Red Foot Tortoise Care Sheet

Red Foot Tortoise Care Sheet

Chelonoidis carbonarius
Category
Snake
Average Size
10 - 16 inches long
Average Lifespan
50+ years
Diet Type
Insectivore

Diet & Nutrition

Red Foot Tortoise diets consists of vegetables, fruit and some protein. Vegetation includes turnip greens, collard greens, and mustard greens. Protein could consist of earthworms, mealworms, or crickets in small amounts.

Never Feed Lettuce! It contains no nutrition, only water and cellulose.

Red Foot Tortoises should be fed a variety of foods daily. Dust food with calcium powder daily, & a multivitamin once a week.

Housing & Habitat

Red Foot Tortoises are native to Tropical South America and prefer a humid environment. Red Foot Tortoises are communal and can be kept together in a large enough enclosure. Breeding males may become aggressive and should be housed with caution.

Enclosure Size

Young Red Foot Tortoises can be kept in a minimum cage size of 36" Long x 18" Deep x 16" High. An adult should be housed in a 6' long x 3' deep enclosure.

Large enclosures are usually home built and often referred to as "tortoise tables."

Substrate

Due to humidity requirements an absorbent substrate is desired. Peat moss, coconut fiber, and Fir bark are all suitable.

Temperature & Lighting

Temperature

Red Foot Tortoises requires their an ambient temperature of 75° - 80° F and a basking area of 90° - 95° F.

Lighting

Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB.

Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs.

Humidity & Watering

Humidity

Humidity levels should be between 50% - 70%.

Watering

A water bowl should be offered large enough for the tortoise to soak in and have enough water to come 1/3 of the way up the shell to soak. The bowl should be easy for the tortoise to enter and exit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What do Red Foot Tortoises eat?

Red Foot Tortoise diets consists of vegetables, fruit and some protein. Vegetation includes turnip greens, collard greens, and mustard greens. Protein could consist of earthworms, mealworms, or crickets in small amounts. Never Feed Lettuce! It contains no nutrition, only water and cellulose. Red Foot Tortoises should be fed a variety of foods daily. Dust food with calcium powder daily, & a multivitamin once a week.

What size enclosure does a Red Foot Tortoise need?

Red Foot Tortoises are native to Tropical South America and prefer a humid environment. Red Foot Tortoises are communal and can be kept together in a large enough enclosure. Breeding males may become aggressive and should be housed with caution. Young Red Foot Tortoises can be kept in a minimum cage size of 36" Long x 18" Deep x 16" High. An adult should be housed in a 6' long x 3' deep enclosure. Large enclosures are usually home built and often referred to as "tortoise tables."

What temperature and lighting does a Red Foot Tortoise need?

Red Foot Tortoises requires their an ambient temperature of 75° - 80° F and a basking area of 90° - 95° F. Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB. Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs. Humidity: Humidity levels should be between 50% - 70%.