Is there something wrong with my baby redfoot?

[Ichabod]

Hi-Yah!

Recenetly I bought myself a 6month old redfoot tortoise. I bought a tank for it and I am currently using coconut fiber as the substrate. I keep it damp and have the UBV + heat light on 12hours a day, producing approx. 85F temperature.

Now, I was just wondering if it is normal behaviour for a red foot to be sitting in the corner of the tank under a pothos plant I have bought it. It will sit there for awhile and then come down to eat/drink/soak and then head back up behind the plant.

 

[Seiryu]

There are a few posts about this. Stating that baby redfoots like to hide a lot. I wouldn't be worried unless you notice other things. If he's eating, drinking, soaking and pooping I think you are doing good.

 

[Ichabod]

I put him in a tubbermaid container with luke warm water once a day and that helps him poop. He poops usually once or twice aday, depending on if I bathe him or not. He eats great and he soaks for about 10mins a day.

I was just a bit worried because when I brought him home, he was moving around in the tank alot but now he just goes under the plant. I bought him a hide also but he doesnt seem to like it that much.

 

[egyptiandan]

You need to turn the UVB light off and exchange the heat bulb for a ceramic heat emitter. Young Redfoots hide from bright light. They live in the forest under the forest floor plants. Light means predators can see and eat them, so they will hide if you use bright lights.

Danny

 

[Ichabod]

Well I cant put my tortoise in the backyard because I havent built him anything yet. I bought a UVB and heat combo light which is 100W. I heared that heat emitter are unnessesary if the temps are at 85F. Do you recommened me putting more floor plants? I would like to try and keep the light I have.

 

[tortoisenerd]

I recommend to return the light if you want your tortoise to be happy and feel at home. Buy a tube UVB and a heat emitter or a similar set up. The fixtures will last for a long time, the heat emitter for a couple years, and the tube UVB for 6 months. It would take a lot of plants to block the bright light. The thing with tortoises is that you have to be very flexible. It's tricky to get everything just right, but when you do, they will stay happy and healthy for their life time. You already have ambient light most likely coming into the enclosure that is quite adequate for a rain forest tort.

Try taking away the bright light for even an hour and see what the tort does (if he comes out of hiding). He can go without heat for that long as the enclosure should retain the heat for a bit. This might illustrate Danny's point for you.

Other than that yes, baby torts hide! They are either eating or hiding, that's about it. The more hide areas you have the more comfortable they will be to venture out while staying close to one. They will become more confident over time about spending time out in the open so you can see them.

What hides he likes will depend on their location, temperature, and type. What is the temperature where he spends all his time? That may give you an indication of his desired temperature and light level so you can plan around that. It took me a few months to get everything moved around in my tort's enclosure to how he likes it.

has he been to a vet for a check up yet?

Want to take a picture of the enclosure for us so we can see what's going on? Thanks! Congrats on the baby! Welcome to the forum.

 

[Crazy1]

Well I cant put my tortoise in the backyard because I havent built him anything yet. I bought a UVB and heat combo light which is 100W. I heared that heat emitter are unnessesary if the temps are at 85F. Do you recommened me putting more floor plants? I would like to try and keep the light I have.

Ichabod, who said anything out putting your tortoise in the backyard?
RF do not need the uvb (that provides D3) that other torts need as they get their D3 from meat.
I understand you would like to keep the light you have purchased but I know you want what is best for your tort. And a MVB is not what is best for a Redfoot. Danny is correct. You really do need to return the Mercury Vapor Bulb. I realize they are expensive but they are far too bright for RF (even with extra plants) and the bright ultra violet light can injure their eyes. (The store should take it back or exchange it with a ceramic heat emitter without problems) What you have, as you know, is one of the Rainforest type torts. They are use to lower lighting and higher humidity.

