New to the site

[Griffin0421]

Hey! I'm Kellie

I am new to the site and also a new mom to a red foot tort named Yoda.
We have only had Yoda a few days...he or she is about 5in. and just so sweet! I have a question about calcium...I've read that as long as your tortoise is outside you do not need to give any calcium powder on his food, other websites say yes. I bought TNT (Total Nutrition for Tortoise) from carolinapetsupply.com and I also read that no calcium powder is needed, just the TNT. I just want to make sure I do everything right for him.

 

[Jacqui]

Hi Kellie and welcome!

TNT is suppose to have everything you need in it, but as a safe thing I would still keep a cuttlebone in his enclosure. Being outside does not eliminate the need for calcium, what being outside does is allows the tortoise to actually end up making use of that calcium. It also is suppose to mean you can use plain calcium instead of the type with Vit D added.

Yoda looks like a sweetie. How did you decide on a Redfoot?

 

[DesertGrandma]

Hi Kellie. Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new little tort. He is very cute.

 

[dmarcus]

Hello Kellie and welcome to the forum...

 

[Griffin0421]

Thanks for the reply! I did forget to mention that he does have a cuttlebone but I haven't seen him go near it.
Yoda is great...We did alot and I mean ALOT of research on tortoises before deciding on a redfoot. Between diet, hibernation, climate, etc we thought a redfoot would be best for our family.
I do have other questions that maybe you or someone else can answer. Right now his indoor enclosure is a 50 gallon bin that we keep in our small mud room. He only uses it when the weather is bad or when he goes to bed at night. he loves being outside exploring and helping us mow the grass We have moss in the enclosure and it has been great keeping the humidity level high. My concern is the damp moss gets cool (obviously) and he love to lay on or near it. Should I put some kind of heating pad under the enclosure to keep the area warm or no. The temp in the enclosure reads in the high 80's.
My other question is does a tortoise have to be a certain age or length before knowing what sex it is? Yodo is about 5 in and the underside of the shell is completely flat. I've read that the underside of males shells are concave and females are flat. I am happy with yoda either way, but it would be nice to know.
Thanks for the help!

Kellie

 

[african cake queen]

hi & welcome.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Kellie:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know where you are?

Under the best of conditions, tortoises get all their nutrients from their food. It wouldn't hurt for you to leave a cuttle bone in the tortoises habitat for him to gnaw on as he sees fit. The leave it alone for a long, long time, then one day just start chewing on it. Seems it has to age a bit for them to be interested in it. But he'll eat if when he feels he needs it.

 

[Griffin0421]

Hi Kellie:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know where you are?

Under the best of conditions, tortoises get all their nutrients from their food. It wouldn't hurt for you to leave a cuttle bone in the tortoises habitat for him to gnaw on as he sees fit. The leave it alone for a long, long time, then one day just start chewing on it. Seems it has to age a bit for them to be interested in it. But he'll eat if when he feels he needs it.

We live in Southaven Mississippi. Right on the border between MS and TN

 

[Momof4]

Welcome!! Congrats on your new addition!

 

[Stephanie]

Hello and welcome! Yoda is adorable!

 

[laramie]

Hi Kellie and nice to meet you

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.