Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My wife recently got a Red Footed Tortoise, she has been wanting one for a long time, and final got one. I personally am more used to Desert Dwelling Tortioses, like Sulcatas, and Leopards...and one thing I noticed is the Red Foots (possibly Forest Dwelling Torotoises in General) seem to be less active, I am used to Sulcatas who are chow hounds, and always truckin around thier enclosures, and it seem our first expereince with Red Foots has (I hate to say it) been kinda dissapointing, we had him checked out, he is 100% Healthy...so he's not sick, we thought it might be too bright for him, so we dimmed the lights...the temps are perfect, humidity perfect...and we have seen him eating and he is deficating...its just he is not as "Active" as we are used to toroises being...he likes to hide quite a bit...is that a normal thing for "Forest Dwelling" Tortoises to do? I was hoping people with a broad range of Tortoise expereince can chime in, they are totally different than say Sulcatas...right? as far as activity...

We talked to numerous other Red Footed Tortoise owners, some agreed that they are not as active, but others say they are just as active....from our expereince..which is limited...it seems they are not as active as say a Sulcata....Could it be because of the enviroment they are naturally from? Desert Tortoises probably have to activly search for food, where as the Forest Tortoises probably don't as much...Just curious what peoples thoughts where...Thanks to all who reply...
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

98% of the Northern Red/Yellow foots I've kept have been active either early in the morning, or early evening, with the majority of the activity being in the evening.

Thats what we have noticed too, I guess I am just used to Totoises that are really active, but that might not be right either...Years and Years ago I had a Sulcata, and I remember it seemed to always be active, checking out every inch of the enclosure, when food was presented it came truckin over to chow down...it made for a very fun experience to watch them run around...This little Red Foot is our intro back into Tortoises...and it kinda threw me as to why it was so "Inactive"..and liked to hide most of the time...

Thanks for the reply...great to hear some feed back about them, and that its not something we are doing to cause him to be inactive...

Thanks agian..
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

Give it time. They change over time so I don't know how long you had yours. My redfoots were quite shy for the first year but after that they are very active. When I get home they climb up the side to get lifted out and its not for food as they have food in the enclosure. Its they hear noise in the room and come to see what it is. The leopards I have were very outgoing as juveniles and now are more quiet as they get older. The Mt. Tort was extremely shy under one year. Times I didn't see him for days. Now like he follows me around like a dog and actually he now follows my dog around also. (Please no panic notes about the dog being with the torts. Its a golden retreiver who couldn't hurt a fly and is only with the torts when I am there.)

Tom

Thank you for your opinions and experience...just what I was looking for...Thank you

Its interesting to know differences between the differnt kinds of Tortoises...I had never even thought about age being a factor...Really interesting..
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

Dr.Tom,I have a Golden Retriver and hes grate with the Mt.Torts.He knows when i'm looking for them to get a head count at the end of the day.He just goes over to them in the tall grass or under leaf litter and waggs his tail.He is their protector!He runs off Raccoons ect.But getting a dog could be the "best"or"worst"thing a tortoise keeper could do.Hes gittin old now and i'm freekin about the thought of finding another like him.Vic ps I wounder how a Burmese Mt.Dog would do with Burmese Mt.Torts!

from what i've read, and from personal experience with my own redfoot (now 4 years old), they are much more shy when they are little. though mine was curious, eating, and exploring from the first day i got him (aged about 1 month), he nevertheless would dig in and hide more in his enclosure, and was noticeable nervous when he was picked up.

one he got a bit bigger, though, his personality really blossomed, he hid much less, and followed us around more. he also "asks" to come out of his enclosure, he loves to crawl around the apartment, and he pesters us when he sees us eating. if a new furniture item or some such is introduced, he's all over it.

it sounds crazy, but on two separate occasions when i wasn't feeling well and was lying in bed ( i get frequent headaches), he followed me into the bedroom and stayed under the bed!

i don't have any other experiences with tortoises, but i wouldn't trade my junior for anything.

The one we have is young...not sure of the age, but his carpace lenght is around 4"...so I am guessing pretty young.

We have never worked with other types of Tortoises like Forest dwellers, It just threw me that we might be doing something wrong, as like you said, he likes to dig and just sit in the corner...and doesn't do a whole lot of "Running Around" the enclosure.

I am so used to Leopards and Sulcatas, where they are active, and alert and seem to always be searching for food, exploring thier enclosure..even when tiny hatchlings....Our Red Foot is alert, and does come out, more noticably in the evenings. I guess I was just expecting it to be more active than I guess they really are...

Thanks to everyone who replied, its good to know and hear others expereinces with thier Red Foots, and to know that when young they can be more shy and not as active...Thanks
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

All things considered.. [ experience.. with numbers.. 50 plus hatchlings during peak season ].. when the temps, humidity, lighting, etc. are "right".. redfoot tortoises are not that active UNTIL they see you "coming with food" or your presence - probably the same! Then again having only one may have something to do with it too.

Glad to hear you dimmed his lights.. since they are NOT baskers. If/when they are under the light for no apparent reason it's probably because they relate light with heat. When the temps are up where they should be.. in their humid hide.. they seldom are seen under the light.

You are right about the difference in "forest dwelling" and the others'.. ( in the totally different flora ) of the world!
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Terry E. Kilgore
Turtletary.com