Choosing And Setting Up Your First Redfoot

Since "most" start with hatchlings.. this is what we found is ideal.
In order of what's best for your redfoot... a designated room is
where the "ambient" temperature and humidity can be controlled.

We realize not everyone can have a designated room.. but those who have been
able to have found that this is the most efficient and time-saving "set-up".

It's important to think 'down the road' before getting your first redfoot.. so be prepared
to have a table of at least 2' x 4' minimum in the next couple of years.

Tim is able to water, clean and feed 15 tortoises in one hour or less.. per day!
Terry is able to do the same with considerably more tortoises..
which includes 8 ADULTS (his breeders).. in the same time-frame!

As you can see from the above, the correct set-up from the beginning makes
keeping redfoots enjoyable and most importantly.. healthy & happy redfoots.

For detailed housing based on age, please click on the above 'Housing' tab

 

What do I look for?.. What Q's should I ask the "seller" about their hatchling? Ever asked yourself these Q's??? If you haven't.. you should!

Redfoot tortoises hatch from an egg that is almost perfectly 'round'.. that they have been developing in for about 4 MONTHS!!! When they do finally hatch they are really "out of shape" because they have been all "folded-up" inside that egg with very little room to move around in. When the time comes they will "peck" a hole in the egg.. known as a "PIP".. with what's called an egg-tooth.. ( a 'tooth' directly below the nostrils on the upper jaw ).. and they will take their first breath of air. Then they will actually 'spin' in the egg and "pip" the top of the egg off so they can hatch. Shown here starting the process.. notice "Egg-tooth" ..

  

And sometimes they have large yolk-sacs that they have been 'feeding' on.. and will continue to feed on.. for sometimes as much as a week AFTER they are totally out of the egg. During this time the 'yolk-sac' will be absorbed and they will not eat anything else.. or drink!

  

WHEN LOOKING.. NEITHER OF THESE SHOULD BE PRESENT!!!

If the seller has a hatchling that still has a sign of "yolk-sac" or "egg-tooth" --- in our opinion --- they are too young to ship.. AND.. they have not started to eat well enough or long enough. We believe that a great deal of the problems.. and deaths.. of Redfoot hatchlings stem from these two situations! They literally are not old enough to go thru the stress of shipping and the proper eating habits have not been established yet. See the Diet tab.. to establish the proper eating habits.. DON'T OVER-FEED!!!

Shown to the right is a hatchling that took 'weeks' to get to eat.. because it was shipped too soon! Too much yolk-sac present and you can see the egg-tooth also.

GETTING "STARTED" IS THE BREEDERS RESPONSIBILITY!