best homing for red footed tortoises?

Question

I have recently purchased a small red-footed tortoise (4 " approx) and was sold a wooden viv, heat/basking bulb, florescent light, water bowl, hay pellets as a substrate and thermometers. I was advise to make a hide out of a shoe box and put in shredded newspaper (which my tortoise loves). To feed it fruit and veg and occasionally dog food or pinkies. Since been reading about the keeping of this species and I have changed the substrate to cyress mulch ( as seems to be recommended) and have changed the diet accordingly and purchased vitamin supplements too which i include now and again. Brought a cuttlefish bone, but are these ok for non-adult tortoises? Getting a hyrometer as was not advised about humidity and so spray the substrate daily to raise levels. Cannot find mazuri food which is recommended, so got another sort which is given in small amounts occasionally. Also got a reptile branch in basking area...please help with advice to make Redford a happier tortoise....

Answer 1

Here is a site that I used when I first got in to Red foots, Red foots.com.....It will answer all most any question you may have about Red foots, plus there is a forum also if you have other questions that are not answered....This site has helped me alot.......I actually got my 1st Red foot from the guy that runs the site, and his methods of humidity, feeding, and supplementing work great, my "now 7" Red foots have "no" pyramiding and are healthy as they can be.....Check out this site, the methods used " work," and I have 7 healthy happy Red foots to show 4 it!!!!!!!

Answer 2

Geez... these kits that stores sell end up doing more harm than good. I've had a red-footed for three years now. Vet checked, confirmed in perfect health. So this is what you do: 1. Feed her greens. Dandelion greens, clovers, collard greens and kale are very high in calcium, which she needs to grow without deformities. Fresh fruits! Strawberries, bananas, cantaloupes, etc. Fresh veggies as much as possible, but easy on the corn. Give her baths daily or every other day, to encourage elimination. If you bring her out, brush her shell with betadyne during a bath to kill any maggots or fly eggs that were laid on her while she was outside. The betadyne will also kill any external parasites and bacteria. Remove all uneaten food that very same day. Forget the Mazuri and the dog food. She should get her protein from occasional worms and bugs, but don't feed them to often because the protein may deform her shell. Give her beans, chick peas and cooked grains instead. They are the most personable turtles in the world. They are puppies in a shell. Oh boy once you develop a relationship with your red footed tortoise get ready for the heck of a treat that a reptile can give you! They're puppies in a shell

Answer 3

http://www.kingsnake.com/rockymountain/RMHPages/RMHredfoot.htm

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-redfoot.htm

Two very good info sites.