New Tort Mommy

[My Sweet Skittles]

My name is Ronny and I am a native Floridian. Recently, our neighbor's box turtle wandered into our yard. We had it a few hours and I knew I needed one.
After a few days of intense research on care and housing, we were ready to adopt. We visited six different reptile stores and took notes on the animals and the condition of the store (and prices!).
We bought a three month old red footed tortoise, now named Skittles. We bought a kiddie pool and set up three different substrates (sand, soil and coconut fiber). In the middle we planted some aloe, two types of oregano and a small daisy plant. He has two shelters, a large landscaping brick for feedings and two water stations.
Hope I'm starting out on the right foot!!!

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

You should get rid of the sand ASAP. It is an impaction risk and a possible skin and eye irritant.

You will have to verify, but I think regular daisies are toxic.

 

[My Sweet Skittles]

I have read good and bad things on the sand...there is so much info out there but most is based on peoples preferences! We can easily remove the sand and add more coconut fiber and soil. Is there a third substrate I can substitute???
The plant was purchased at WalMart for $1 labeled summer color...not sure if it is a "daisy" they are yellow and about the size of a pencil eraser.

 

[Angel Carrion]

http://www.redfoots.com/hdiet.htm
This is a good site with lots of information. This link is specific to diet, but check the site out fully and you'll see housing, substrate, etc.

 

[Angel Carrion]

I have read good and bad things on the sand...there is so much info out there but most is based on peoples preferences! We can easily remove the sand and add more coconut fiber and soil. Is there a third substrate I can substitute???
The plant was purchased at WalMart for $1 labeled summer color...not sure if it is a "daisy" they are yellow and about the size of a pencil eraser.

Coco coir, sphagnum moss, peat moss. These are the ones I use and many others use.

 

[Tom]

I have read good and bad things on the sand...there is so much info out there but most is based on peoples preferences! We can easily remove the sand and add more coconut fiber and soil. Is there a third substrate I can substitute???
The plant was purchased at WalMart for $1 labeled summer color...not sure if it is a "daisy" they are yellow and about the size of a pencil eraser.

The internet is full of misinformation. Its tough for a new person to know what to do. Ask a tortoise vet to show you pics of their last sand impaction surgery. After you get done being sick to your stomach, you will go home and remove that sand.

Your tortoise does not need three substrates. Just one is fine.

Also, be careful that he doesn't over heat in that small above ground kiddie pool. They can over heat and die very quickly. Lots of shade is key.

About your plants: Tortoise will sometimes choose to eat toxic plants in captive situations. If you don't know what it is, you should not give your tortoise access to it. Second: All plants for sale at retail outlets come from big commercial nurseries. These nurseries use systemic pesticides to keep the bugs ff and keep their plants looking pretty and pristine when they go to market. The pesticides can take a year to dissipate as they are in the plants tissues. Grow your own from seed, or make cuttings from established older plants that are not treated with chemicals.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Ronny
Welcome to the TFO from AZ . You've come to the right place to learn about the young REd foot tort from people all over world . Have a great tort day !

 

[Careym13]

Welcome to TFO!!

 

[My Sweet Skittles]

Any favorite sites to buy seeds? I was just checking out ebay and amazon. Was also considering adding a few earthworms.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Ronny, and welcome to the Forum!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, Ronny, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and Skittles.
Very pretty tort.
Lose the sand .
Aloe, if not chemically treated, is okay in moderation, but too much can cause sloppy poos.
Oregano when you have fresh growth, is fine as torts don't generally like to eat it and it provides interest and shelter in the enclosure and if they do have a nibble, it's fine.
Daisies are not good for tortoises.
Have a look at http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
and for water it is a good idea to use shallow terracotta saucers, big enough for the tortoise to soak in, sunk into the substrate.

 

[Carol S]

Any favorite sites to buy seeds? I was just checking out ebay and amazon. Was also considering adding a few earthworms.

TortoiseSupply.com has seeds. I bought some last month.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Any favorite sites to buy seeds? I was just checking out ebay and amazon. Was also considering adding a few earthworms.

Carolinapetsupply.com and arizonatortoisecompound.com have seeds

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hello.
Florida is a great place to raise a Redfoot.
Pay no attention to old Internet info or anything told to you by a pet shop.
Here there are thousands of people keeping tortoises from every part of the planet.
Get rid of the sand.
Are you keeping him outdoors or do you plan to?
The two things that are key are going to be warmth. Between 80 and 88 degrees and high humidity. Something that should be easy this time of year in Florida, so you have a few months still to set up an indoors winter enclosure.

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[TMartin510]

Welcome!! Your in good hands here

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome from the Desert !

 

[My Sweet Skittles]

Hello.
Florida is a great place to raise a Redfoot.
Pay no attention to old Internet info or anything told to you by a pet shop.
Here there are thousands of people keeping tortoises from every part of the planet.
Get rid of the sand.
Are you keeping him outdoors or do you plan to?
The two things that are key are going to be warmth. Between 80 and 88 degrees and high humidity. Something that should be easy this time of year in Florida, so you have a few months still to set up an indoors winter enclosure.

THANKS ALL!
I have the kiddie pool set up on the screened back porch with hopes of building him a big enclosure in the yard. I got rid of the sand last night and added more soil. I put my hermit crabs with Skittles and I noticed he is out more, checking out the shells and such.
I have ordered some seeds and small plants to add this weekend. He is already eating from my hand, he loves tomatoes and apples but could care less about blueberries!

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

I have the kiddie pool set up on the screened back porch with hopes of building him a big enclosure in the yard. I got rid of the sand last night and added more soil. I put my hermit crabs with Skittles and I noticed he is out more, checking out the shells and such.

I'm intrigued - the hermit crabs don't just climb out of the kiddie pool and escape?

 

[Angel Carrion]

There's actually a thread discussing the co-habitation of hermit crabs and either a specific tortoise species or just torts in general. I believe it was not recommended for a handful of reasons. Can't remember right now.