Redfoot babies

[Abram]

So, we got them home last night, they went to bed around 9ish pm, burried themself at the end of the hideout. This morning at 10:30 only one of them was awake but not out of the hideout, so I woke them all up, gave them a warm bath. Two of them started to wonder around (one 6 months and the hatchling), the other one went back into the hideout. The hatchling nibbled a little bit on a dandelion and walked off to some more investigating, now he is back in the hideout and I assume he's sleeping. One 6 months old went no problem to the food and spent about 30 mins eating. I showed the other 6 months old to the food where he ate some lettuce and munched a dandelion flower then he went off to the cattlefish bone and nibbled on it and now he's at the edge of the hideout just sitting there. One 6 months old has sort of burried himself behind one of the tree branches Darren has provided us with and looks half asleep.

Now the questions, as I wanna get this right

How much food should I offer them?

What would be the normal quantity one 6 months should eat?

Did I do right to wake them up?

I know they are babies so they are supposed to sleep a bit more, but how long should they be asleep and how long should they be active?

Sorry for being a pain here

Thanks in advance,

Madalina

[Henry-flash]

Three large dandelion flowers and a small piece of lettuce should be enough between the three of them. If they still appear hungry later on then offer about a tablespoon full of finely diced fruit. Don't forget your supplements

[linda]

michael


reds can be hungry things

i believe the best way to go is feed them

perhaps enough to cover the top shells

or perhaps what they might eat in a half hour



as you can see its not very scientific

i really give what they want for about 30 mins

i have been weighing each month

and at such a young age exspect a weight gain of about 4 g per month

as they get older and bigger the monthly weight gain will increse

i probably think im a bit stingy on the food

but i do have extremely good smooth growth

as and when the first couple of years have passed i might give a bit more xx

but usually i do have food not wanted ie left over by the torts

michael you will get to know your torts quite quickly


pete i do give fruit but i do not chop it finely i give largeish chunks

so the reds need to work at it

its all exercise

do other red keepers chop or give whole

[Laraine]

Big Chunks here Linda, I want ours to grow up big and tough andready to tackle anything! When they get a chestnut mushroom it gets halved or quartered depending on size, and all their fruit are chunky bits, also makes it easier to clean up the remaining food.

[Abram]

Thanks all

Yesterday I think they ate quite well as when I offered them food in the evening they only nibbled on it. Today I didnt give them fruits only lettuce mixed with dandelion (with nutroball) and they're chunky bits not diced. They seemed to be fine with eating the chunky rasberries last night. Tonight I'll offer them some papaya see what happens.

Havent seen any poos yet, should I worry?

We spend our evening watching them again last night They're sooo funny! We got the package from Dazza so now the termometres and hydrometre are digital and the 6 months old one tried to eat them!! Got a pic of that gotta post it soon hehe

We also ordered Michael Pigleton's book last night, I hope it will get here soon.

Michael will be away until friday so its down to me to take care of the babies

Madalina

[Laraine]

Hi Don't worry about the poos, I have trouble spotting tiny tort poos, so when they have had a soak thats when I normally see them!
Poo watching....the new national pastime!

[linda]

madalina

poos can take days to arrive

plus they may be passing faeces and it is being eaten

[polo]

i dont chop finely , i tend to go chunky

[linda]

Originally Posted by polo

i dont chop finely , i tend to go chunky

i agree something chunky allows the tort to hold with feet and grasp at with mouth

i even leave the peel on such as with melon & kiwi & papaya but i do wash it first

it gives the reds something to go at strengthening muscles

[DAISY]

Well I must have got the 2 that like to poo I was quite shocked by the size of the poos compared to my tiny horsfields
Ive also found mine much prerer to be hidden away although they dont seem to be timid and once up, have a litltle explore before going back to bed.
Ive been waking mine up a couple of times a day and poping them in their water bowl which has a spot bulb angled (not direct beam though) on it to keep the water nice and warm and they seem to like this.
Today is their first fruit day with me and they are tucking into a piece of rasberry as I type