My WILD child

willee638

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
I had multiple Redfoot tortoises for a very long time. Nine at one point and seven for several years.
About 2 years ago I began rehoming a few of them and eventually decided to just keep one. My Original(after a break from tortoise keeping) female. Named Julio.
Well, all was going well until the day I found a baby in the pen. A leftover, forgotten egg deposited by one of my old herd. He had hatched, survived and lived for about 4 or 5 months by my estimation due to its size. He had gone un noticed because of my rather large, tropical jungle type enclosure. And the fact that I was just not looking for any babies. Days later, I DID look and I found another, smaller baby and likely from a different nest. I promptly gave him to a friend of my brother and helped her set up an enclosure here locally.
Today I again saw "wild child". It had been about 2 weeks since I've seen him. So I took pictures and gave him an exam and treated him for a fungal issue. He's a tough little dude. A true surviver. And has the lumps and bumps to prove it.
The last photo is of Julio and Wild Child before the baby disappeared back into the jungle. Julio couldn't care less!
Fascinating, it must have been a warm climate for a baby tortoise to hatch on it's own. It's a hand full just for me to take care of one baby red foot, I always loved turtles & tortoises this is my first pet tortoise & I'm ready addicted to it & every aspect of it's life. I did have pet turtles decades ago & didn't give them adequate care by todays standards, I know a friend who has a turtle for 3 or more years & except for feeding it once a day & keeping it in a plastic container gave it none of what is essential like UV lights, a basic enclosure or proper nutrition because many consumers treat a pet like a toy.
 

willee638

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
I'm tempted to the verge of getting another red foot or cherry head tortoise for my red foot as companion, because my baby red foot hasn't been eating much or very active these few weeks despite the weather has warmed. What advice would an experienced tortoise keeper give me? What are the good reasons not to get another even if it's 2 female of similar age or can a red foot & cherry head co-exist in the same enclosure? Would it be too soon to tell in definitely the sexes of baby red foots?
 

MikeT307

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2020
Messages
49
Location (City and/or State)
Florida
I'm tempted to the verge of getting another red foot or cherry head tortoise for my red foot as companion, because my baby red foot hasn't been eating much or very active these few weeks despite the weather has warmed. What advice would an experienced tortoise keeper give me? What are the good reasons not to get another even if it's 2 female of similar age or can a red foot & cherry head co-exist in the same enclosure? Would it be too soon to tell in definitely the sexes of baby red foots?
You can't accurately sex redfoots until they are between 5-10 years old.

Please read a few posts regarding keeping a pair or tortoises in the FAQ general discussion. It takes a week or two for a new tortoise to settle in. If it's not eating and you have had it a while offer different foods or look at things that could be stressing it in the enclosure.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Location (City and/or State)
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I'm tempted to the verge of getting another red foot or cherry head tortoise for my red foot as companion, because my baby red foot hasn't been eating much or very active these few weeks despite the weather has warmed. What advice would an experienced tortoise keeper give me? What are the good reasons not to get another even if it's 2 female of similar age or can a red foot & cherry head co-exist in the same enclosure? Would it be too soon to tell in definitely the sexes of baby red foots?
Redfoot are some of the calmest tortoises usually. Not always.
But 2 Redfoot are a very bad idea because Redfoot are also very sensative to stress. And seeing another tortoise is stressful.
I keep 4 Redfoot. All females. But each tortoise has about 120 s.f. of space and it's own hiding place and eating area.
My enclosure is currently very large and its outdoors. I wouldn't consider trying to keep more than one indoors.
Because you asked.
Trust me. I've been there.
 

willee638

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
I had multiple Redfoot tortoises for a very long time. Nine at one point and seven for several years.
About 2 years ago I began rehoming a few of them and eventually decided to just keep one. My Original(after a break from tortoise keeping) female. Named Julio.
Well, all was going well until the day I found a baby in the pen. A leftover, forgotten egg deposited by one of my old herd. He had hatched, survived and lived for about 4 or 5 months by my estimation due to its size. He had gone un noticed because of my rather large, tropical jungle type enclosure. And the fact that I was just not looking for any babies. Days later, I DID look and I found another, smaller baby and likely from a different nest. I promptly gave him to a friend of my brother and helped her set up an enclosure here locally.
Today I again saw "wild child". It had been about 2 weeks since I've seen him. So I took pictures and gave him an exam and treated him for a fungal issue. He's a tough little dude. A true surviver. And has the lumps and bumps to prove it.
The last photo is of Julio and Wild Child before the baby disappeared back into the jungle. Julio couldn't care less!
Lovely story & a couple of pleasant unexpected gifts, I like many others only just getting started raising these amazing animals. I'm glad I choose red foots as they are the least aggressive, most sociable pleasant & mild tempered of all other species of tortoises. From everything I read on tortoises, on forums & most importantly my own experience, I started out with one a year prior & after much pondering & hesitation I finally decided on introducing a couple of new members to my small group of wards. I've heard all the arguments against keeping more than one tortoise & all the negative aspects & unpleasant horror stories of some individuals, but my experience since adding additional members has been nothing but joy & pleasures. Like yourself an experienced keeper & can be called an expert has everything to do with how they manage, prepare & dedicate considerable time & money into it, I understand the arguments against those wanting to keep more than they can handle who are novice & amateurs without proper facilities & I believe the majority are those act on impulses.
 

willee638

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
At long last the Wild child has gone to her forever home.
A very nice family south of me took her in after making a nice, outdoors enclosure for her.
I love a happy ending, I have a question about do red foots needs constant or just 3-4 times weekly of natural direct sunlight? I try to give my RF's at lease 3 days per week of natural outdoors sunlight for an hour- 90 minutes even at temperatures of only 68-71 degrees. Is it necessary or detrimental? I have heard someone at the forum said will shorten their lifespan....
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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I love a happy ending, I have a question about do red foots needs constant or just 3-4 times weekly of natural direct sunlight? I try to give my RF's at lease 3 days per week of natural outdoors sunlight for an hour- 90 minutes even at temperatures of only 68-71 degrees. Is it necessary or detrimental? I have heard someone at the forum said will shorten their lifespan....
That's enough sunlight.
And those temperatures are ok for that short period of time.
 

Cathie G

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I love this story also. I once had a little box turtle that I really didn't want because I don't have the room and really didn't want a box turtle. Even so I kept her for several years hoping for the best for her until I finally managed to find her a great home with a family that specifically wanted a Boxie. I know where my little Daisy May is though ??
 

Yvonne G

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Oh no, Ray. I'm sorry to hear that. I wish there were something I could do to help. I guess you'll have to settle for a whole buncha' good thoughts and vibes coming your way from me.
 
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