Hello fellow Red foot freaks !

[ACD1sM]

Hello !


My name is Anthony and I live in Southern California ! I will be looking to purchase my first baby red foot April 1st and I am very excited! I have been doing research for about 2 months and I feel I am ready but have a few questions from all of you Veterans



1. Where is a good place online to purchase a healthy, happy baby red foot ?

2. I plan on purchasing a pre made tortoise table from Tortoisesupply.com. Will this be good to keep humidity up for red foots and about how long can they be kept in this before needing an outdoor enclosure ?

3. I live in a condo and don't have a yard but I live by MANY parks and have friends close that have yards and gardens. Would it be OK to let my tort out once and awhile to different places to eat and explore ?

4. Any other advice for a newbie living in California ?


Thanks for all of the help beforehand

 

[DanaLachney]

JackRat here on the forum has some beautiful redfoot hatchlings right now

 

[Erimis]

I got my babies from Vicki Hale at tortoise yard.com. They are gorgeous and healthy, ate their whole salad soon as they got home.

 

[EddieW]

I'm not an expert but the only thing I would be concerned about kettingnmy tortoise run around in a friends yard is possible fertilizer he might have on it? Also if your getting a hatchling I would be weary of hawks swooping him up if your not close by him.

I just recently by my twobrednfoots from reptmart.com

They were great, arrived healthy and answer any and all questions you may have before and after purchases. Oh, and they have a state of the art facility.

---

Sorry for the bad grammar, writing from an iPad.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

2. I plan on purchasing a pre made tortoise table from Tortoisesupply.com. Will this be good to keep humidity up for red foots and about how long can they be kept in this before needing an outdoor enclosure ?

I don't have any experience using the tortoise tables from ZooMed, but for your money, you may consider just acquiring a large plastic storage bin/tub and converting that into a baby tortoise enclosure. That's what I did, at a fraction of the cost of purchasing one of those premade tables. Of course, if aesthetics is a factor, then I do understand the premade table has its appeal.

 

[Momof4]

Welcome!! Check out the enclosure section. There are many ideas. Even Google images of tortoise enclosures, there are hundreds.

Hatchlings are very delicate so I wouldn't even take it out to go to a friends house. You can plant his enclosure or plant one on your balcony if you have one.

Jackrat has beautiful healthy hatchlings.

Keep researching because it's a big commitment and people lose interest very quickly. If you work or go to school full time you have to consider who will take care of him while your gone all day. The initial set up can be expensive but worth it in the long run.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Anthony:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

Glad to have you with us.

 

[dmarcus]

Hello Anthony and welcome to the forum...

 

[Redstrike]

2. I plan on purchasing a pre made tortoise table from Tortoisesupply.com. Will this be good to keep humidity up for red foots and about how long can they be kept in this before needing an outdoor enclosure ?

The screen-top on both the Zoo Med and Tortoise Supply tables may make it difficult to keep humidity up. you'll also have to purchase light stands or fasten arms onto the wooden/plastic structures for light suspension. The hide areas on both may provide enough humidity within that small area (micro-climate) to make them suitable for your needs. I chose to construct a tortoise table, lining it with a pond liner and topping it with plexiglass. I maintain ~ 60% humidity on the warm, bright side (CHE + halogen bulb + Zoo Med Powersun [noon-3pm only]) and 80+ on the cool, humid side.

 

[Redstrike]

Welcome!! Check out the enclosure section. There are many ideas. Even Google images of tortoise enclosures, there are hundreds.

Keep researching because it's a big commitment and people lose interest very quickly. If you work or go to school full time you have to consider who will take care of him while your gone all day. The initial set up can be expensive but worth it in the long run.

I'm a full-time graduate student who leaves his torts to their own devices all day and haven't had any issues yet...? They don't seem to require undivided attention. Food and water changes every day and some interaction time have served us fine. I'm curious about your above statement. So long as you keep climbing hazards (risk of tipping) away from the basking (baked tort) and drinking (drowned tort) areas, things should be alright.

Keep your eye on the For Sale forum to find Redfoot hatchlings from forum members that breed their torts. Jackrat has a post up there and his hatchlings are gorgeous! There should be other forum members with hatchlings coming down the pipeline as well.

http://www.redfootman.net/hatchlings.html - Jackrat's hatchlings
http://tortoiseyard.com/gallery2/main.php - Vicki Hale's hatchlings

 

[Madkins007]

The Tortoise Library in my sig has lots of articles and links that may help you with the housing issues.

You can certainly modify the table you mentioned to do a good job, but there are other good, and generally cheaper options, such as the already mentioned tubs.

For the outdoor stuff- the safest and best overall option would be to find a close-by friend who will let you make a safe pen in their garden area, someplace that you could just leave the tortoise for the summer with few worries- even if you only really only used it for a few hours a week. Make sure the friend does not use chemicals in the yard, and that they do not have problems with dogs and other predators in the yard.

If you have any sort of balcony, you can also look into making a tortoise-safe habitat there so it can get some outside time. Most of CA has such nice weather it would be a shame to not let the tortoise enjoy it as much as possible.

 

[tweeter]

Another vote for jackrat and his torts. My two arrived last fall, and have been so much fun. They were well started (I'm still a newbie at this) and that made things much easier for all of us

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[Jacqui]

Welcome. If you were wanting a Cherryhead, I would suggest Allegra. I don't know if she has any for sale right now, but you can't beat her animals. I would be leery of the public parks and things because you never know what they may apply to the grass or weeds.

 

[ada caro]

Welcome.

 

[bigred]

Alot of goog advice from everyone. We have a few Redfoot freaks here

 

[DixieParadise]

AllegraF is my vote also for a Cherryhead. I purchased my last two RF from her and they are awesome.

Great breeders on this site no matter who you choose. Also agree about the Tortoise Library for all you tort advice as well as the forum.

I have a ZooMed Tortoise House for my guys when they are indoors. Make sure you put plastic down or some other tray to hold substrate. Will work better for not rotting the wood bottom. (Just from my experience).

Good Luck and welcome to the forum

 

[Redstrike]

Welcome. If you were wanting a Cherryhead, I would suggest Allegra. I don't know if she has any for sale right now, but you can't beat her animals. I would be leery of the public parks and things because you never know what they may apply to the grass or weeds.

I have 2 Allegra hatchlings, they're fantastic! Look no further for a cherryhead!

 

[Redfootedboxturtles]

Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo I am a red footed freak!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ACD1sM]

Sorry all I haven't been on in awhile ! WOW ! So much help and responses I really appreciate it ! I only work full time no school so I figure i have enough time. Also my girlfriend will be over to help!



I am glad to hear any other opinions ! For all the above who have responded, you guys rock !