Even tho' no one can or wants to "re-invent the wheel".. there have been care 'changes' over the past years that have proven to work for every tortoise known to man! Since I've not worked with 'all' of them.. even tho' I've kept several.. I'll try to as simply as I know how to explain how to raise redfoot tortoise hatchlings that will eventually become "proven" adults.. that produce hatchlings that look like this..
.. and grow to look like this now.. [ we're looking at carapace growth/smoothness ]..
If this is what you want your hatchling to grow to look like.. read on - OR - go to one of the links in my signature. Virtually everything I'm about to say here can be found thru-out the 2 caresheets below.
Turtletary caresheet http://www.turtletary.com/redfootcare.htm - started the "care" process.. Redfoots.com http://www.redfoots.com/redfoot.htm - has more "detailed" info. Keep in mind redfoots.com is totally different.. now a FAQ type site.. don't expect to go and chat! If you don't read this first [ chances are ] you will come away unhappy at best! When you do read this you'll be glad you did.. and it becomes very informative..
http://redfoots.com/smf/index.php?topic=30.0
When you choose to care for a redfoot hatchling "for life" you most realize their care is TOTALLY DIFFERENT than what "most" tortoises require. Not more difficult.. just different. To make this more difficult and confusing.. there have been [ and still are ] those in the past that attempt to "paint all tortoises with the same brush"!! Which is what I did. I read and relied on "those" caresheets------ and did virtually everything wrong - for redfoot tortoises - I'll explain.. see if any of this sounds familiar:
1] I raised redfoots with leopards! [ great start huh? ] No one said to 'mix' continents [ where they originate from ].. I just did it. I live where it's hot and often humid for about 6 months out of the year. Hot was great for both.. humid was not for leopards. [ The 'mixing' of natural bugs was the greatest danger.. but that's another issue. ] Here's the kicker..
2] All I fed them was romaine lettuce.. kept them inside at less than 80F on hay and provided a UVB bulb. I'm amazed either species survived! Which brings up another thought.. if your tort isn't doing well after "proper" set-up - chances are he wasn't started right and was shipped/sold too young [ had yolk-sac and/or egg-tooth ].
3] I was raising a redfoot like a "Notheastern hemisphere" tortoise.. and they are from the "Southwetern hemisphere"! Did you get that? Too cool.. too dry.. no fruit.. no animal protein.. too much light!!!
Believe it or not.. Andy did get some of it right.. http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/feeding_redfoots.html
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/trophab.html
I don't know about any other "out-dated" info posted by the Tortoise Trust - I do know that the "basic" DIET guidelines is what I use now.
4] Are you ready??? Although it's true - I added 'high-calcium' greens.. fruit a couple times a week.. and animal protein [ after 6 months and/or 3" carapace ] once a week - the most important thing you must do for redfoot tortoise hatchlings is keep their carapace "humid".. PERIOD!!! {This concept - keeping a humid hide for 'virtually' every tortoise on the planet - is finally being accepted and proven true}
SOOOOO... before the "system" as Crazy1 calls it.. No calcium rich greens.. no fruit.. no animal protein.. low temps and low humidity.
All I did that made the difference.. was added what was missing and eliminated the UVB that "omnivorous" redfoots don't need because they get the "D" vitamins from the animal protein part of their diet.
I have placed a "balanced-PLAN" to the system to keep it simple and easy to follow. As Andy's article states.. the seasons change [ wet or dry.. not temps to speak of ] which impacts the availability of certain foods. When we keep them in captivity we off-set the "natural" 'plan' of things! Which comes to the conclusion.
Since we are making food available "at will" we must be carefull to NOT OVERFEED! In fact outside mine have to hunt for the food.. which can be done inside too!
Over the years I've been blessed with several hatchlings that are now living all over the US. Everyone that stays with the "system" has identical results.
Besides almost 10 years "experience" of raising and now breeding redfoot tortoises.. I have friends that live in South America and breeder friends that have maintained redfoots for 20+ years. Great sources of info!
Havafunwun
Redfoot NERD
.. and grow to look like this now.. [ we're looking at carapace growth/smoothness ]..
If this is what you want your hatchling to grow to look like.. read on - OR - go to one of the links in my signature. Virtually everything I'm about to say here can be found thru-out the 2 caresheets below.
Turtletary caresheet http://www.turtletary.com/redfootcare.htm - started the "care" process.. Redfoots.com http://www.redfoots.com/redfoot.htm - has more "detailed" info. Keep in mind redfoots.com is totally different.. now a FAQ type site.. don't expect to go and chat! If you don't read this first [ chances are ] you will come away unhappy at best! When you do read this you'll be glad you did.. and it becomes very informative..
http://redfoots.com/smf/index.php?topic=30.0
When you choose to care for a redfoot hatchling "for life" you most realize their care is TOTALLY DIFFERENT than what "most" tortoises require. Not more difficult.. just different. To make this more difficult and confusing.. there have been [ and still are ] those in the past that attempt to "paint all tortoises with the same brush"!! Which is what I did. I read and relied on "those" caresheets------ and did virtually everything wrong - for redfoot tortoises - I'll explain.. see if any of this sounds familiar:
1] I raised redfoots with leopards! [ great start huh? ] No one said to 'mix' continents [ where they originate from ].. I just did it. I live where it's hot and often humid for about 6 months out of the year. Hot was great for both.. humid was not for leopards. [ The 'mixing' of natural bugs was the greatest danger.. but that's another issue. ] Here's the kicker..
2] All I fed them was romaine lettuce.. kept them inside at less than 80F on hay and provided a UVB bulb. I'm amazed either species survived! Which brings up another thought.. if your tort isn't doing well after "proper" set-up - chances are he wasn't started right and was shipped/sold too young [ had yolk-sac and/or egg-tooth ].
3] I was raising a redfoot like a "Notheastern hemisphere" tortoise.. and they are from the "Southwetern hemisphere"! Did you get that? Too cool.. too dry.. no fruit.. no animal protein.. too much light!!!
Believe it or not.. Andy did get some of it right.. http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/feeding_redfoots.html
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/trophab.html
I don't know about any other "out-dated" info posted by the Tortoise Trust - I do know that the "basic" DIET guidelines is what I use now.
4] Are you ready??? Although it's true - I added 'high-calcium' greens.. fruit a couple times a week.. and animal protein [ after 6 months and/or 3" carapace ] once a week - the most important thing you must do for redfoot tortoise hatchlings is keep their carapace "humid".. PERIOD!!! {This concept - keeping a humid hide for 'virtually' every tortoise on the planet - is finally being accepted and proven true}
SOOOOO... before the "system" as Crazy1 calls it.. No calcium rich greens.. no fruit.. no animal protein.. low temps and low humidity.
All I did that made the difference.. was added what was missing and eliminated the UVB that "omnivorous" redfoots don't need because they get the "D" vitamins from the animal protein part of their diet.
I have placed a "balanced-PLAN" to the system to keep it simple and easy to follow. As Andy's article states.. the seasons change [ wet or dry.. not temps to speak of ] which impacts the availability of certain foods. When we keep them in captivity we off-set the "natural" 'plan' of things! Which comes to the conclusion.
Since we are making food available "at will" we must be carefull to NOT OVERFEED! In fact outside mine have to hunt for the food.. which can be done inside too!
Over the years I've been blessed with several hatchlings that are now living all over the US. Everyone that stays with the "system" has identical results.
Besides almost 10 years "experience" of raising and now breeding redfoot tortoises.. I have friends that live in South America and breeder friends that have maintained redfoots for 20+ years. Great sources of info!
Havafunwun
Redfoot NERD