My first month as a new red foot owner & what I learned...

willee638

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
Hi it's been a month since my little red foot has been a member of the family & she/he hasn't grained much weight, she was 97grams 5 days after I got her & now weeks later she only weighs 104-105 grams a very small increase in my opinion. The weather was colder in February & she didn't eat much but after 10 days of coming home I tried taking her out for some natural sunlight 3 times a week & the situation has improved since, now it's March & she became more active with warmer temperatures. I have been feeding her with tons more varieties of greens, fruits & some animal proteins than from when I first did with just Mazuri tortoise food & a couple kinds of fruits & cucumbers. She's a very fussy eater I had to constantly changing her menu from meal to meal, her home was initially a small fish glass enclosure now moved to a much larger wooden one I built soon after. there's plants, grasses & stones to climb, although it's still not the most ideal of enclosures & a much larger one will soon have to be made to accommodate all the plants & other objects I've slowly added to stimulate her senses. I'm still not certain of my baby red foot's age estimated by my guess to be approximately 6-7 months old & judging from her plastron colour which is yellowish obviously not yet a yearling. I had entertained the idea of getting her/him a playmate but after learning from other forum members of their terrible experiences of keeping 2 tortoises in an indoor enclosure decided that thought is out the door, I believe I've done almost everything a new owner can possibly do by providing my red foot tortoise at least all the basic essentials like sufficient UV lighting, heat, humidity/moistures, foods, clean substrates & as much outdoor sunlight/movements as I can manage, all I need now is to learn more of the know how in this forum to properly take care of her for many more years to come.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
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Jan 23, 2008
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I'd love to see some pictures!

Have you read our care sheets?
 

willee638

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
Please give some advice on estimating my red foot tort's age, currently weighs 105 grams. Already larger than most "hatchlings" when I acquired her one month prior, what should a yearling weigh & measurements? Mine is 2.3/4" across & 3.5" long is this an average normal healthy size? What's it's sex?
 

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Toddrickfl1

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Jan 7, 2018
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Ga
Your tort is probably about 4-6 months. You won't know the gender for a few more years.
 
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