Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey there! I keep 1.3 redfoots in Georgia. I currently have a 10x10 outdoor cage I will post pics of later.

I have some questions though.. I have read over feeding may lead to pyramiding? The adults I bought do have some. Some more than others. The growth I have seen while they have been with me has been pretty smooth though. So how much is too much for an adult? Food wise.

Also, I was wondering how to "condition" the shells and skin of my redfoots. I soak them once a week in about two inches of water but their scales seem dry and I would like their shells to look a little prettier. Is there anything I can apply that is not harmful, or are there foods that help the skin more? Also, may it be a sign of low humidity.

Thanks!! I hope to meet some cool people here, feel free to AIM me if you want to talk redfoots!

The cause of pyramiding is caused primarily by conditions that are too dry when the tortoise is small. Overfeeding may contribute if the offered items are not balanced and low in calcium.
The dry look to your animals is also caused by low humidity although adult animals as well as juveniles all look better when their shells are actually wet. Try to be sure that they have a humid area in which to hide at night and during the heat of the day. In the wild they seek out vegetation piles or mammal burrows and in these situations the humidity is much greater than the outside air.
Also, make sure that they have access to shallow water always.

i think we must have had an especially dry winter, because my redfoot's skin was especially dry, as well. aside from soaking and misting her, i also use something zovick recommended: plain glycerin (you can find it in with the regular lotions and moisturizers in the drugstore).

for my tort's "spa treatment" (hehe), once every couple of weeks or so, i'll give her a super long soak, and with an extra soft baby toothbrush gently go over her shell and skin to give it a good cleaning and get rid of the little dead skin flakes. then i'll rub some glycerin into her skin and shell. a little goes a long way, and she looks greasy for a bit, but her skin/shell seems to absorb it nicely. i find that it leaves her shell nice and glossy, and her skin looks nicer since i started doing this.

not that she cares, though. (well, she does get wiggly when the brush hits a "tickle spot" on her shell...)