Closed chamber made with no tools"
Hopefully it'll help members that are mechanically challenged understand just how simple and inexpensively you can assemble one.
 

Turtle girl 98

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2019
Messages
768
Location (City and/or State)
Sandstone mn
I'm making a small closed chamber for this little guy with Orchid bark and a water pool.
I think he's ready for one.
I'm going to photograph every step along with a parts list in a new posting that will be called "Closed chamber made with no tools"
Hopefully it'll help members that are mechanically challenged understand just how simple and inexpensively you can assemble one.
I will definitely watch! I am not very handy.. not with building stuff at least. Can't wait to see the process
 

Ray--Opo

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,017
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
I'm making a small closed chamber for this little guy with Orchid bark and a water pool.
I think he's ready for one.
I'm going to photograph every step along with a parts list in a new posting that will be called "Closed chamber made with no tools"
Hopefully it'll help members that are mechanically challenged understand just how simple and inexpensively you can assemble one.
Great idea I will watch for the new thread.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Good news!
My niece who lives up near the Florida "pan handle" wants him.
She already successfully keeps water turtles and I'm going to help her with a suitable closed chamber.
Hopefully she'll become a regular member of the forum as well.
 
Top