Red footed tortoise- care sheet.

[Tomcat]

Hiya, i have two red foots, so i thought i would combine all of the info i know on them to help all of you out there who would like red foots.

Housing- Generally a tortoise should be kept in a tortoise table,not a Viv, but many people have greater success using viv's for reds than using tortoise tables, as it is easier to keep the high humidity up. I am doing fine in a tortoise table, so it is up to you, but generally, a tortoise table is better as they like ground humidity, not air humidity. The table should be as large as you can make it, but no smaller than a 5'x3'. Reds grow upto 16" so that is the bare minimum for an adult. Whilst babies, the minimum is 3'x2' as they like to explore.

Heating- Reds, like any other tortoise, require heating. This should be set to 30-32 degrees celsius. At night, the temperature should not drop below 10 degrees so it is best to have a thermostat set up for night time.

UV requirements- Reds need a UVB tube light, or a combined heat and UVB bulb. The tubes should be replaced every 5-6 months, even though they still work after this time, the UVB output is not very good, and isnt enough for your tortoise. Some people say that a redfoot only need 5-6 hours of UVB light aday. But i put it on for the same time as the heat bulb.

Feeding- Reds are a tropical species, so can digest fruit. This should be given as a treat though, not every day. They need weeds as a staple diet, these include; Dandilion leaf & flower and sow thislte. Flowers include; Pansies, hibiscus. Fruit include; mango's, melons, grapes. Adults can have a pinky mouse every month or two.

Substrate- Reds need substrate that will hold in moisture. A good substrate is sand/soil 40%-60% with a bark on top. The bark cannot include pine. The best thing to buy, is a reptibark as this can be re-used and washed.

That is my care sheet, if you have anything to add, then please do so.

Thanks, Tom.

[Tomcat]

Is it ok?

[john01]

i am interested in buying a red foot tortoise but i am not fully aware of everything i need. i made a list and so far it contains;


tortoise table

heat bulb and bracket

uvb bulb and bracket

substrate

log hide or hiding space

food and drink

ceramic tiles


anything else i should know? or is there anything missed out i would need?

[brewdy]

hi i have a trio of red foots and you have most of the bases coverd. I whould add a timer for the uv light and a habistat for your heat source.
also you must be aware that red foots have a higher need of protein than most other torts

[Terryo]

I was told that my Cherry Head RF needed a lot of humidity. I have him in a 75 gal viv. Lots of plants. Protean once a week, fruit twice a week, and the rest greens. Here 's Pio


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[tilly790]

Lovely set up & good pics

[Laika]

Lovely piccys!! We're still debating which sort of tortoise to get.. Is that moss? Can you buy that? or is it from garden? Just curious- looks cute

[Terryo]

It's just tropical moss. That was a Christmas Tree storage bin I made for outside last summer. This summer I have a much bigger pen for him. Inside he is in a 75 gal. vivarium. I tried tables, plastic tubs ect. and nothing held the humidity like a vivarium, and it is so much more natural. I tried to mimic a tropical forest floor, where he comes from.

[ashleymargaret]

I've recently started growing my own food for my baby red foot ( 6months). I read that they eat hibiscus flowers and leaves in their natural environment, and i bought a hibiscus tree in the garden center. I'm wondering if it is okay to feed it to him, even though i bought it in a store. My main concern is fertilizers harming him.


Any advice would be appreciated! it may be kind of a silly question, but i dont want to take any chances.

ashley

[ashleymargaret]

I was also wondering if it is okay to feed my tortoise gerbera daisies. I have some of them in the garden as well and i wondered if this was a tolerable type of daisy.

thanks again!

ashley