Hatchling arrived at 60 Degrees

sue white

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sphagnum moss.When my RF was about 8 months old she got a slight respiratory issue.After Dr. miss-diagnosed it and after some meds that never helped I got thinking . I decided to take out the moss and she got 100% better.It was the moss getting too dry,even though I thought it was rather wet. that did it. She is now 4 yrs and doing great
 

DJ Kirk

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Never rely on any one source for your husbandry info
Do your research and you'll see patterns in the care guides
Above all use common sense

As for the RF arriving at 60F... it shouldn't be a big problem... these little guys are pretty resilient. I remember when I got mine it was around 70F and was perfectly fine. It's not like it arrived encased in ice. They have to survive in temperate forest and jungle and have remained unchanged for thousands of years. Just keep the humidity up and the water baths daily. Find a food the tort loves and offer it all the time.
 

Kipley

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Until Zuckerberg develops an insanity filter for Facebook posts, I can't imagine gleaning any dependable advice there in areas in which you are ignorant. You can't reliably separate the wheat from the chaff when you don't know which is which. (Unless you're gluten-sensitive, in which case you can just toss it all out...)

I was just looking at the FB thread for updates, and this was posted by the moderator of that group. What the hell is she talking about?

" I would switch CHE to a halogen floodlight. Ceramic heat emitters only produce infrared C wavelengths, so they don’t warm your reptiles to its core. Halogen floodlights produce A,B,C IR wavelengths and visable light. Make sure your basking spot is 90-95."

I posted that Redfoots don't need a basking spot and she threatened to remove me from the list for spreading false and dangerous information.
 

Tony the Tort42

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I was just looking at the FB thread for updates, and this was posted by the moderator of that group. What the hell is she talking about?

" I would switch CHE to a halogen floodlight. Ceramic heat emitters only produce infrared C wavelengths, so they don’t warm your reptiles to its core. Halogen floodlights produce A,B,C IR wavelengths and visable light. Make sure your basking spot is 90-95."

I posted that Redfoots don't need a basking spot and she threatened to remove me from the list for spreading false and dangerous information.
Shows you something. I dont know much about red foots, but I do know that CHEs are great heaters. I dont think a basking light for a red foot is necessarily bad, correct me if im wrong, but CHEs are great, especially with a thermostat.
 

DJ Kirk

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I was just looking at the FB thread for updates, and this was posted by the moderator of that group. What the hell is she talking about?

" I would switch CHE to a halogen floodlight. Ceramic heat emitters only produce infrared C wavelengths, so they don’t warm your reptiles to its core. Halogen floodlights produce A,B,C IR wavelengths and visable light. Make sure your basking spot is 90-95."

I posted that Redfoots don't need a basking spot and she threatened to remove me from the list for spreading false and dangerous information.

Who is this idiot? They are 100% wrong.
Using a floodlight will blind a redfoot.
Redfoots do not need a basking spot.
Think about it - they live in a canopied temperate forest/jungle - very little light gets through.
If you use floodlights or mercury vapor bulbs with a redfoot you are severely harming the tort.
Anyone who says different is a complete moron.
 

Tony the Tort42

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Who is this idiot? They are 100% wrong.
Using a floodlight will blind a redfoot.
Redfoots do not need a basking spot.
Think about it - they live in a canopied temperate forest/jungle - very little light gets through.
If you use floodlights or mercury vapor bulbs with a redfoot you are severely harming the tort.
Anyone who says different is a complete moron.
Wow even a floodlight? I guess im a moron. I wouldnt think a 50 watt flood light would blind one, thats shocking! But yes, it doesnt make sense for them to need to bask. I just figured if ya kept it at the top of the tank it wouldnt hurt them. Well, i should probably stop my stupid advice ?. Sorry guys. I didnt know there eyes were so sensitive
 

Canadian Mojo

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I was just looking at the FB thread for updates, and this was posted by the moderator of that group. What the hell is she talking about?

" I would switch CHE to a halogen floodlight. Ceramic heat emitters only produce infrared C wavelengths, so they don’t warm your reptiles to its core. Halogen floodlights produce A,B,C IR wavelengths and visable light. Make sure your basking spot is 90-95."

I posted that Redfoots don't need a basking spot and she threatened to remove me from the list for spreading false and dangerous information.
I'm new to this and still learning, but i would be inclined to say RF's actually avoid basking.

On several occasions I've actually watched our RF avoid the heat of the midday sun by alternating between cooling off in one of his damp hides and coming out to munch. When it's overcast or later in the afternoon when trees are filtering the sun he is much more active even though the actual temperature is virtually the same.

...and I'm in Ontario where 86F is a very hot day for us (i.e. it only happens about 10 times a year).
 

Maggie3fan

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Wow even a floodlight? I guess im a moron. I wouldnt think a 50 watt flood light would blind one, thats shocking! But yes, it doesnt make sense for them to need to bask. I just figured if ya kept it at the top of the tank it wouldnt hurt them. Well, i should probably stop my stupid advice ?. Sorry guys. I didnt know there eyes were so sensitive
I don't have Redfoots, but I do know that they live under a forest canopy, it's not that their eyes are sensitive, but an animal used to dim light would not do well under a bight light...
 

ZEROPILOT

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I'm new to this and still learning, but i would be inclined to say RF's actually avoid basking.

On several occasions I've actually watched our RF avoid the heat of the midday sun by alternating between cooling off in one of his damp hides and coming out to munch. When it's overcast or later in the afternoon when trees are filtering the sun he is much more active even though the actual temperature is virtually the same.

