New tortoise family - Welcome our Ivory

[2kidsplus]

We rescued a 10-yr old female red footed tortoise named Ivory. Apparently her owners have had her since a hatchling and just weren’t interested in her any longer. Poor girl.

I want to do right by her so would like some advice in regards to enrichment/bedding/what I should/should not be doing. Plants to avoid?

Right now I give her about 20 minutes of free roam at least every other day with 10 minute soak afterwards letting her “chase” strawberries around the tub.

Need a better burrow house - are there ways to make them? What about outside activity when it is warmer? Would love for her to wander our shaded yard while I’m weeding/watering/planting.

 

[wellington]

She will need a hide that's not cardboard as she needs high humidity which she obviously never got by her severe pyramiding. Old owners had old info, not uncommon.
She also will need a much bigger enclosure to keep muscle strength up to be able to walk properly.
Read our RF caresheet and @ZEROPILOT also help

 

[2kidsplus]

We rescued a 10-yr old female red footed tortoise named Ivory. Apparently her owners have had her since a hatchling and just weren’t interested in her any longer. Poor girl.

I want to do right by her so would like some advice in regards to enrichment/bedding/what I should/should not be doing. Plants to avoid?

Right now I give her about 20 minutes of free roam at least every other day with 10 minute soak afterwards letting her “chase” strawberries around the tub.

Need a better burrow house - are there ways to make them? What about outside activity when it is warmer? Would love for her to wander our shaded yard while I’m weeding/watering/planting.

Can you tell me where to buy and how to choose he proper hide?

 

[Lyn W]

HI and welcome,
Thanks for rescuing her. I'm not a RF keeper but she looks pretty small for a 10 year old, and the pyramiding on her shell suggests that she has been kept in too dry an environment. Do you have any close up pics of her ?
If you look in the species specific threads you should find a caresheet that will help you with diet, temps, substrate, humidity etc. @ZEROPILOT will also be able to help you
You could make a hide from a dark plastic tub overturned with a door cut in it.
Many of use cheap terracotta plant saucers as water dishes, they have good traction and when sunk level with the substrate they are easier for torts to access and exit.

 

[2kidsplus]

HI and welcome,
Thanks for rescuing her. I'm not a RF keeper but she looks pretty small for a 10 year old, and the pyramiding on her shell suggests that she has been kept in too dry an environment. Do you have any close up pics of her ?
If you look in the species specific threads you should find a caresheet that will help you with diet, temps, substrate, humidity etc. @ZEROPILOT will also be able to help you
You could make a hide from a dark plastic tub overturned with a door cut in it.
Many of use cheap terracotta plant saucers as water dishes, they have good traction and when sunk level with the substrate they are easier for torts to access and exit.

Here is an updated picture of Ivory in our tub doing her soak. The strawberries are enrichment for going up and down the tub. Our tub has traction so she can go from one end to another. I’m not sure how deep the water should be but for now I simply make it deep enough for it to cover her underbelly. I’m not sure if I can go deeper or not with the water.

The store told me that she was sold by them and that her shell is because of lack of care and proper food.

I’ve been researching how to build her a larger habitat for in the house. And also planned on using a collapsible dog fence to allow her time outside. My backyard has lots of shade/hostas/purple cone flowrers to allow her to hide under and dog in the dirt.

 

[2kidsplus]

Here is an updated picture of Ivory in our tub doing her soak. The strawberries are enrichment for going up and down the tub. Our tub has traction so she can go from one end to another. I’m not sure how deep the water should be but for now I simply make it deep enough for it to cover her underbelly. I’m not sure if I can go deeper or not with the water.

The store told me that she was sold by them and that her shell is because of lack of care and proper food.

I’ve been researching how to build her a larger habitat for in the house. And also planned on using a collapsible dog fence to allow her time outside. My backyard has lots of shade/hostas/purple cone flowrers to allow her to hide under and dog in the dirt. View attachment 342996

 

[2kidsplus]

This is what her temp and humidity reading say. I just replaced all her bedding because I have no idea how old it is.

Should I spritz down her bedding daily to help with humidity?

Off to find a black tub and a terra cotta pan for her water.

I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Tom]

We rescued a 10-yr old female red footed tortoise named Ivory. Apparently her owners have had her since a hatchling and just weren’t interested in her any longer. Poor girl.

I want to do right by her so would like some advice in regards to enrichment/bedding/what I should/should not be doing. Plants to avoid?

Right now I give her about 20 minutes of free roam at least every other day with 10 minute soak afterwards letting her “chase” strawberries around the tub.

Need a better burrow house - are there ways to make them? What about outside activity when it is warmer? Would love for her to wander our shaded yard while I’m weeding/watering/planting.

Hello and welcome. You have done a wonderful thing rescuing this poor tortoise.

Here are some tips:
1. Go a little deeper with the soak water and keep her in there for 30-40 minutes, or more.
2. The tortoise needs a MUCH larger enclosure. At least 4x8 feet, and bigger would be better, and it needs to be a closed chamber to maintain the needed tropical heat and humidity. Out door housing will be best when weather permits.
3. The tortoise should never be roaming free on the floor. Its not safe and it can't be made safe. We see this end in tragedy on a regular basis here.
4. The portable pen outside is a good idea, but tortoises need a visual barrier. You can attach some corrugated plastic with zip ties and that will work until you get a more permanent enclosure made.

Here is a good care sheet:

Redfoot Tortoise Care Sheet

NOTE: I do not keep redfoots, and I only have one tortoise in total. With this in mind, remember that I am in no way an expert, and this should not be used as cold hard proof of how to raise a redfoot. I used information from great keepers on this forum to put everything together. This care...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[2kidsplus]

Hello and welcome. You have done a wonderful thing rescuing this poor tortoise.

Here are some tips:
1. Go a little deeper with the soak water and keep her in there for 30-40 minutes, or more.
2. The tortoise needs a MUCH larger enclosure. At least 4x8 feet, and bigger would be better, and it needs to be a closed chamber to maintain the needed tropical heat and humidity. Out door housing will be best when weather permits.
3. The tortoise should never be roaming free on the floor. Its not safe and it can't be made safe. We see this end in tragedy on a regular basis here.
4. The portable pen outside is a good idea, but tortoises need a visual barrier. You can attach some corrugated plastic with zip ties and that will work until you get a more permanent enclosure made.

Here is a good care sheet:

Redfoot Tortoise Care Sheet

NOTE: I do not keep redfoots, and I only have one tortoise in total. With this in mind, remember that I am in no way an expert, and this should not be used as cold hard proof of how to raise a redfoot. I used information from great keepers on this forum to put everything together. This care...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you for sharing this information. So much to learn.

Does anyone have any form of indoor enclosure they have purchased made for their RFs?

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!

 

[2kidsplus]

I have appreciated the advice.