Meet Kyra & Kerry, "Kura-Kura" from Malaysia

[Tita]

Hi Everyone!

I'm a newbie redfoot tortoise owner from Malaysia, bought a pair for my lil girl Sasya who loves tortoises since she was a tiny tot. However, Mummy needs to research on how best to care for the new torts before she's big enough to take over. Actually, hubby claims I'm more excited than our daughter ^_^

So here's Kyra & Kerry making their debut..

Tortoises in the Malay language is "Kura-kura" so Sasya picked names closest to that. Got them less than a week and we will have our 1st vet visit tomorrow for their check-up, weight and length. Was told by the Pet Store that they were a few months old but from an experienced Redfoot breeder I recently corresponded with from (thanks for the tips, Ernie!), Kyra & Kerry is most likely 2 years old based on a rough estimate of 3" length. Will confirm measurement at the vet's tomorrow!

Since it's my 1st time getting a tortoise, we got everything the pet store recommended and it was not to use the tortoise bedding and instead use Aspen bedding. Rationale given was it's softer and won't hurt the tots if they eat it. However, after doing some reading discovered that Aspen does not hold much humidity for redfoots hence I'll be on a weekend hunt for the highly recommended cypress mulch and spaghnum moss.

Found many caresheets out there but it's always more comforting to be able to interact and confirm directly with those in the know of what works from experience.

Looking forward to learn more from all of you here and to exchange tortoise tales ^_^

Cheers
Tita

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

Welcome

 

[pfara]

Welcome to the forum! Your reds are adorable. I'm far from an expert, but I do have a few redfoots. Comparing your pictures to my guys, the pet store might be right about their age. Then again, I'm only basing it from my very limited experience/knowledge. Your little ones don't seem to have enough "dark rings" added onto their scutes and at 9 months old, mine all range from 3.5" to a little over 4" (I know.. not very scientificky of me ). I always like seeing how other people's torts grow as time goes on. Keep us updated and have fun with them

 

[compassrose26]

So cute!!

 

[sibi]

Hi, and welcome to TFO, the only place you can rely on for great answers and advice!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Tita:

Welcome to the Forum!!

Is that aspen bedding you have them on? If so, it's not a good medium for redfooted tortoises' substrate. They do best when kept in a more humid environment. Sphagnum moss would be ok. There is a bunch of good redfoot stuff to read at the Tortoise Library

 

[julietteq]

Hi, Your story sounds a lot like mine. My 3 children wanted tortoises but I have completely fallen in love with them myself! Hope the same will happen to you.

BTW: the kids still love them!

 

[gieseygirly]

How adorable - enjoy!

 

[AZtortMom]

Very cute and welcome

 

[Blakem]

Very pretty Redfoots. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Tita]

Hello and Welcome

Hi! Thanks for moderating my 1st post. The PM on the removal of the website address was most appreciated. You're right, at least a newbie like me knew what happened

 

[Tita]

Welcome

Thank you, looking forward to see the thumbnail of your tort on your profile pix

 

[Jacqui]

Hi Tita and welcome! I also got my first turtles as an adult, for my children, but it quickly became for me. Those are beautiful tortoises.

 

[Tita]

Welcome to the forum! Your reds are adorable. I'm far from an expert, but I do have a few redfoots. Comparing your pictures to my guys, the pet store might be right about their age. Then again, I'm only basing it from my very limited experience/knowledge. Your little ones don't seem to have enough "dark rings" added onto their scutes and at 9 months old, mine all range from 3.5" to a little over 4" (I know.. not very scientificky of me ). I always like seeing how other people's torts grow as time goes on. Keep us updated and have fun with them

Thanks! Should I call you Alma? Guessing from your signature that is.

Happy to share that the trip to the vet went well, Kyra & Kerry are in good health, no parasites etc. and they both measure the same at 2.1 inches! Hence, have confirmed that my lil babies are less than a year old. I'm making a guess younger than your 9 months old too. Maybe 5-6 months perhaps? I'm not very scientificky too hehe but I would think K&K were definitely born in 2013 so we have a birth year at least. Yeay!

