Question about a red foot that is living in my yard?!?

ZEROPILOT

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Hello fellow south Florida Redfoot keeper!
I'm I bit north of you in Sunrise. South Broward county.
It does get just a bit too cold for comfort here outside. But we've had very mild winters here the last few years as you know.
My REDFOOT all live in an outdoors enclosure. I only bring them in if it'll be below 50° because I have heated houses for them. But they're not well insulated.
Yours has and can continue to survive outside and he looks like he's doing just fine.
You should provide some type of shallow pan that he or she can climb into to soak and drink from.
Feed fruit, hibiscus leaves and flowers, cactus, mushrooms and some boiled egg.
However, if you have any issues, I can assist you in making an enclosure, etc or in relocation.
Welcome to the group!
 

William Lee Kohler

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Honestly! Those white spots look just like where keratin has been scraped off by contact with something like rock or cement blocks. I think a fungus diagnosis is just plain nuts and overreacting.
 

Maggie3fan

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I'm not sure a vet can help with the carapace...it looks like she's wedging in and out of somewhere, a/or is being chewed by rodents...
That's exactly what I was thinking...scrapes over and over again. Maybe that's rubbing on against something regularly.
 

Maggie3fan

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Honestly...I'd leave him be, no Vet, no feeding, just fresh water. He's done great by himself, he does not need intervention. Leave him alone and simply enjoy him. Just my personal opinion
 

Toddrickfl1

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Honestly! Those white spots look just like where keratin has been scraped off by contact with something like rock or cement blocks. I think a fungus diagnosis is just plain nuts and overreacting.
I dunno what y'all are seeing I see 100% shell fungus. It usually starts on the plastron then moves up. Notice how its heaviest on the marginal scutes, closest to the plastron?Screenshot_20210427-093856~2.png I'm willing to bet money if the OP posted pictures of the Plastron it would be completely covered.
 

Maggie3fan

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I dunno what y'all are seeing I see 100% shell fungus. It usually starts on the plastron then moves up. Notice how its heaviest on the marginal scutes, closest to the plastron?View attachment 324002 I'm willing to bet money if the OP posted pictures of the Plastron it would be completely covered.
The picture is so blurry; it's so hard to see. Loser buys cheeseburgers...I think...I didn't see the extent of the white. Couldn't scrape where it is...I owe you a burger...oh goody, a road trip!!!
 

Toddrickfl1

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The picture is so blurry; it's so hard to see. Loser buys cheeseburgers...I think
Deal, but dollar menu cheeseburgers, I'm on a budget over here ?
 

ZenHerper

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Deal, but dollar menu cheeseburgers, I'm on a budget over here ?
You win...damn. Off the top of my head I'm thinking it's about 3000 miles...

You can Door D*sh that stuff to each other, y'know. =))

Pending new plastral photos, let's hope its non-mammalian abraision. Treating a feral tort for fungus and finding the mud hole won't be fun.
 

ZEROPILOT

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I should get him help for his shell though. when I see him again ill have to catch him and take him to the vet just to make sure he's ok
If it is shell fungus.
It might still be treatable with simple athletes foot cream. And that can be found at the dollar store. It's quick and effective.
However, if it has been an ongoing fungal issue, it could have become shell ROT. And will need veterinarian care. Because that requires antibiotics and is no longer fungal in nature. Think of shell ROT as an advanced stage of shell fungus. However, it can take hold from other types of injuries also.
My guess is that it looks like shell fungus. And if I (and @Toddrickfl1) are correct, that plastron is going to be in horrible condition and does need swift intervention.
My vet is BROWARD AVIAN AND EXOTIC in Deerfield beach, north Broward county. Well worth the drive from anywhere in south to central Florida. If vet care is needed.
As south Floridians, we are headed into our rainy season soon. Great for a Redfoots humidity needs. Bad for a fungal issue.
I don't know how familiar you are with tortoises, but he will not bite you and you will not harm him by lifting him up to take one or two photos of his underside. (Plastron)
That will allow us to help you help him or her.
About the "everything he needs to eat is in the yard".... Just because he's alive, you know that that is mostly true. However, there will still be large parts of the diet that he is lacking. His need to have access to water daily is lacking. His protection from wild animals. Mostly dogs. Protection from the cold And his physical condition at the moment show that he has merely survived. Probably out of pure luck so far.
As I previously mentioned, setting up a secure and safe enclosure and making sure his needs are met would be in his best interest.
It wouldn't take much extra work. Just living here in south Florida makes it pretty easy to care for a Redfoot. My six all live outdoors and do very well. Making sure they have a nice life is simple.
 

