redfoot substrate

[aaron]

Hi all!

I'm getting a red foot and just wanted to see what everyone else uses for substrate for theirs'. I've read that they need slighly higher humidity. Would a soaking dish be enough or should I maybe consider using a topsoil/sphagnum mix. Its currently on alfalfa pellets but I want to make sure i'm setup properly b4 i bring it home!

Thanx,
aaron

[NiagaraReptiles]

Compressed coconut fibre is my favorite thing, these days, to use with the tortoises. I used to use sphagnum peat moss, which worked much in the same manner, but when it dries out under the heat lamp it gets VERY dusty

If it's a baby you are getting, prodive it with several inches of moistened substrate as they like to half burrow themselves and this is very important for retaining moisture the first bit of their lives. You will likely have to place it in the water dish at least once a day as well to ensure it is drinking. Baby Redfoots are cute as buttons, but they surely don't represent the brightest bulb on the ferris wheel

Best wishes,

[Nic]

I use Sphagnum/peat/cypress mulch. It works very well to keep the humidity up (around 80%), and gives lots of room for the tortiose to dig.

[red bootz]

For the babies I use a combination of peat moss and cypress mulch. The Juvies get straight cypress mulch.

[Jaylyn]

I use a base of 50% sand (to help hold heat) and 50% peat (humidity). I cover this with and inch of green spaghnum moss and keep it damp. The torts bury under the spagnum and the microclimate is actually quite humid. Always have a soaking/drinking bowl. You'll be surprised how much redfoots drink (and pee).

No alfafa pellets - but you knew that. ;O)

Jaylyn

[johnnym1972]

Hello all, did any of you consider the devastation and destruction of all of the natural habitats that occur within the worlds' peat bogs, when that peat is harvested for use in commercial trade? Or the impact of dust on the respiratotry tract of a Tortoise that has never lived in a dry desert environment?? Sphagnum moss is no better, since it is almost exclusively harvested from the wild as well!! And by relying solely on having a drinking bowl in the enclosure, how do you know for sure if the Tortoises are actually drinking the water, and not just displacing it by wallowing in the bowl, or that the water isn't just being lost by evaporation?? At least NiagaraReptiles and redbootz made a distinction between babies and juveniles. If you really want to provide the best possible life for your Tortoises, you would care for them in a controlled and managed way. For instance, regular soaking so that you can witness bowel movements, urinary evacuation, and actual water consumption. Designing a captive environment that not only mimics their natural environment, but is also ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY!!! And keeping track of their weight and food consumption for reference data, so that if the Tortoise becomes ill, you will have baseline data to compare.

By the way Jaylyn, what did you mean by "No alfafa pellets - but you knew that."?? What's wrong with alfalfa pellets?? At least if the Alfalfa is eaten by mistake, it will benefit the Tortoise by providing some measure of nourishment!! How much nourishment do you think peat moss or sand will provide?

By the way, I have kept, bred and interacted with many different species of Turtles, Terrapins and Tortoises for over 25 years, and I am also a member of the World Wildlife Fund's Wildlife Rescue Team. So I am not only providing proven knowledge, I am also involved in proving and disproving theories every day. By the way, if you want to use an ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE substrate, as well as one that looks good, don't forget organic top soil mix. It is made through the process of composting, and is 100% renewable since we produce tons of organic waste every day. And please try to keep this thought in mind; "When we are looking toward to the future, we must always remember the past".

I live for these animals, for without them I could not live at all. Take care, Johnny.

[zhiv9]

Alfalfa is generally too high in protein for most tortoises, especially sulcatas.

I use a substrate of 50% top soil/50% sand for my tortoises. I soak my redfoot once or twice a week as well as provide her with a water dish that she frequently drinks and soaks herself in.
I keep the humidity in the house around 60%.


HTH

[johnnym1972]

Hello HTH, I agree 100% that alfalfa is too high in protein for some of the strictly grassland Tortoises, but we are talking about Red Foot's here, not Sulcata's. If you examine any of the Scientific data surrounding the natural diet of the Red Foot Tortoise, you would see that they commonly eat carrion (dead animals), insects, and other protein rich foods. The alfalfa isn't used as a food source anyway, it is used as a substrate only. If they do eat it though, it will at least give them some nourishment, unlike other substrates.
It's clear that you take good care of your Tortoises, and by soaking them twice a week you are definitely making sure that they are well hydrated and processing their food properly. It's nice to hear from someone who actually knows what they are talking about.
Take care, Johnny.

[eyespy]

I don't like sphaghnum or peat for tortoises because they so often harbor a toxic mold, aspergillus, that can cause respiratory infection and pneumonia. Roughly 2 out of 5 redfoots that come through the hospital where I used to work culture positive for aspergillosis by nasal swabbing because those substrates are used so frequently.

[johnnym1972]

Hello everyone, I wanted to post some new information that I just found about some of the possible health hazards associated with alfalfa pellets. It has been proven that if the alfalfa pellets are stored incorrectly, they can begin to break down and can cause fungal eye and respiratory infections due to the voluminous amounts of dust that is produced as a result of the breakdown of the alfalfa. This can only occur if the alfalfa pellets are very old, or if they are stored incorrectly by the seller. I was not aware of the serious implications involved if the pellets are incorrectly stored, so I have never had access to any information about this phenomenon. If anyone is currently using alfalfa pellets as a substrate, please carefully consider this new information and be sure to carefully inspect your pellets BEFORE you use them. If the pellets are very dusty and broken down then they have not been stored properly and you should not use them as a substrate. As a result of this new information, I no longer advocate the use of alfalfa pellets as a substrate. The only product that I still recommend is organic topsoil. I am truly sorry for any inconvenience that this mistake may have caused any of you, but I do hope that you will consider the fact that I posted this new information solely out of my concern for the health and welfare of your animals.
Take care, Johnny.

[aaron]

Thanks for re-posting Johnny!

Some very good info that you stumbled across. I've decided to use the organic topsoil anyways b/c of humidity and he likes to dig in and cover himself up. Thanks again to everyone for posting their info!

aaron

[albinoman]

I keep mines indoors and I use cypress mulch as substrate great to keep humidity and really cheap when you have a few adults redfoot indoors

[Tim and Julie B]

Originally posted by NiagaraReptiles
Compressed coconut fibre is my favorite thing, these days, to use with the tortoises. I used to use sphagnum peat moss, which worked much in the same manner, but when it dries out under the heat lamp it gets VERY dusty

If it's a baby you are getting, prodive it with several inches of moistened substrate as they like to half burrow themselves and this is very important for retaining moisture the first bit of their lives. You will likely have to place it in the water dish at least once a day as well to ensure it is drinking. Baby Redfoots are cute as buttons, but they surely don't represent the brightest bulb on the ferris wheel

Best wishes,

I agree, 100% I have switched to coconut fibre as well. It is cheap and can be as humid or as dry as you want it. Peat is way to dusty, if it is hard for me to breath while cleaning the cage then how healthy is it for the tortoises and turtles. Seriously consider the cocanut fibre. Organic topsoil is fine but it is dirt and therefore dirty (no sh*t). I just find that it gets into everything, including shells. Makes mud when wet ex. Plus you really have to trust the company your buying to actually be 100% organic and pesticide free. TB