i need tips on how to care for baby redfoots

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heyprettyrave

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im trying to feed her when i feed Ophelia in the morning but she just isnt interested, i feel like all she wants to do is sleep. aslo, when i pick her up, is it normal for her not to open her eyes?

any tips on how to riase this baby perfectly, would be greatly appreciated :)
 

Madkins007

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With my poor memory I can never quite remember things thread to thread- can you tell us again about the diet and cares?

There is no big secret to babies- they want to hide from the big, nasty, evil things in the world that want to eat them. They want a hide (or, better yet, several hides to choose from) that they can snuggle into and feel safe in- ideally one that touches their shell as well. Offering several options means it can choose warmer or cooler, drier or wetter. (The Tortoise Library link below has some hide ideas in it.)

They want a balanced diet that is properly low in carbohydrates but with healthy levels of calcium, fiber, and vitamin D (ideally from natural sunlight but that is tough for most of us up North this time of year, so either a good UVB bulb or supplements). (The Tortoise Library Link below has my diet plan, etc. in it)

They want a good balance of warm and wet. 85f with 80% humidity is a good starting point. There can (and probably will be) warmer and cooler areas depending on how large the habitat is.

Mostly, they want to be left alone. I rarely handle my tortoises, especially when young. They also don't particularly like being bullied (or pushed around by, or walked on) by bigger tortoises and will often not eat when the bigger guys are around.
 

terryo

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heyprettyrave said:
im trying to feed her when i feed Ophelia in the morning but she just isnt interested, i feel like all she wants to do is sleep. aslo, when i pick her up, is it normal for her not to open her eyes?

any tips on how to riase this baby perfectly, would be greatly appreciated :)

No I don't think that's normal. They should be alert, with clear eyes. Sometimes I get up a little late, and my little one is waiting on his food stone for the food. What are your temperatures? Maybe it's not warm enough.
 

Candy

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I agree with Terry that it's not normal for him not to be opening his eyes. I know that sometimes when I pick Eddie up his eyes are closed but he's usually been sleeping and after a minute or so he opens them up. Ruby is like Solo and is usually looking for food, but Eddie is more shy but he's coming around. How old are yours?
 

LindaF

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I don't think it is normal for her to not open her eyes
 

terryo

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I'm no expert, as I only have two RF's, but here's what I do for mine. I have him in a planted vivarium, with a heat emitter and a long tube UVB 5.0. The temperature stays pretty much in the high 80's, and the humidity stays in the high 70's. I cover any openings on the screen cover with clear wrapping tape to hold in the humidity. There is a little hole in one corner, that I cover or uncover to keep the temp. and humidity consistent. I feed greens two days, fruit one day, protein once a week with calcium powder sprinkled on the protein. I just started to feed protein with calcium powder when he turned 6 months old. Not written in stone, just what I do for mine. I put moss (from CarolinaPetSupply...my favorite moss for hides...very soft with no junk in it) into the hide, so he as to dig his way in. I wet it with hot water, squeeze it out and fluff it up. The humidity in the hide is always in the 80's, with the temp. gun. I do mostly the same for my big one, who's 3 1/2 now, with less protein in the Winter. Hope this helps.
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heyprettyrave

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i wont lie i still have some trouble with the humidity, but currently its at 71% with an 81 temp.... i can do better if needed, but this is a large improvement from before. the diet is good, i just have trouble getting her to eat, should i separate her from the enclosure and try it that way?

also, i was wondering if i should soak her? i know a lot of people do.....?
 

terryo

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should i separate her from the enclosure and try it that way?

Do you have her in with other RF's? Are they the same size. I would raise the temp to 87 or so. The humidity seems OK to me. Can you post a picture of her? I'm sorry but I don't remember how old you said she is.
 

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I know my RF - who is between 1-2 yrs was very shy at first - loves his hide. For the first week he barely came out! I took him out a couple of times just to make sure he was okay. I have started a routine in the morning when I feed him of taking him out of his hide, do a quick check of his shell, then stick him under the hottest spot (about 95), and then spray him down until he is dripping. He usually sits there for a little bit, gets a drink or chews on his cuttle bone, then walks over and eats before heading back to his hide for the rest of the day. He really does not seem to like it out during the day. Seems to prefer very early morning and after the light shuts off at night.

Here is the care sheet I have been following; http://www.turtletary.com/redfootcare.htm

I would be concerned about him not opening his eyes. I do not feel that is normal. Hiding in the shell yes, just shutting his eyes, no.

