Redfoot Babies Won't Eat

[TheColossus]

So, I have a trio of Redfooted Tortoises that are each about 10 months old now, and they've never eaten good while I've had them. I can't get them to eat hardly anything no matter what type of food I offer them, and so subsequently they're not growing, and it seems like now they're starting to get a slight case of soft shell because they're not taking in anything.

They're in a 6' by 2' habitat with a mixture of coconut coir, cypress mulch, and moss for bedding, but I'm pulling them out of that and setting up a large storage container for them tomorrow hopefully, so I can monitor them better and make sure they're getting UVB and all of that.

I recently ordered some more different types of foods and appetite simulators and such from LLL reptile (including a scale so I can monitor their weight) and I'm hoping all of that helps. I'm going to take them all into the vet to see what he says and if he has any recommendations. But until then, because I don't know when I can get an appointment, what should I do?

 

[kathyth]

Please post a picture of their enclosure, temps, ambient temp and humidity of the enclosure.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Lydia:

The main reason for a tortoise not eating is that they aren't warm enough. A tortoise has to be able to warm up his inner core to AT LEAST 80F degrees...of course, warmer is even better. I only have a couple of RF's that I'm babysitting for someone else, so I'm not an expert on the species, however, what I've read on here and listening to TerryO and the way she keeps hers, I think its ok to have an overall temp of 80F and that you don't need a warm side and a cool side with RF tortoises.

Another trick that helps get babies eating is to place the feeding tile right in front of the hiding place so they don't have to come out and feel exposed.

Read about RF tortoises in the Tortoise Library and then go over your husbandry from the beginning and double check everything. It never hurts to re-evaluate your husbandry practices.

 

[TheColossus]

Kathyth, it's midnight right now so I will tomorrow.

Yvonne, they have two basking areas that get up into the mid 90s during the day and and enclosure is a closed chamber one. In the coldest spots the overall temperature is still around 80. They're definitely staying warm enough. The humidity stays around 50%. I feed them outside of the enclosure since I always give them a soak before they eat, so perhaps they're just not warm enough when they're eating? (because they're out of the enclosure and so they're eating in a room temperature or about a 70 degrees F area). I was told by a reptile veterinarian to not feed them in their enclosure, though, only outside of it. Perhaps that advice was wrong? That may be the problem then.

I've checked and re-checked my husbandry, but I'm still going to go through and re-do their habitat a bit and suspend more powerful mercury vapor bulbs to mostly replace the strip UVB lights and see if that helps out in terms of perking them up a bit, so to speak, if I can get them eating. I'm also going to try adding a humidifier to make sure that's stable and something to regulate the temperature, just so I know things are stable and such.

 

[naturalman91]

for babies that humidity is way to low a lot of red foot keeps like myself aim for atleast 80+ degrees ambient temps and 80-90% humidity i'm looking at my enclosure right now it's 10:30 pm where i am and the temp is 84 with 86% humidity. and lights are off. i feed in my enclosure on a slate just my thought but i would thinking having to remove them to feed them would stress them out how often are you soaking? and if it's a closed chamber you should have no problem keeping humidity i JUST misted earlier today for the first time in almost a month because mine was staying at a perfect 85%

i am no expert but i'm constantly reading on reds and while there is a lot of conflicting information out there, one thing we all seem to agree on on this forum is high temps (80s) and high humidity (80s) for babies, like i said i'm no expert tho i'm sure someone will jump in on this

 

[Ashes]

I agree with naturalman - I'm no expert but have done a LOT of research (have a baby red). I keep the ambient temp about 81-83 degrees and never let my humidity below 80% if I can help it. Still working on that but it's been doing pretty well staying above 80. your floor space, ambient temp, and basking temp seem fine to me (mines 104 for basking but it's a little too high, I think... need a different bulb)...

And I feed my baby in the enclosure on a flat slate rock - that's how he stays warm while eating, otherwise he doesn't eat as well (I also feed after soaking). I've learned what he likes and doesn't like so far. Still trying. What are you trying to feed? I've had my little'un for a little over a month. How long have you had yours?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I don't keep Redfoots but I do keep numerous tortoises and I know they get very stressed from moving out of their home to somewhere else. I personally think that's your problem. Use a tile or some slate and feed them in their habitat. There's no need to feed them out of it, also, I would not soak them first. I have one animal that drinks and drinks, then she is too full to eat...just a couple of thoughts...

 

[christinaland128]

I keep my reds warm. I have a heating may under the enclosure to warm the dirt.

They eat really well for me after a nice soak. I offer them a wide variety of foods described at The Tortoise Library. Their favorite seems to be fresh dark greens and mushy mazuri. I finely chop their food most the time.

At times I catch them grazing on plants in their enclosure, but usually I have to pull them out of their hiding once a day to place then in front of their food. They're only 8mos. so they still hide a lot.

 

[Ashes]

I don't keep Redfoots but I do keep numerous tortoises and I know they get very stressed from moving out of their home to somewhere else. I personally think that's your problem. Use a tile or some slate and feed them in their habitat. There's no need to feed them out of it, also, I would not soak them first. I have one animal that drinks and drinks, then she is too full to eat...just a couple of thoughts...

I have the opposite problem - mine doesn't hardly drink. I've seen him drink maybe 4 times in a month. He's doing it in his enclosure when I'm not looking. Lol.

 

[Ashes]

It sounds like you're doing well. Just raise the humidity to above 80% and feed them in their enclosure... See how it goes.

 

[kathyth]

Naturalman is right on the money!
I would have them eating in their warm enclosure.

 

[TheColossus]

OH my goodness there's so many replies! Ok, I'm going to try to respond to everyone.

naturalman91, the humidity is pretty low, I've been battling with that fir a while :/ I get it up to 99% but I just can't keep it where it's supposed to be regardless of how often I mist. I'm going to get a humidifier, it seems like that's just what I need to do. And I soak them every other day.

littledude, I think that's what I'm going to do, just get a nice slate tile and feed the trio on there in a warm spot in their enclosure. And I've tried to feed them a wide variety of greens, fruits, veggies, and animal protein, way too many things to list. I'd just try a different balanced combination every other feeding. Basically anything that you'd find on a list of what to feed a redfoot tortoise. I've also tried a few commercial feeds as well, softened pellets, fruit mixes, cans of mixed fruit and such. One of the tortoises, Redmond Barry, I've had since August, the others, Edmond Dantes and Desmond Fitzgerald, since December. But they're all the same age, I just bought Redmond when he was a lot younger.

maggie3fan, I think that may be the problem. They're probably too stressed from being moved out of their habitat and out of the heat so they aren't really eating much. I'm going to start feeding them in their enclosure to see if that helps any. I guess the vet just gave me some bad advice.