...and I'm in Ontario where 86F is a very hot day for us (i.e. it only happens about 10 times a year).
I've also never experienced Redfoot basking. But I've been told by more than one trusted member that they do.....At least given those particular circumstances.
 

ZEROPILOT

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Wow even a floodlight? I guess im a moron. I wouldnt think a 50 watt flood light would blind one, thats shocking! But yes, it doesnt make sense for them to need to bask. I just figured if ya kept it at the top of the tank it wouldnt hurt them. Well, i should probably stop my stupid advice ?. Sorry guys. I didnt know there eyes were so sensitive
Use a standard incandescent household light bulb. A 40 or 60 watt. It provides heat without any overly intensely bright areas.
In fact, using just a T5 HO UVB Florescent tube and a single CHE is the best combination in my opinion.
The UVB tube gives off more than adequate light by itself. And the CHE ads some warmth without adding any more light.
 

DJ Kirk

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In fact, using just a T5 HO UVB Florescent tube and a single CHE is the best combination in my opinion.
The UVB tube gives off more than adequate light by itself. And the CHE ads some warmth without adding any more light.

Absolutely this ^^^^^^^
My RF has 22 sq ft to roam inside during the winter with two 18" T5's (for extra UVB) and two 100W CHE's during the day - ambient 80-82F with some hotter places up to 95F. Then temps drop to 72-74F at night. CHE's are the best for RF's
Absolutely NO BASKING needed. If he wants to "bask" he can go to the CHE and get higher temps.
RF's DO NOT need the UVA from floods, merc's, or other such bulbs - most of those bulbs are made for desert species such as beardies, uromastyx, iguanas, etc. NOT TORTS!
My RF gets all his UVA/UVB from the T5's, cuttlebone, and supplements once a week - plus some extra outside time during the hotter summer months.

IMHO, anyone who tells you to use a hot basking bulb with a RF has no idea what they are doing. Especially those mercury vapor bulbs - I just want to scream when I see people using those with RF's.
 

Maggie3fan

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Absolutely this ^^^^^^^
My RF has 22 sq ft to roam inside during the winter with two 18" T5's (for extra UVB) and two 100W CHE's during the day - ambient 80-82F with some hotter places up to 95F. Then temps drop to 72-74F at night. CHE's are the best for RF's
Absolutely NO BASKING needed. If he wants to "bask" he can go to the CHE and get higher temps.
RF's DO NOT need the UVA from floods, merc's, or other such bulbs - most of those bulbs are made for desert species such as beardies, uromastyx, iguanas, etc. NOT TORTS!
My RF gets all his UVA/UVB from the T5's, cuttlebone, and supplements once a week - plus some extra outside time during the hotter summer months.

IMHO, anyone who tells you to use a hot basking bulb with a RF has no idea what they are doing. Especially those mercury vapor bulbs - I just want to scream when I see people using those with RF's.

It's funny how us tortoise keepers get so angry at some of the bad info passed around about our favorite species. I get that way about Sulcata...
 

Kipley

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I have my 8 year old Redfoot's indoor winter enclosure set up with a T5 HO UVB and a radiant heat panel. For the first few months after I adopted him he had the T5 and a Zoo Med Basking bulb. I never saw him bask. When I moved him to a larger enclosure I got rid of the basking bulb and used the the heat panel. Once in a while I see him under the heat panel with his legs spread out in basking position.

What confused me is the moderator's statement that a CHE will not warm a reptile since it is lacking A, B and IR wavelengths.

I cross posted snippets from both RF guides here about no need for a basking light and my post was immediately removed as was I. They followed through on their threat and booted me for "Spreading false and dangerous information."
 

Maggie3fan

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I have my 8 year old Redfoot's indoor winter enclosure set up with a T5 HO UVB and a radiant heat panel. For the first few months after I adopted him he had the T5 and a Zoo Med Basking bulb. I never saw him bask. When I moved him to a larger enclosure I got rid of the basking bulb and used the the heat panel. Once in a while I see him under the heat panel with his legs spread out in basking position.

What confused me is the moderator's statement that a CHE will not warm a reptile since it is lacking A, B and IR wavelengths.

I cross posted snippets from both RF guides here about no need for a basking light and my post was immediately removed as was I. They followed through on their threat and booted me for "Spreading false and dangerous information."
You don't wanna be with those dumba**es anyway...
 

Toddrickfl1

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I have my 8 year old Redfoot's indoor winter enclosure set up with a T5 HO UVB and a radiant heat panel. For the first few months after I adopted him he had the T5 and a Zoo Med Basking bulb. I never saw him bask. When I moved him to a larger enclosure I got rid of the basking bulb and used the the heat panel. Once in a while I see him under the heat panel with his legs spread out in basking position.

What confused me is the moderator's statement that a CHE will not warm a reptile since it is lacking A, B and IR wavelengths.

I cross posted snippets from both RF guides here about no need for a basking light and my post was immediately removed as was I. They followed through on their threat and booted me for "Spreading false and dangerous information."
Really though don't waste your time. Most of the Redfoot groups and a lot of Turtle/Tortoise groups in general are run by one person. She has a group of moderators that work all the groups. They spread ridiculous information and censor any proof otherwise. Then they kick you out of the group. I actually called them out one time in a different group than theirs and they actually came to that group and attacked me on my post. I don't know what their deal is but I avoid all the Facebook groups because of it.
 
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