Wanted: Red or Yellow Foot Adult

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jennaveese

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I am looking for a companion for my 8-year-old Red Foot named Jerry. He gets along great with my dogs but I think he would be happiest with a friend of his own kind. He has a huge indoor enclosure with great lighting and humidity (we live in North Carolina) and I am in the midst of building him an enormous outdoor enclosure. There will soon be plenty of room for him to have a friend.

I would be willing to pay an adoption fee or rehoming fee, but not more than a few hundred dollars. I am not looking to breed, so I would prefer a male. Please email me at [email protected] if you or someone you know is looking for a new home for their Red or Yellow Foot.
Thanks!
 

JoesMum

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Tom's Dog Story is avery sad example of why dogs and tortoises should not mix.

As for your tort, he'd be just as happy alone. Torts are largely solitary in the wild only meeting to mate and then move on. They don't get lonely and they don't need play-mates.

Any newcomer must be kept entirely separately in quarantine for a good 6 months to ensure that neither tort makes the other ill. After that, it's pot luck whether they'll get on. If they do, it may only be for a short time before one, the other or both becomes more sexually active, or jealous of their food and territory. Tortoises fight and mate aggressively.

You should only get another if you can keep it entirely separately for the quarantine and accept that this may have to be a permanent arrangement.
 

jennaveese

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I know that it is not safe to have them free roaming with the dogs which is why I do not let them interact much. That being said, when I am near Jerry's enclosure playing with the dogs, he claws at the plexiglass on the side of his enclosure wanting to come out. He loves interacting with me and with the dogs when I am there to supervise. Perhaps your tort and many others are happy being solitary, but I can assure you that Jerry loves interacting with other beings and does, in fact, get "lonely" when he is left alone for too long. I can see a major difference in his temperament after getting some socialization time, and I would imagine it would be even better if it was one of his own kind.

I do know about quarantining and I am fully willing to do so for him to be happier in the long run.

Thanks for your advice, though.
 

JoesMum

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This is not about my tort... it's about how Torts mature as they get older. Mine would love to have company to constantly harass. He comes to us and takes food from us and chases our feet...

Read through the forums you wills ee endless people who have pairs of tortoises that suddenly don't want company as they get older.

They don't get lonely, they do see humans as the food source. Some species are worse than others... Russians for example. At the other end of the scale there are the gentle giants, Aldabras.

Red foots are definitely nearer the 'no company' end of the scale.
 

Lulu

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Actually, my experience (my husband has them) and from what I've seen with others, redfoots are pretty happy with companions and more likely to get along with other tortoises than other species. I don't know that they're "happier" with companions, but from all I've seen, they do pretty well with them. Be sure to quarantine before adding a new tortoise, and introduce slowly as you would with any type of pet.
 

jennaveese

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Thank you Lulu. I think I am heading on a path that will be best for my Jerry.
 

Lulu

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I'm not saying they will get along, mind you. :) But with redfoots you have some chance of success. I'm a testudo gal myself, and they really don't care if they ever see another tortoise (though the males would really really like to see a female from time to time). However, I've known people to keep RFs in small herds with some success.

Good luck.
 

ascott

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I think that the key word here for success if "herd" ...pairs are a tricky nut to crack...I have two redfoot tortoise I adopted...story went they have always lived together and get along great.....the person I adopted them from only had them a very short time so I really feel that it was told the same to her...well let me tell you...there was one that was around six inches and the other a bit bigger (just a bit)...both wrongly pyramided and very dry....one clearly outgoing and the other clearly withdrawn and not able to see well....speed up a bit in the story....

I (against better judgement) went ahead and set them up together and began to observe their interaction with one another...so on day three I set up a second full enclosure...in my observation I watched subtle....as well as outright bullying....the stronger tort also appeared to have bitten the front feet on the weaker tort and as a result over a couple of weeks the weaker one lost her beautiful dark skin and a few toenails off of each of her front feet...also she had other bite marks healing on her back legs....now, that was just the physical exterior obvious damage....the weaker one also had an eye irritation that was swollen shut and she was not able to see her food and therefore would bite at the air ...so I hand fed bite by bite for about two weeks...I knew she was under weight and week ...so eventually I began to pile her food high and as time (months) went by she figured a system that worked for her to eat successfully ...albeit really slow. I have had them for awhile now and the weaker one has finally settled in and have a touch of confidence ....the bully is fine...well outside of his pyramiding...I hold nothing against him...he has a huge attitude...big personality and loves to tuck in his head and come running at my hand and ramming my hand and digging in his back feet to push my hand even harder...he is a joy...however, he is a typical tortoise (not a redfoot first but rather a tortoise first) I would never suggest someone to plan on a pair...as I said it is a tough path to harmony and more times than not it just is not beneficial to the tortoise who must submit...if you do try I would strongly suggest that you go into it fully prepared to have two individual equal full time enclosures...just for the sake of safety and humane reasons....you know what I mean?

And it sounds like you are aware that dog vs tortoise =time one dead tortoise....so glad to heat you do not permit even a moment of time when your pooch and tort hang out together...

I have torts here that will wiggle and stomp and cause a scene when they see me...first and foremost I am the bringer of all yummies...they are smart that way...now I do not confuse that with them being tail wagging happy to see me...lol...I would be silly if I did. I also know that two of them absolutely find me entertaining...then when they have had their fill..I am deserted ...lol...as should be...again, curiosity should not be confused with so many of our human emotions...I have fun with each of their personalities...however, I know without a single doubt that if the CDTs were in the same yard forced to co exist...I would have four badly damaged...highly stressed warriors out waiting the weaker ones to die...now that is a harsh reality for some to accept but it is what it is....

I wish you the best of luck in your quest....and I hope you will think through all possibilities positive as well as negative and set up for either way....and quarantine is of utmost importance...in my opinion...no less than six months but I personally would go for a year....loads of luck...
 

Lulu

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I would agree that you should be fully prepared to have them not get along and have enclosures set up for that possibility, and that a trio may be more likely to meet with success than a pair.
 
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