MVB bulbs are made for those torts that bask and get their D3 from Ultra Violet Rays (like the sun). This helps them utilize calcium. Without the D3 the sun provides for them they can not use calcium to it’s optimum effect and their shells and bones get soft and they end up with MBD (metabolic bone disease) which deforms and eventually kills them long before their time. Redfoots get their D3 from the meat they consume (they are omnivores), and definitely not sun lovers. Even the sun in the Rainforests is usually filtered thru lots of tree tops. So it is not strong like a MVB.

Coco fiber is a fairly good choice for substrates but it can mold. When you change your substrate you may want to consider sphagnum moss. It holds the moisture and does not mold or rot.

So after saying all that I would use a ceramic heat emitter with your little guy. If you want to grow plants in the tank use a low light plant bulb on one side. However the light in the room should be ample for your RF.

What size tank did you get for your little one? How big is your RF? And what is his/her name?
Please take this as corrective criticism. We only want you to have a healthy happy tort. If you haven’t seen this site yet you may want to check it out www.Redfoots.com It has everything from diet to enclosures and even how to make one (when yours outgrows its tank) that will be just perfect for your tort. Congratulations on your RF and welcome to the forum. TerryO has a RF named Pio and she had him in a wonderful tank. You can check her enclosure out by typing her name under the search area.

 

[Candy]

Dale's about 4 years old now and he still prefers natural daylight through the window. When I turn on the light that I bought for him in the beginning he goes into the hide, but when I turn if off I catch him out in the open more often. Of course I pick him up and give him kisses all the time and he seems to like it when we rub noses together. When I have him walking around in my bedroom he will always find somewhere to hide. It's actually funny to watch him find his favorite spot. He always pushes his way in, but his little tortoise butt always seems to stick out.

 

[Chewbecca]

Dale's about 4 years old now and he still prefers natural daylight through the window. When I turn on the light that I bought for him in the beginning he goes into the hide, but when I turn if off I catch him out in the open more often. Of course I pick him up and give him kisses all the time and he seems to like it when we rub noses together. When I have him walking around in my bedroom he will always find somewhere to hide. It's actually funny to watch him find his favorite spot. He always pushes his way in, but his little tortoise butt always seems to stick out.

Ok, seriously, we NEED to see a picture of his little tortie butt sticking out!
How precious that must be to see!!!

My little guy is arriving tomorrow, and I couldn't be more excited.
I, too, am going to second (or third, or fourth, or fifth) the idea to remove the MVB.
Baby RFTs do not much care for any light, and he's going to hide.
And if you have a leaf big enough for him to hide under, well, sure he's probably going to pick that over a store bought hide.

 

[Candy]

Dale's about 4 years old now and he still prefers natural daylight through the window. When I turn on the light that I bought for him in the beginning he goes into the hide, but when I turn if off I catch him out in the open more often. Of course I pick him up and give him kisses all the time and he seems to like it when we rub noses together. When I have him walking around in my bedroom he will always find somewhere to hide. It's actually funny to watch him find his favorite spot. He always pushes his way in, but his little tortoise butt always seems to stick out.

Ok, seriously, we NEED to see a picture of his little tortie butt sticking out!
How precious that must be to see!!!

My little guy is arriving tomorrow, and I couldn't be more excited.
I, too, am going to second (or third, or fourth, or fifth) the idea to remove the MVB.
Baby RFTs do not much care for any light, and he's going to hide.
And if you have a leaf big enough for him to hide under, well, sure he's probably going to pick that over a store bought hide.

I will try to take a picture of Dale when he's doing that. It's just that I'm not very good at posting pictures that's why you don't see many of Dale. I can't wait to see pictures of your new little one. Good luck with him/her.

 

[Ichabod]

I thought RFs need UVB rays though? Thats what I was recommended by a few reptile stores and redfoot owners in my area. I went to the redfoots.com website and it is very helpful. Thanks.

If redfoots dont need UVB rays then Ill gladly take back the light. But I thought they did.

