Redfoots

darren

thank you for sharing your research with us

i found it extremely interesting & extremely useful

[sarah]

What a brilliant read, thank you Darren.

[nina]

That was so interesting, Darren! I learned a lot. Thanks for posting.

[Laura01]

thanks for all your help, i really enjoyed reading that darren

[Laura01]

Would thie be a good way to keep redfoots, just a quick sum up, to make sure ive got everything right.
Soil/reptibark for substrate kept moist
UVB only for 5-6 hrs a day,
Infra red heat bulb for the additional heat source,
feed on weeds, flowers, fruit and the occasional bit of protein.
Keep the humidity up at 80% by spraying warm water and keeping a large water bowl,
hides for them

If i am wrong or have missed anything out, please let me know

[pawsplus]

Both the RFs I have kept sought out the UVB bulb and sought out basking areas in the sun when outside. And this in VERY hot, VERY humid Middle TN! Even with cover, RFs in South America are taking in SO much more UVB than a tort in nowhere-near-the-equator UK can hope to do.

Infrared bulbs are pointless. If you want heat w/out light, use a ceramic heat emitter. But don't turn the UVB off. Provide a shaded area of a LARGE enclosure and let the TORTOISE choose. They know what they need and they will seek it out.

[piglet]

Redfoots are omnivores not true herbivores they derive a great deal of there D3 needs through diet which include animal matter at least 20% of there diet includes this from inverts to carrion , baby redfoots feed a great deal on invertebrates on the forest floor again this how they derive D3 into there system not by basking they have large delicate eyes evolution gave them to find there way around the dark forest floors these eyes are susceptible to damage if subjected to intense amounts of UVB , I agree a uvb source is needed in are cold miserable wet country that isn't no where near the equator but then neither is there whole home range.
Darren

[terrypin]

hi Darren that was really informative and an excellent read i live in jersey it is nowhere near the equator yet at durrell wildlife park on the island they have redfoot tortoises that are kept outside when it is warm enough and radiated torts all these have heated houses they can retire to when they wish and seperate accommodation for winter time.i myself keep leopard tortoises and although i dont have the facilities they do at durrell i am upgradeing as funds become available in short i do agree these large tortoises can be kept in this climate although it is a little expensive at times ,i personally find it a fascinateing and rewarding experience.
terry

[piglet]

Hi Terry
My Original adult redfoots where bred at the Durrel institute some years back now I do believe they where the first UK Bred redfoots , unfortunately the information about redfoot care wasn't then as excellent as it is now for the care of redfoots or actually tortoises in general, hence they grew terrible which wasn't helped as they then got passed on from Jersey where they then became even more dietary defected.
I will say though that now they live here they thrive and breed profusely even though there appearance is a little alarming for tortoises seen in captivity these days
Darren

[Laura01]

Thankyou everybody for all your help, But im slightly confused.
So, to keep a redfoot in a healthy happy condition they would need 20% animal matter,
Does that count as the protein?? i read that re-hydrated dried low fat cat food was good to do this.
Is that correct or am i miss imformed?
And as for the uvb how many hours a day would you recommend?