Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello Everyone,
My name is jeff. I have two red-footed tortoises at home. They are about a year to a year and a half old. Their diet consists of mustard or collard greens 4 times a week, fruits and/or veggies (no citrus) 2 times a week, and a treat once a week (protein every other week, tomatoes or flowers in between). I use TNT on the greens twice a week. The substrate is sphagnum moss mixed with coconut coir. They have a UVB heat lamp on one side and a hide at the other. On the warm end it is usually in the mid to high 80's (about 90 underneath the lamp) with about 40-50% humidity. On the cool end it is room temperature with about 60-75% humidity. The lamp is on 12 hours a day. The tortoises have a water dish for saoking and a cuttlebone.

The problem is I am deployed overseas and my wife is taking care of the little ones. She said this morning that their plastern (spelling?) is starting to get softer. I told her to increase the TNT with the greeens and add some calcium powder in with it. I am worried though. They should be getting enough calcium with the cuttlebone in there, unless they arnt eating it. SHould I send my wife to go get a flavored one (banana maybe) to make it more enticing? Should i tell her to take the little ones outside on the porch for some sun? Should i relax?

Thank you,
Jeff

Nobody can really know what "soft" means to your wife over the internet. I know some Tortoises have a tendancy to get a bit soft if they are going through a growth spurt, but you'll be able to see the new growth. Other than that, who knows? Personally, I'd switch to Mazuri Tortoise food and you or anybody caring for your animals wouldn't have to go play nutrient catch up game. Just soften the pellets and go.

Thanks for the advice.
She sent me another email today saying that it is not that soft and she admits she doesnt really know what they felt like before.
I come home from deployment next month and I have a better idea of what is healthy and what is not.
Just to be safe I am going to have her increase their TNT and calcium powder intake.

First, Thank you for your service to the USA.It sounds like the UV bulb is a dud.Everything your doing is perfect.If you can safely keep them outside in a mannor that they will not over heat from direct Sun light they will recover.Maybe a red foot breeder who has raised some up can chime in.Some tortoises stay a little soft for a year or so.I'm not sure if thats the case with reds.Thanks again for your service,welcome home in advance.Vic Morgan

Thank you.
My porch is a little too hot for keeping the tortoises outside. In the summer it is usually in the mid 80s in the shade. I think I will have my wife take them outside during feeding time to get a little morning sun.

All the Redfoots I've kept have done well outside, even during mid-summer, when it's 93 in the shade with 100% relative humidity. These animals know what heat is, and how to manage it.

I am going to tell my wife to move feeding times outside but to make sure they have some shade and a water/soaking tray.

Which makes me think of another question or two. If she feeds them outside, should she put the food tray in the sun and let them walk back to the shade/water tray? Should she put it in the sun and let them wander as they please (i have to be careful of them falling off the deck and i have to be careful of birds)? Should the tray be in the shade or in the sun? Should she take a sprey bottle outside and mist the tortoises to keep them cool/moist in the sun?

The weather today was 90degrees with 40% humidity.