 

[Chewbecca]

I thought RFs need UVB rays though? Thats what I was recommended by a few reptile stores and redfoot owners in my area. I went to the redfoots.com website and it is very helpful. Thanks.

If redfoots dont need UVB rays then Ill gladly take back the light. But I thought they did.

It's a very heated topic, but in short, no not really.
No more than what you can get them outside.
And when you bring them outside, they won't stay in the sun long before they start to head for the shade.

They get the D3 from their food.

 

[Madkins007]

Or, to put it another way... Red-foots need D3 to properly use the calcium in their diet, they just don't need a lot and there are some studies that suggest (but have not confirmed) that they can use D2 (in mushrooms and other foods) to at least some extent.

They can get D3 from the sun, bulbs (use low-level emitters and provide a lot of shade/hiding space, and/or only turn it on for an hour or so a day), their diet, and/or supplements.

There IS a minor risk with supplements in that you CAN overdose on D3 (but D3 from UVB has a built-in self-regulator to prevent that). We don't know what the acceptable level is, but it seems to be pretty low, so err on the light side. There are many well-documented examples of indoor tortoises going their long lives and breeding well with no sunlight, no UVB bulbs, and no special effort to have it in the diet or supplements (but taking care to offer a well-balanced and varied diet). An example would be the National Zoo, which published their reports in the International Zoo Yearbook some years back.

MY solution, for what it is worth, is:
- Summertime- outside as much as possible, no supplemental D3
- Wintertime- I mix and match several techniques...
---- Using Mazuri Tortoise Chow in some meals (When I use Mazuri, I do less vitamin supplementation)
---- Sun exposure on mild days
---- A weekly small pinch of a ground-up human multivitamin with D3 in it
---- Some D3-rich meat every 2-4 weeks, less often if I am feeding Mazuri
---- A varied diet with mushrooms and other D2 sources in it for a meal a week or so
---- Every now and then, I take a human D3 gel cap and break it over some food and give it a good stir. I do this when I feel like they need a little boost for whatever reason- the diet was not as varied as I would like, shells feel a little softish, etc.

 

[terryo]

If you follow the care sheet on http://www.redfoots.com/redfoot.htm you will see just how simple it is. He even has pictrues to show you how much food and what to feed and when. I did 1 year of research before I go t my Redfoot, and of all the sites I went to his was the most simple.. I have been folowing it for two years now and my tort is beautiful and smooth. Low light...warm humid enclosure....two days greens...one day fruit..etc. for hatchlings....two days greens...1 day fruit.....once a week protein....for yearlings....so simple with great results...good luck with him.

 

[Chewbecca]

I will try to take a picture of Dale when he's doing that. It's just that I'm not very good at posting pictures that's why you don't see many of Dale. I can't wait to see pictures of your new little one. Good luck with him/her.

He should be here around 10:30 a.m. and I'm SO EXCITED.
I worked all day yesterday to get the temps and humidity right in his cage.
I am hoping I can snag some shots of the whole "box arriving and opening" scene so that I can post them later.

EEEK!
too excited!

 

[Crazy1]

Chewbecca, early congratulations on your tort. Did you get him from Redfoots.com? I know just how your feeling I think I had that same feeling when my first hatchling arrived, and my second, and....... Well everytime I get a tort from somewhere. Can't wait to see pics of your new little one. Do you have a name picked yet?

 

[Chewbecca]

Chewbecca, early congratulations on your tort. Did you get him from Redfoots.com? I know just how your feeling I think I had that same feeling when my first hatchling arrived, and my second, and....... Well everytime I get a tort from somewhere. Can't wait to see pics of your new little one. Do you have a name picked yet?

Yes, I got him from Turtletary, and thank you!!!

As soon as the pics are uploaded, I've taken a shower, and I've started a load of laundry, I'll start a new thread for him/her.

I don't want to hijack this thread anymore.

I named him "Stagger Lee".