How hot is too hot (redfoot)?

DaveN

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Hello everyone, I got Derek (baby redfoot) about a week ago and he seems to be settling in quite well. He's quite beautiful, but a little a shy. See pictures! This is my first post, but I've read a lot of the guides.

I'm using coconut coir as a substrate with some sphagnum moss in his hide and around his pool. My question is around humidity and temps.

I live in Hong Kong and he's currently indoors where during the day the temp is 80-90 degrees in his enclosure. Humidity usually in the 70-90% range. I soak him every day. I have a UVB tube across the enclosure and a ceramic bulb for basking at one end. The thing is I don't usually turn on the bulb for now as he doesn't seem to like it all that much. I'm also worried it will make the enclosure too hot, and would push the temp up to 100+.

Do redfoots need basking spot? Is it ok if it turning on the ceramic bulb increases the temp of the overall enclosure? I don't want him to be uncomfortable, so just wondering what everyone thinks?

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Gillian M

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What a cute tort! :D GOD bless.

Please post a picture of your tort's enclosure.

Have you read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread? There is a lot of helpful info there, and there are also different care sheets.

Please give your tort daily soaks in warm water if the weather is that hot, so as to avoid dehydration as well as pyramiding. Is the climate humid or dry back there. Keep in mind that torts need humidity as well.;)
 

DaveN

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It's quite humid in Hong Kong which is lucky. I think 60%+ just in a normal situation. Yep, I've red the beginners guide and I'll post pics of the enclosure soon! Thanks for your help.
 

Gillian M

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It's quite humid in Hong Kong which is lucky. I think 60%+ just in a normal situation. Yep, I've red the beginners guide and I'll post pics of the enclosure soon! Thanks for your help.
That sounds great as far as humidity is concerned. Glad you've read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread, and hope it helped you.

Don't forget the daily soaks.:D

Can't wait to see pictures of the enclosure.;)
 

DaveN

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Here are some pics of the enclosure. When he's a bit bigger I'll get him a proper tortoise table, but I hope this is OK for now!

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DaveN

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Thanks, both are good reads.

Would you say I'm worrying too much and should just leave the ceramic heater on all the time? Would you say the set up is roughly correct or would you redistribute the location of anything?
 

SarahChelonoidis

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100+ for ambient is too hot. The temperatures you have now are ideal for a redfoot. They don't need a basking spot. Some red footed keepers observe basking, but others do not. So long as you have UVB lighting, you are providing what you need to.
 

Gillian M

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I'd suggest soaking your cute tort more than once daily in hot weather. :) That is what I've been doing lately: a heat wave here and really hot weather.:D
 

crimson_lotus

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I do not have a basking spot for my redfoot. I used to, but honestly she didn't seem to use it. Your temperatures now are fine.
 

Sara G.

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Adorable tort and very cute enclosure. I'd add some plants to it so your little tort feels more secure.
And personally, I'd shoot for a higher humidity than 60%.
Redfoots like it humid, so see if you can get the humidity to more like 70-80%.
Adding plants will help bump your humidity a little bit too. :D
 

ZEROPILOT

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Both indoors and outside, my Redfoot get clearly uncomfortable above 90 degrees and seem to prefer about 82.
In fact, my outdoor clan come out in the morning and then hide for the rest of the day untill nearly dusk when they emerge again.
They are a shade happy and high humidity tortoise. Just like you would expect from a tropical jungle floor dwelling animal.
So....In my opinion....temps of 80 to 88 and humidity up over 75%. UVB source and NO bright lights.
 

Anyfoot

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Here are some pics of the enclosure. When he's a bit bigger I'll get him a proper tortoise table, but I hope this is OK for now!

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Hi there. Ambient between 80 and 90f. Aim for 81f cool end and 88f warm end. Air humidity at 80%. Put lots more of that moss in. Pile it up so he can hide in it. Keep miss moist. This will keep your tort very humid whilst ever he is hiding. Put you strip light 10" high from substrate. They don't like it to bright. So I would get some fake vine and r
Wrap it around the light so it blocks some of the light, as though it's the sun shining through the trees. Also if I was you I would put some kind of wrapper on the ends and back of the enclosure, to block some natural light out, you will see a major difference in your torts activity if it's not too bright.

Good luck. Keep us posted.
Must dash, beer is calling. Oh and welcome :D
 

DaveN

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UVB source and NO bright lights.

They don't like it to bright. So I would get some fake vine and wrap it around the light so it blocks some of the light, as though it's the sun shining through the trees.

Just wondering about the lighting now. During the day I have the UVB light on a timer so it's on with natural sunrise and turns off at sunset. If I wrap the strip light won't he not be getting as much UVB? I mean I think you're right he seems to hide in his cave most of the day and rarely comes out except to eat. Could this be because of the lighting? If so, is the best balance to just reduce the light with the "vines" and buy some bigger plants for shade and humidity?
 

Anyfoot

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Just wondering about the lighting now. During the day I have the UVB light on a timer so it's on with natural sunrise and turns off at sunset. If I wrap the strip light won't he not be getting as much UVB? I mean I think you're right he seems to hide in his cave most of the day and rarely comes out except to eat. Could this be because of the lighting? If so, is the best balance to just reduce the light with the "vines" and buy some bigger plants for shade and humidity?
Yes, that is another way of doing it. My uvb is a 5.0 not a 10.0 aswell. As far as if it reduces uvb intake, yes it does, but your light being on 12/14hrs a day makes up for that.

How old/big are your Tortoises now?
 

Joseph K

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Those torts are adorable!!

For books, get Mike Pingleton's book at amazon.com.

And keep checking in with the forum as you accumulate questions.

Those are some great looking baby redfoots!
 

jockma

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For babies and young RFs I would try for humidity at 90% or higher! I know 75% and above is the "safe" zone for RFs of all ages but I would try and get the humidity to 90% or above for a young one. It can be tricky to get the humidity that high without getting the substrate wet, though.
 
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