Here they are having a stroll after returning from the vet


Do share a snapshot of your 9-month old redfoot okay?

 

[Tita]

So cute!!

Hi there! That must be Lucy in your pix? How old is she, I can't enlarge the thumbnail somehow, who's next to Lucy.. looks like another RF from afar.

Great to meet someone who majored in Biology/Zoology & leaning towards wildlife conservation & ecology. The members of our forum would surely benefit from your knowledge & experience

 

[Tita]

Hi, and welcome to TFO, the only place you can rely on for great answers and advice!

Hi Sibi, much appreciate the warm welcome from a veteran member like yourself. You have a 24 year-old turtle? Wow! I'm looking forward for our whole family to grow together with our baby redfoots too

 

[pfara]

Welcome to the forum! Your reds are adorable. I'm far from an expert, but I do have a few redfoots. Comparing your pictures to my guys, the pet store might be right about their age. Then again, I'm only basing it from my very limited experience/knowledge. Your little ones don't seem to have enough "dark rings" added onto their scutes and at 9 months old, mine all range from 3.5" to a little over 4" (I know.. not very scientificky of me ). I always like seeing how other people's torts grow as time goes on. Keep us updated and have fun with them

Thanks! Should I call you Alma? Guessing from your signature that is.

Happy to share that the trip to the vet went well, Kyra & Kerry are in good health, no parasites etc. and they both measure the same at 2.1 inches! Hence, have confirmed that my lil babies are less than a year old. I'm making a guess younger than your 9 months old too. Maybe 5-6 months perhaps? I'm not very scientificky too hehe but I would think K&K were definitely born in 2013 so we have a birth year at least. Yeay!

Here they are having a stroll after returning from the vet


Do share a snapshot of your 9-month old redfoot okay?

Hmm.. I tried uploading a picture on my phone but it didn't work AND it deleted my post. I'm very glad to hear that they're doing well. And unless you had an exact hatch date, I wouldn't worry about their age. They'll all grow at different rates which makes it very difficult to determine age. It's nice to meet you and I hope you keep us posted on your new additions

Here's a recent picture of tortoise meatball day.

 

[Tita]

Hi Tita:

Welcome to the Forum!!

Is that aspen bedding you have them on? If so, it's not a good medium for redfooted tortoises' substrate. They do best when kept in a more humid environment. Sphagnum moss would be ok. There is a bunch of good redfoot stuff to read at the Tortoise Library

Hi Yvonne,

Appreciate hearing from an experienced old timer (30 years? you guys get more amazing!) and most of all your observation and recommendation.

Happy to update that after I scoured various petstores, hardware and gardening stores, I managed to find the Florest Floor Cypress Mulch and have changed the substrate The pet store owner insisted Aspen bedding was fine since Malaysian weather is humid but I'd rather trust redfoot owners & not take any chances. Here's a peek of their cosy crib..

We added the wood bark so they can climb across and walk on top. Shouldn't hurt / scratch their plastron right since in the wild I would reckon they would be having such structures. Another on my list is live plants, need to read more on that before I go get one.

I have yet to find spaghnum moss anywhere here though and thru my online search, the shipping cost can be triple of the product itself I got the thermo and hygrometer as well so feel better now that I can monitor and adjust accordingly. Yesterday while their lights were on, humidity was a bit low hence manual misting it is.

I'm a bit reluctant to mist the mulch coz I heard it might cause their plastron to rot so I mist my torts (til they drip as I read), the veggies in their food dish and on the sides of their terrarium. I plan to bathe / soak them once a week (just had them for 1 week so 1 round so far) & was advised to have them bask under natural sunlight at least once a week.

I'm reading through the other threads to learn more & as a newbie, I find TF really helpful and a friendly place too!

 

[mainey34]

Hello and welcome. They are adorable..one trick i learned. Pour water on the sides of your enclosure to keep your humidity up. This way they wont be walking or laying in it..

Below my signature there is a good site for redfoot care i came across