Yes, he is probably getting too cold and just waiting for it to warm up again. Some of mine do it, some of them get themselves back under the heatlamp. They do it outside too. I think its part of a redfoots thinking that 'well I'm tropical so I'll just wait and it'll get warmer - I must be somewhere tropical after all'

As an experiment you could put a desk lamp on the floor. My viv is on the floor so they can just go back in of they want. See if he reheats himself under the desk lamp and wanders off again or still just finds a nice dark corner. Useful in the table/viv consideration too.

I've had a good think before adding my 2p's worth on the viv/table debate as I'm not interested in argueing with anyone. I think we should start by confining this to keeping redfoots in the UK. I have only ever had redfoots so do not want to comment on the needs of med species. Redfoots in vivs are a special case, often quietly admitted in other discussions on tables on various forums. Tropical keepers are in the minority compared with Med species and we need to remember that they are very different.

As I have said on another thread my breeding adults live in a large vivarium. It is well ventilated. Personally I don't like the glass tank types as they are water tight. As the sliding doors aren't sealed they will let air in. Especially as the hot air rising and escaping from the upper vents will drag air in at the bottom.

I don't have the space for a dedicated shed, garage or room that I can keep hot enough for tropical tortoises. Therefore I prefer to enclose them to keep the temps and humidity in control.

Put simply, any redfoot enclosure needs to be as large as possible, well ventilated but warm and humid and with happy tortoises in it! They way you go about it is up to you.

BT

I pretty much leave my lid open a few inches. I wedge a big thick book in there. I stopped myself from putting air holes at the bottom.
BT I would like to see a picture of your viv if possible, The more ideas everyone has the better the environment for our torts. Next month I will hopefully be able to post some details on suitable lacquers for tort tables/viv's. Im about to trial a waterbased exterior lacquer at work. It should be able to cope with water spillage and humidity.
Im going to look into tung oil and danish oil too and post my finidings.

Apologies to Sarah too. Reading back it sounds like I was having a rather drunken dig, but in no way was it meant to sound like that. From my hazy memory it took me about an hour to write that. What a pleb I am hahaha
:o)