Newbie

[daniellenc]

Hi All,
My name is Danielle and I bred cresteds, chahouas, corns, and hogg isle boas for 9 years. Fast forward I'm a mom with two teenagers, sold my collection, and now work full time. I've always loved torts but keeping other reptiles I didn't have the space. I finally have free space!! I live in Maryland so outdoor space year round isn't possible but I am working on building something outdoors and will have lots of building questions later. For now I am looking at acquiring a hatching and have a 116 qrt steralite bin, tons of spagnum, cypress mulch, 100 watt mercury flood UVB bulbs, lighting stands, thermometers for both humidity and heat, shallows food dishes, and love What I don't have is knowledge!

I am currently growing prickly pear and aloe as succulants but I want a red foot and have read indoor habitats get plowed down? My plan besides the grocery store and grazing outdoors while is nice is to supplement with some home grown indoor plants to start. I've read dozens of websites but am horticulturally not inclined so latin names with no pictures don't help. I've got dandelion, clover, and other greenage but is there a thread with pics I can reference? I keep finding UK threads with plants not indigenous to Maryland? BTW no tortoise will come home until I maintain humidity and temps as well as knowing safe plants in md to feed. So no rush at all want the perfect hatchling set-up, good idea of natural flora to feed, and plants I can grow indoors

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. This is one of the go to websites. It is out of the UK but most plants are available in the states.
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk

 

[lisa127]

Welcome! I'm primarily a box turtle person but I do keep one tortoise, which is a young adult male redfoot. I live in Cleveland so year round outdoor is not possible for me either. Dandelions and dandelion greens are a favorite of his!

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome, Danielle!

Don't be fooled by the designation "quart" on your container. You don't care how much 'volume' it holds, what you want is floor space. You want it big enough to have plenty of room on the floor for a couple hiding places, a feeder, a waterer, some sight barriers and maybe a plant or two.

 

[daniellenc]

Hello and Welcome. This is one of the go to websites. It is out of the UK but most plants are available in the states.
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk

That's an awesome site tha

 

[daniellenc]

It's about 4 ft long,3ft high, and at least 2 ft across, However. if this is not a good hatchling set up please let me know. I have no baby yet and am not going to until my husbantry is correct please advise?

 

[Rachael403]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Yvonne G]

It's about 4 ft long,3ft high, and at least 2 ft across, However. if this is not a good hatchling set up please let me know. I have no baby yet and am not going to until my husbantry is correct please advise?

No, 4' long is plenty big enough for a hatchling.

 

[Pearly]

Hi Danielle, welcome from Texas! I keep the Redfooted and members of this Forum have been THE BEST getting me through few bumps on the road of learning. Glad you have found us here. You are off to a great start

 

[Mariale]

Please help mee

 

[daniellenc]

Thanks @Pearly Very excited the rest of my supplies were delivered today so after work I am setting up the rest of his home and monitoring temps for a few days to ensure proper humidity and temperature. If all is well and I find a good breeder hopefully I can order next week or the one after. I am planting aloe, prickly pear, jade, hollyhock, marigold, purslane, plantain, a few species of dandelion and clover, as well as some tortoise seed mix in gallon planters in hopes I can supplement grocery greens in a month or so as well as have stuff to dry for winter. I'm also scoping out local stuff growing in my yard but plant identification scares me. If I grow it from seed I know exactly what it is lol. There are a few things I know are safe so I can pluck those safely for now. I also ordered butterworms and dry tort diet to mix it up. My store has a great selection of greens so I'm set for now. Next year I plan to plant a large bed of mixed stuff in the spring but it's a little late in the year now so small growing plot should suffice. With all the seeds I've ordered from tortoise supply and amazon I should be well stocked and have plants to split and replant infinitely starting next spring.

 

[William Lee Kohler]

Prickly pear or any cactus and Jade will grow spindly and poorly without pretty intense sunlight and heat as well as the cactus being stickery. Better to use more shade tolerant plants. Great Big area you have for newcomer and best of fortune.