Just wondering! x

[tyler0912]

I just want to know is my tortoise looking healthy and his her home ok? im a 12 year old boy who want's the best for my tortoise she is part of the family i just wanted to know.she has not got a smooth shell but her shell was like this when i purchased her from a petshop in preston i know it is not the best place to get a tortoise so.......please donot discriminate me her shell has got abit better sinc[/color][/font]i bought her last november she is 5years old X

 

[Torty Mom]

What kind of tortoise do you have and how big is it in inches?

 

[tyler0912]

i dont know inches she is 13.1 cm long and she is a redfooted tortoise x

 

[Torty Mom]

That is about 5 inches. Check out this thread, looks like there is alot of good info for you to start. I am very new myself to tortie care and I read everything I can get my hands on! Is your name Tyler? I have a 17 year old son also named Tyler! Great name !!

http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Raising-REDFOOT-Hatchling-to-Adults-Do-s-Don-t-s

It is here on the forum under the sepcies specific section. Look there also! I am sure someone with more experience will be by soon to help you out. Mary Anne

 

[tyler0912]

yepp my name is tyler and thank-you i love my name have you checked out ma pics and i will defo go on that website goodluck in caring for torts! x

 

[Torty Mom]

Yes, I looked at your pictures! Cute and I love her name, it's Lola right? I was thinking about naming my little one that and then I settled on Penny, after the lady I got my hatchling from. What part of Europe are you from? I have tons of family in Holland.

You are in the right place for help, I am sure later today you will get alot of answers. Sorry, I am unable to help in that department. For sure a bigger enclosure! Mary Anne

 

[tyler0912]

yes she is called lola im from united kingdom (england) i love the name penny nice name do you have pics of your tortoise? x

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Tyler:

Welcome to the forum!!

It was nice of Torty Mom to show you that link, however, its the wrong link for Lola. Since Lola is a South American tortoise you would do better reading about tortoises living in or on the fringes of the rain forest. Here are a couple places for you to start:

http://redfoottortoise.com/

http://www.turtletary.com/main.htm

Don't feel bad about Lola's bumpy shell. I have a couple tortoises that look like pine cones, and I should know better.

I'm going to offer you some constructive criticism. Please don't be offended, as its not a personal attack, just something that I think will make Lola more comfortable.

I don't like your habitat. Since Lola needs a humid environment, the open cage-type habitat isn't good for her. You need something with solid sides. Either a large plastic tote or a large viv. Then you can cover or partially cover the top and help it to be humid inside.

Its great to have you here on the forum with us. I hope you stay. I'd like to get to know you better. You are one of our youngest members and its wonderful to see you taking such an interest in good care for Lola!!

 

[tyler0912]

i do know that yvonee i spray her almost 6 times a day and she isn't in her cage alot i bath her everyday at 4.00pm fro 45 mins wash and let her soak she spends alot of time around our house and she can soak in her water bowl i will try find something to put over the cage! x

 

[dmmj]

humidity over time will help smooth the shell out. what is your RF's diet like? mine loves hibiscus flowers, slugs, snails, mazuri, among others. like yconne said a more humid environment will help you need something where you should be able to cover t least half the enclosure to help keep the humidity in. Welcome to the forum and feel free to ask any question you may have.

 

[tyler0912]

i feed her pinkies,snails,grass,timothy grass,dandelions,alot of none acidic fruits,vegetables,berries,i buy seeds of ebay for tortoises and buy them and grow them etc....

I soak her everyday she baves in her water dish and i spray her as much as possible it is a plastic base and her bedding obsorbs her water I will try find a clear plastic plastic lid of somesort for half of the enclosure xx

 

[Laura]

Hi,, Welcome! She is a forest type animal, so less light, warm heat and lost of hiding places would be good. I would try to make her home bigger. hard to tell what kind of space you have, but the bigger the better.
Does she ever get outside?
Be careful allowing her to roam in your house on the floor. its cold and she could eat something that is not good for her.
You love her and that is great! YOu can learn a lot here and many here can help. You have a great start.. just a few changes.

 

[tyler0912]

she's outside everyday she's always eating grass and we have a spare room thats where i let her out her cage in that room and we have an outdoor pen with a shelter and a heat bulb! x

 

[terryo]

Welcome Tyler! If you put some plants in your Red's enclosure it will help with the humidity. Glad to have you here.

 

[Tracy Gould]

Hi Tyler welcome to the forum. I live in the Uk too i am from West Yorkshire where abouts are u?

 

[tyler0912]

yes terry i will find some do you suggest any? and tracy im from blackburn in the northwest near blackpool or you might know southport! x

 

[Marty333]

Hi welcome to the forum its nice to have another young tort owner I am 15

- Marta

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Hi Tyler and welcome to the forum. It is really nice to see such a young person as yourself interested in tortoises. But Lola's house is too small for her. She needs a much bigger house to live in. Can you buy a bookcase and take out the shelves? Then you lay it on it's back and you have a tort table. Or you can buy a large Rubbermaid tub, but you really do need to get her a bigger house. It is obvious you love her and are taking very good care of her, you just need to change a couple of things and it will be better for her. So can you start by getting her a bigger house? Even a large aquarium would do. One about 150 gallons would be nice....

 

[tyler0912]

thank you for all the informationi will try something out! x

 

[Madkins007]

Hi, Tyler! If you are interested, there are some articles on Red-foots and other things in the Tortoise Library in my sig.

I agree with others that the bumpiness is not a big deal, and that the main habitat is a bit small. The Red-foot care article in the sig has some ideas for that.