Hope he comes around and all is okay.
 

heyprettyrave

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i have Dehlia in with Ophelia, Ophelia is quite a lot larger, but they act fine around each other. plus i keep a good eye on them, to make sure there is no bullying going on. Dehlia is a baby, id say maybe a few months or so, i got her from petsmart last Friday. from lifting her up, it feels like she has gained some weight, but im going to weigh her every few days to make sure all is well.


the eye thing.....she opens her eyes now freely, could it be possible she was still sleeping :) ?
 

Madkins007

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Sleeping, not eating right, stressed, many possibilities.
 

allegraf

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Have you had them both checked for parasites? I know that the parasites load can creep up. Since you got Delia from Petsmart, she may also need to be checked. There may or may not be underlying issues. It is good that her eyes are opening though.

Allegra
 

heyprettyrave

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i had her checked out at the vets, i still have yet to get a 'good enough' fecal sample for the vets though
 

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Try covering half the tank with cardboard to help retain the humidity. You could also add some leaf litter or more sphagnum moss and spray the tank with hot water 3 times a day. Soaking her 4 times a week is also a good way to ensure hydration.
 

Madkins007

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One other thing to suggest. About this time of year, many Red-foot keepers, especially those with Cherry-heads, report that their torts are slowing down and not eating- almost like they were preparing for hibernation even though the temps are still warm.

Terry O or Allegra- I believe you two introduced me to this concept. Might this apply here?
 

terryo

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Pio has slowed down a bit now too. Sometime's he doesn't come out for two days to eat. I don't bother him. I still put some food in there for him, and take it out in the afternoon. Today is the first day he came out to eat in two days. He sat in the water dish, ate everything on the slate, then just sat for a while under the heat emitter, and now went back into his hide. He did the same thing last Winter too. I still can't get used to calling HER Pia. It's going to take a while.
Solo has not slowed down a bit and is always waiting for her food when I get up.
 

Madkins007

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Terry O- do you change the temps, humidity, or lighting? (Or did they change just because of seasonal changes in your house)?

Pia/Pio- I figure all of my tort names are non-gender, even little Duke will still be Duke if it is a female. Besides, I kinda like Pio as well! :)
 

terryo

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Madkins007 said:
Terry O- do you change the temps, humidity, or lighting? (Or did they change just because of seasonal changes in your house)?

Pia/Pio- I figure all of my tort names are non-gender, even little Duke will still be Duke if it is a female. Besides, I kinda like Pio as well! :)

She's in the living room, and I have a big bay window, and the lighting in the room changes according to the season. So even though her light is on a timer, that mimic's the Summer hours, the room doesn't. The temp. in her viv is always in the low 80's, even though I keep my house in the 60's. I hate heat. I lowered it as she got older. There isn't any plants in her viv now, because I'm trying to finish the new one, so the humidity is only in the lhigh 60's. She still gets misted every time she comes out. Solo's is still in the high 80's to 90 range. The boxies that I had to take in for the Winter, have also slowed down, and sometimes don't come out for three or four days at a time, although they are in a room with no light coming in, and their vivariums mimic Summer light and temp. I've spoken to quite a few friends, and they all are saying the same thing about their tortoises, and boxies that they had to take in for the Winter.
My family said that they don't care what she is, her name is still going to be Pio. So that's what we still call her.
 

tanker

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terryo said:
I'm no expert, as I only have two RF's, but here's what I do for mine. I have him in a planted vivarium, with a heat emitter and a long tube UVB 5.0. The temperature stays pretty much in the high 80's, and the humidity stays in the high 70's. I cover any openings on the screen cover with clear wrapping tape to hold in the humidity. There is a little hole in one corner, that I cover or uncover to keep the temp. and humidity consistent. I feed greens two days, fruit one day, protein once a week with calcium powder sprinkled on the protein. I just started to feed protein with calcium powder when he turned 6 months old. Not written in stone, just what I do for mine. I put moss (from CarolinaPetSupply...my favorite moss for hides...very soft with no junk in it) into the hide, so he as to dig his way in. I wet it with hot water, squeeze it out and fluff it up. The humidity in the hide is always in the 80's, with the temp. gun. I do mostly the same for my big one, who's 3 1/2 now, with less protein in the Winter. Hope this helps.
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Hi Terry ,
What are you feeding your tort in the 2nd pic? My tort seems to be picky... He really likes cucumber and mushrooms. I need help getting himto eat other things that he NEEDS!!! Any help???
 

terryo

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Pio is eating soaked cat food with a little chopped up pumpkin. Protein is usually his favorite day because he gets boiled chicken breast, but today I was too busy to cook a chicken, so he got the cat food, which he's not nuts about so I added the pumpkin.
You could get some Spring mix. Both mine love that. If I give Pio something that he loves, like chicken, he won't eat the next day....he sulks. He's crazy for worms too. Use "tuff love". He can go without eating for a few days, and when he's hungry he'll start to eat what you give him.
 
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