Thanks, Carl (and Kevin)! Looks like I have another plant to add to my enclosure.
New Rainforest Redfoot Terrarium
- Thread starter KevinGG
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Thanks, Carl (and Kevin)! Looks like I have another plant to add to my enclosure.
Planted them straight in the soil. Those broadleaf trees have very shallow root systems. So do the money trees.
Wow. Good to know. I'll have to adapt the enclosure to an open top.
Woke up this am and found the cool side at 69F and warm side at 71F. I forgot to turn the thermostat back up!! And she decided to be on the cool side.... She looks ok and is basking, but I'll keep an eye out for RI symptoms. She a tough one.
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Try the bark under the top soil instead of on top. It looks beautiful. Don't get me wrong, but also entirely too wet. You want HIGH HUMIDITY with LOW WETNESS. The misting system will likely not be needed with such a nice, closed system. My Red Foots do not like it much warmer than 85-86 and usually gravitate towards 80 degrees. The little strip light, in fact all of the UV and UVB needs to be under the glass. It cannot penetrate glass.
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With the bark under the soil, you can add water and the bark will absorb it and leave the soil top layer dry. Constantly damp will give you a multitute of avoidable issues.
Turtlepete
Well-Known Member
I think the differentiation really needs to be made here that it can, not that it will. Many keepers (including myself) keep red's pretty dang moist. All of my young are kept on moist spaghum moss and cypress mulch.…..Shell fungus is absolutely a possibility in any setting, but it can be attributed to more than just moisture. There really isn't any reason moisture should be so vilified when discussing SA tortoises.
Setup is fantastic Kevin. Don't worry about 69; by 3" or so I move my reds outside and leave them out til around 66. They come out to bask and warm up in the morning and are no worse for wear!
Setup is fantastic Kevin. Don't worry about 69; by 3" or so I move my reds outside and leave them out til around 66. They come out to bask and warm up in the morning and are no worse for wear!
Not sure if you read any of the previous posts but the initial pictures were from my weekly plant watering. The orchid bark dries out on top and the substrate below stays moist. I mist everyday which keeps a high humidity without dampening soil. The mistking is just an automatic version of this. Also not sure where the UVB comment originated from but it is inside the enclosure. The 11 inch led is on top of the glass but all other lights are underneath. I have kept this girl for close to a year and she has been in perfect health. No shell problems or fungus. Her pyramiding from previous care has also started to smooth out. I am well aware of Redfoot husbandry and keep temps of about 80-85 on warm side and give a cool side of around 75-78. There are also basking areas that have higher temps underneath and hides on both sides that provide slightly cooler temps. Feel free to go back and read my first post and look at the pictures. Thanks
LOVE this post! I agree %100 with this post. I've found that as long as they have access to spots that aren't damp (mulch), they tend to be free of any fungus. I've also found that they like to spend certain times throughout the day in damper spots. I think the key is to provide microclimates throughout the enclosure, utilizing different substrate, moisture, and temps to achieve this.
Turtlepete
Well-Known Member
Absolutely. That is a very good description of how an enclosure should be. Keep on keepin' on, just the way you're doing it
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Psh.. I know you think of me when moist substrate comes up, Pete. I spray the poop out of my enclosure. Think torrential downpours >:[ Okay, maybe not that excessive. But yes, there are definite dry spots in the enclosure, too.
Speaking of poop, I should like to think that "wetter" enclosures that are on the clean side would reduce the risk of health issues, as well.
With enclosures like yours (heavily planted), Kevin, I like to apply the idea that if you can keep your plants alive and thriving, your tort will follow suit!
I like your philosophy
I've seen some new shoots coming off of the trees. I think they'll be just fine
Well, they can be kept trimmed too like other trees that get big. There are some giants down at Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Miami and every time I'm down there I imagine red-footed tortoises wandering around under them.
If they can handle a light frost I could keep them outside. Do you know anything about their care?
Yes, they would like full sun and very warm and wet conditions. Google Pachira aquatica or water chestnut as it is sometimes called. Very cool trees!
