My daughter wants this redfoot from reptile store, suggestions?

[Maro2Bear]

Thanks for the update -- looking pretty good!

 

[stojanovski92113]

Love the pictures! Your daughter looks so happy & the the red foot too!! What a BEAUTIFIL tortoise!! I LOVE red foots!!

 

[Michael Twohy]

Update on Leo: doing good! He is currently in my russian tortoise's outdoor enclosure but without Begonia, the russian. Begonia has picked her own spot in my yard that she loves so I built a new enclosure for her in her favorite area. Leo now has his own walk through dirt tunnel that he stays in with his head sticking out. I take him out to roam the yard most days for different scenery and he usually begins digging up weed roots and eating them. Still working on his diet...he seems to only like roots. He doesn't like squash, pumpkin, or tomato. He will eat mixed salad greens with carrot shreddings but his favorite is roots of weeds. If I pick weeds in my yard he will eat the roots mostly. Calcium need? Still new to Redfoots. He's also attracted to dog poop that I must hurry up and scope the yard and keep him away from. Gross Leo, but he obviously is telling me he's lacking nutrients in his diet. Other than that...he's very calm, walks everywhere he wants. But scared of quick shadows so we have to creep up if we don't want to startle him. I don't know if I'm now used to his pyramid scutes or if they seem flatter like new growth, but she'll looks good to me. He's not as brave and social as he was in the pet store cage, but he's not scared of me. Just my shadow lol. Going to start building his indoor habitat soon for the winter.

he likes eating roots? didnt know tortoises like eating roots. how big is his enclosure?

 

[Yvonne G]

This is such a nice thread. I especially like the picture in the grass where your daughter and the tortoise are almost nose to nose. Take a look at this thread for ideas about an indoor winter-time enclosure:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/heres-dales-new-enclosure-picture-heavy.11023/

 

[TurtleTab]

he likes eating roots? didnt know tortoises like eating roots. how big is his enclosure?

Yes...roots. I didn't know either. He's digging into the grass and eating the roots only...if not then it's dirt he's eating because he gets the dirt with the roots. I thought it was weird. His enclosure is about 7 ft by 4 ft...outdoors.

 

[TurtleTab]

This is such a nice thread. I especially like the picture in the grass where your daughter and the tortoise are almost nose to nose. Take a look at this thread for ideas about an indoor winter-time enclosure:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/heres-dales-new-enclosure-picture-heavy.11023/

Thank you for the indoor enclosure idea! That seems easy enough! I'm going to try that.

 

[Michael Twohy]

Yes...roots. I didn't know either. He's digging into the grass and eating the roots only...if not then it's dirt he's eating because he gets the dirt with the roots. I thought it was weird. His enclosure is about 7 ft by 4 ft...outdoors.

ok. that seems pretty big

 

[stojanovski92113]

I

Yes...roots. I didn't know either. He's digging into the grass and eating the roots only...if not then it's dirt he's eating because he gets the dirt with the roots. I thought it was weird. His enclosure is about 7 ft by 4 ft...outdoors.

My red foots have occasionally dug down for roots, not often. He could be exploring too

 

[Michael Twohy]

really? hmm. well, exploring is also a probability. do red foots dig deep burrows?

 

[stojanovski92113]

really? hmm. well, exploring is also a probability. do red foots dig deep burrows?

Mine don't dig deep burrows, they like to hide sometimes. I often wonder if they are eating bugs off the roots too though. But like I said it's happen occasionally.

 

[Michael Twohy]

Mine don't dig deep burrows, they like to hide sometimes. I often wonder if they are eating bugs off the roots too though. But like I said it's happen occasionally.

oh, ok. i thought for a second that they digs gopher tortoise-like burrows! if they were eating bugs would they be getting too much protein?

 

[stojanovski92113]

oh, ok. i thought for a second that they digs gopher tortoise-like burrows! if they were eating bugs would they be getting too much protein?

Yeah, too much isn't good, but I always keep an eye on my torts

 

[pepsiandjac]

Well done on the rescue,you can see by the pics he's happier already.

 

[Michael Twohy]

Yeah, too much isn't good, but I always keep an eye on my torts

 

[verda]

Wow! This was so wonderful to read, and the pics of your daughter and the tort was just awesome. The beginning of something special. <3 it

 

[TurtleTab]

I think he is used to eating meat...he eats a worm every time he crosses one. He wont touch shredded carrots. Or picked leafy lettuce from my yard. Or barely store bought romaine. He refused to eat chard and kale too. So im thinking its not what he was raised on. Roots, dog poop and worms are his favorite. Hes tried biting plastic and styrofoam. He did not eat any of it because i was right there to take it away. Plastic from the store bought lettuce and styrofoam from the worms i was giving the boxies.