Originally Posted by EmmaA (Post 603906)

Hi

I have just got an 8 year old male redfoot and called him Bainbridge, as I am new to tortoises I wanted to post you my set up so te more knowledgeable out there can advise me and give me some pointers on setting up the best I can for him.
Always good to do research

His previous owners were clueless (even more so than me) so I see this as a little rescue mission and want to get everything as good as I can.

I've got him in a 5by3 foot viv in my conservatory. I have a 10% UVB and 100W basking lamp for during the day and his viv is about 28-30 at the basking end and 25-27 at the cool end. I am waiting for a stat to regulate the daytime temps. He has a heatmat for background heat at night. This a splashproof one with a thermostat and I have it under a 8mm thick sheet of acetal. I've got this set at 24degC.
How big is he? You might need to upgrade the size of the viv soon. 10% is too bright, in the wild reds receive around 4% so I would go with a 5%. Ambient temps should be a bit higher around 28 mark IMO, although under basking lamp around 32, 33 and cold spots of 24 or 25 is fine. I might invest in a CHE rather than a heat mat, as better heat source
In the morning he likes to bask under his lamp and then wanders around the consevatory, he has access to the viv but seems to choose not to go back in. He is very active, the consevatory is about 20degC today as it is cloudy it was around 30 yesterday. Is he okay meandering or will he be getting cold, its a tiled floor so probably cooler for him than it is for us? If I let him out in the morning he lets himself back in to bask but as I said doesn't go back in again until the evening after that.
I wouldn't let him roam around. Reds are fine as long as its above 15 but ideally should be much higher than that. Also they can pick up nasties on the floor
With regards to going outdoors I plan to let him out on nice days. my house is rented so I can't get power to the outside easily. If I restrict his outdoor time to nicer days will he be okay with a hide inside a small coldframe greenhouse linked up to a rabbit run? I figure his hide will be quite warm and waterproof that way?
You'd have to make sure that he gets UVB, the glass in the coldframe will not let it through so offer a large non covered area. They are fine out at above 15-see above
He is very lively and a real character. His eyes are bright and nose is clear and mouth is nice and pink. He does have pyramiding but all I can do is look to improve everything for him from now on. He is eating well ona diet of weeds (he loves dandelions which are in plentiful supply at the minute), dark greens, fruit (peaches, apples and grapes at the moment) and peppers. I will feed him a pinky once a month. I am sprinkling Nutrabol on his food, just a pinch.
Sounds good-if you want some more ideas for food just ask. One thing I would say quickly is offer plenty of mushrooms if you have eating problems
Oh and I am spraying his substrate 3 times aday, his viv is around 70-80% humidity.
Ok, but try ad get it above 80 most of the time
Sorry for the long post, I just want to get everything right for him. I am already thoroughly enjoying this very interesting hobby :-P

Thanks

Emma

Originally Posted by EmmaA (Post 603917)

Thanks for the advice so far, I will downgrade his UVB bulb.
I will be upgrading his viv as this is the one he was in with the previous owners but it will have to do for now as I have spent rather a lot getting everything else sorted. His last owners had him very dry and were using sawdust as his substrate. I didn't listen to any of their advice as I could see they were getitng it so wrong.
He also only had a heatpad for warmth, no bulbs whatsoever. I will also get another light fitting and get a CHE, how long do these tend to last.

With regards to the outdoors enclosure he wil be able to get out of the coldframe into a pen to get into the sun, I was just thinking the cold frame will be warmer so if he has a hide in there are well as in the run he'll be able to choose his temperature when he is out.

Originally Posted by EmmaA (Post 604159)

thanks for the welcome and for the advice so far.
His substrate is a layer of soil and sand mixed with coconut coir over the top. The base of his viv to the door isn't very deep but I have got it deeper at the back. Next on the list os definitely a new viv.
He's been out in the garden most of the day today, he found himself a comfortable plant, trampled it and dozed the afternoon away. As I haven't sorted an outdoor encosure yet he is going out when I am out there so fingers crossed for many more days with nice weather.
He is such a character and I have already picked up on some quirky little ways he has, like if there is any thing on the ground he will climb over it rather than walking round it.

Again thanks for the warm welcome

Originally Posted by EmmaA (Post 603906)

Hi

I have just got an 8 year old male redfoot and called him Bainbridge, as I am new to tortoises I wanted to post you my set up so te more knowledgeable out there can advise me and give me some pointers on setting up the best I can for him.

His previous owners were clueless (even more so than me) so I see this as a little rescue mission and want to get everything as good as I can.

I've got him in a 5by3 foot viv in my conservatory. I have a 10% UVB and 100W basking lamp for during the day and his viv is about 28-30 at the basking end and 25-27 at the cool end. I am waiting for a stat to regulate the daytime temps. He has a heatmat for background heat at night. This a splashproof one with a thermostat and I have it under a 8mm thick sheet of acetal. I've got this set at 24degC.

In the morning he likes to bask under his lamp and then wanders around the consevatory, he has access to the viv but seems to choose not to go back in. He is very active, the consevatory is about 20degC today as it is cloudy it was around 30 yesterday. Is he okay meandering or will he be getting cold, its a tiled floor so probably cooler for him than it is for us? If I let him out in the morning he lets himself back in to bask but as I said doesn't go back in again until the evening after that.

With regards to going outdoors I plan to let him out on nice days. my house is rented so I can't get power to the outside easily. If I restrict his outdoor time to nicer days will he be okay with a hide inside a small coldframe greenhouse linked up to a rabbit run? I figure his hide will be quite warm and waterproof that way?

He is very lively and a real character. His eyes are bright and nose is clear and mouth is nice and pink. He does have pyramiding but all I can do is look to improve everything for him from now on. He is eating well ona diet of weeds (he loves dandelions which are in plentiful supply at the minute), dark greens, fruit (peaches, apples and grapes at the moment) and peppers. I will feed him a pinky once a month. I am sprinkling Nutrabol on his food, just a pinch.

Oh and I am spraying his substrate 3 times aday, his viv is around 70-80% humidity.

Sorry for the long post, I just want to get everything right for him. I am already thoroughly enjoying this very interesting hobby :-P

Thanks

Emma