nootnootbu

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thank you so much for your help. I get such a little thrill when I see him out there sometimes, and I am starting to feel responsible especially since I found out he is not native to here. Until yesterday I though it was an eastern box turtle. Anyways his whole life is my side yard he cant get out. so yes I have a large terracota pot tray that is filled with water that gets mucky sometimes. But I should make sure he has clean fresh water too. I worry he may have something wrong with his shell because I see white spots or flaking I cant tell. I worry it might be shell rot, but I spoke to an exotic vet today and they said to bring him in to make sure he's alright. so I def need to grab him and take him next time he makes an appearance. poor thing
If it's only white without any wet or ick, it's probably just shell fungus and not yet rot which you can easily treat on your own by applying athletes foot cream to the white spots daily for two weeks. Make sure to treat any on his underside too.
 

jsheffield

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That looks like shell fungus to me... smear the whole shell with dollar store athlete's foot cream a couple of times at least a few days apart.

As others have said, I'd make sure there's some water available; I'd also put down some greens and fruit and veggies periodically; consider supplying the tort with a hide that could provide some shelter from extreme weather and extremes of temperature.

Jamie
 

MichaelL

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I agree that it's shell fungus. The plastron probably looks like this or worse. This is a pic of a juvenile gopher tortoise I found with some shell fungus. The fungus was not even on the carapace or on the sides of the shell yet, in contrast to your redfoot, so I assume yours will be more covered and need more attention. Notice how it is spreading though on this gopher tortoise, toward the sides of the shell. I would've helped this tortoise, but you're really not even supposed to touch these tortoises...

IMG_1957.JPG
 

Skip K

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I’d be concerned that the Redfoot would eventually fall prey to predators or have a too close encounter with a car or lawn mower eventually. If you don’t want to keep the Redfoot as a pet...put it up for adoption. Finding a home for a tortoise is never a problem. Except for Sulcatas sometimes ( because of size)...tortoises rarely stay around long waiting to be adopted. Just choose a legitimate adoption avenue. Don’t post like on a bulletin board or pet store...as they tend to have adopters who will not know what all is involved with keeping a tortoise correctly.
 

willee638

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When I moved into this house in 2018 I knew the guy that lived here before me was a hepetp;pgist and kept turtles.
he build a low wall around the side of the house that enclosed a nice portion of the side yard. there are plenty of bushes and small trees and shrubs back there.
anyways all this to say that this past year I have seen this turtle there occasionally. My handiman says he's been seeing it since we moved in.
Now know where the turtle lives most of the time. Under the Shad of this one bush in the corner of the area. I've taken a few pictures and im told it is a
red footed tortoise. I believe it either hatched after the old homeowner left or was left behind. I believe he hatched afterward though because he looks about 3 years old.
My question is ;what do I do now? I live in Miami and this tortoise (I named him Squanto because he is the last of his tribe.) seemed to be surviving fine with out my help.
I guess I wonder, is he fine? or is he barely making it?
I where he lives mangos fall back there to munch on and I have a lot of green yummy plants to munch on. And I have banana trees that dont fruit, but def drop their leaves. also there are hibiscus bushes etc etc. I worry that the state of his shell looks a little off. but I have no idea. I would take him to vet but I see him so rarely.
Any advice is much appreciated.
Thank you
Tina
That's amazing, although he appears fine & living in an outdoors environment in warm weather. He probably isn't getting all the nutritional & enough varieties of foods he should be eating, I don't think it's harmful for you to leave some fruits & vegetables near him once a week but not be involve to be a pet owner if you just want to let him be alone.
 

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