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Old 30-01-2013, 12:38 PM   #1
Bigchrismac10
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Default Advice and help for Redfoot owner

Hi all!
I don't usually do the whole forum thing but I guess it's the best place for help and advice on keeping a Redfoot Tortoise.
We've had our Redfoot Tort for about 4 weeks now. I did a lot of research before we got him Internet books etc. (mike pingletons guide is a great read)
My redfoot Victor is about 2-3.
I keep him in a table of 5'x3'. He has a hide box attached to it also an up turned log he can hide under.
Substrate is repti bark 1-2" deep. Also dried hay in hide box. For the first week I put sphagnum moss in a corner near basking lamp but got small flies on it so took it all out.
I now have a small dish with coco husk soil mix which I keep moist to increase humidity. The type you get in a dried block that expands. Also some pastic leaves around one corner which I spray twice a day. There is a small water dish he can walk into too. fresh water every day about 3/4 inch deep.
I'm not sure of the wattage of the lamp it's a mercury vapour bulb UVA and UVB. Also a heat mat on roof of his hide box for the night.
Temps are 32-35 at basking end. 28-30 at cool end. Night temps in box around 18-22.
He eats well every day fruit veg and leaves once a week dried tort food that I make wet. Also once a week a pinky mouse he has had a bit of sausage too!
He was quite active in the pet shop viv he likes a stroke and dosnt mind being held. He has a bath once or twice a week and usually poos straight after and normally every 2-3 days.
From what I have read I am doing everything right but I'm not sure he is happy he hides away all day and won't come out on his own. When I get him out he'll eat then go back to bed! His eyes are clear not too dry or watery. Nostrils are clear also. He does the rhythmic breathing thing but don't know if he's stressed. His leg scales do appear quite dry and he sometimes bites the loose scales off. Is this normal?
Any help and advice would be appreciated!
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Old 30-01-2013, 02:03 PM   #2
egyptiandan64
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It sounds like he's not humid enough and the lights over the table may be to bright. Especially when Redfoots are small vivs make excellent enclosures as it's much easier to keep them warm and humid, which they like.
Keeping a table that size warm and humid would take a little bit of work. You'd need to have a substrate depth of at least 6 inches (to hold be able to hold more water in it), at least 2 large water dishes and probably 2 ceramic heat emitters that will throw heat but no light.

Danny
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Old 30-01-2013, 02:19 PM   #3
Bigchrismac10
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Thanks for the reply Danny. I've ordered a humidity meter off eBay hopefully be able to get the humitiy up if its low. The water dish and soil dish are near the light so I hoped that would raise it a bit. Also keep a clothes horse with drying clothes nearby when possible!
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