Care Sheet for TortoisesAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 3.86 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 06/24/2006 |
Main Category: | Aquatic/Land |
Sub Category: | Tortoises |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Coolantguy |
Years Experience: | 10 to 15 Years |
Species: | Red Foot Tortoise |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | none |
Sexing and Characteristics: | 1)In males the tail is longer. Males also tend to tuck their tails up, where females will often leave them down. A female’s tail will often have a bulge at the base of it. This bulge quickly becomes a skinny tip. This helps with egg-laying. In males there is no bulge, and the size at the tip is not that much smaller than the size at the top. The tip of the males tail tends to be slightly rounded, whereas the females tail ends in more of a point. The females tend to have a circular or semi-circular vent. The males vent tends to be a vertical slit.
2) Males often have concave plastrons(bottom shell), but some females can also be slightly concave. If the plastron is very concave, the animal is more than likely male. If it is only slightly concave, it is hard to tell.
3) The most obvious one, look for a penis. Look at the animal’s tail right after you soak them, or when they are urinating. If you see the tip of a pink penis the animal is 99.9% male. There has been cases of tortoises with a penis who have laid viable eggs. |
Mostly Active During: | Day |
Substrate and Water Needs: | There are many different moisture holding substrates that are suggested. I currently use cypress mulch, but am soon switching over to peat moss/sphagnum moss 50/50. I have the mix in a descent sized Tupperware, and he loves to dig around and get dirty in it. For water, i use the water catcher for a flower pot, and i put stones (the size of golf balls, so he cant eat them) so he can climb out with out any problem. |
Lighting and UVB: | They must have a good source of unfiltered uvb light for 12-14 hours a day. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Temperatures on the warm end at around 89-95 degrees, and on the cool side, mine stays at 85. They say not to let nighttime temps drop below 75, but i keep mine at about 79-80. humidity should be around 70-80% |
Heating and Equipment: | I have a basking bulb on the warm end of his enclosure that warms it up during the day. at night, i use a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). they are a bit costly (mine cost 30 bucks) but they are well worth it. |
Caging Provided: | I have a 4X2X2 cage for my 5 inch tort. It has about a foot of cypress mulch, because he loves to dig. I have a water bowl on the warm end. I plant various plants in his enclosure, but i replace them once he has eaten them. right now i have a cabbage plant and a hen and chick plant in there. i have a hibiscus plant, but am waiting to switch substrates to plant that. i have made hills out of the cypress mulch, and put various branches and rocks in there, to break up the view. on the warm end, i have a Tupperware filled with sphagnum/peat moss very very wet. almost a mud like consistency. on top of the Tupperware, i put a log hide. that is his favorite hide, because he loves to be dirty. on the cool side, i have another hide (made of rocks) but he doesn’t seem to care for that one.
The general rule for a full grown tort is 2 square feet per inch of shell length. |
Diet: | Omnivorous |
Description of Diet: | There diet consists of Leafy greens (70%), fruits/vegetables/flowers(25%) and an occasional meat based protein (5%).
for the leafy greens, i use items such as endive, escarole, dandelion greens, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, etc.
for the fruits i use mango (he LOVES mangoes), kiwi, apples, papaya, well ripened plum, grapes (purple and green) cherries, blueberries, black berries, etc.
for vegetables i use squash, zucchini, cucumber, green/red/yellow peppers, etc
and for flowers i use, honey suckle, rose (no rose foods or pesticides) dandelions, day lillies, hibiscus flowers (and leaves)
Once a month i will feed him a pinky mouse or a couple crickets/meal worms as a treat. I don’t care what anybody tells you, never use dog food, it is to fatty, and to processed for your tort. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | I use miner-all calcium with d3. if you are housing your red foot outdoors, you don’t need the d3, they get that from natural sunlight. some people use extra vitamin supplements, but i don’t, because i vary the diet so much, he gets everything he needs, and then some. |
Maintenance: | Spot clean the enclosure every day. Change the water every day. clean out the cage as you think it is needed. i clean mine about every 2-3 weeks. change your UVB bulb as recommended by the manufacturer. |
Some Words on this Species: | Red foots, if you have the room, are a great beginner tortoise. Once you have a schedule down, they are very easy to care for. They are very fun to be around, and nothing but nice. once they warm up to you, they welcome petting, and mine looooooves to be rubbed under the chin. they are very active, and are a ball to watch. enjoy your new red foot!! |
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