SLEEPING RED FOOT

Question
QUESTION: HI JEANNIE! IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE TALKED TO YOU. MY RED FOOT, "BOBBER" SLEEPS ALL THE TIME. BEING YOU'VE HELPED MY WITH OTHER QUESTIONS I'VE ASKED, I BELIEVE SHE IS OK, BUT I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH SHE SLEEPS.SHE EATS FINE, NOT VERY MUCH ,BUT SHE LOOKS HEALTHY.I'M JUST WONDERING, (MAYBE I WONDER TO MUCH),IF OUR LONG GLOOMY COLD WEATHER IS AFFECTING HER. SHE HAS HER LIGHT, HUMIDITY, AND LARGE CAGE. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. HER SHELL IS ABOUT 5" LONG, SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE OF HER AGE. THE PLACE WHERE I BOUGHT HER IS USELESS.THANKS AGAIN FOR YOU HELP!

ANSWER: Hi Don,

Some redfoots are more active than others.  I have one that is always out and about, and another that spends most of her time under overhanging plants, but even she does come out in the morning to bask and eat, and at different times during the day.  They usually have a pretty hearty appetite, too.  Recheck your temperatures to make sure things aren't too cool.  Basking 90-95, cooler areas mid to high 70s.  If you're having a lot of cloudy weather (same here; late spring this year!), you might want to increase the hours the basking/UVB light is on.  Should be at least 12 hours anyway, but you could increase it to 14 hours and see if that makes a difference.  Cloud cover affects some tortoises more than others.  I would also check on her in the morning when the basking light hasn't been on too long and see if she's coming out to bask then.  Make sure there's at least one area that is very moist and warm (really boggy sphagnum moss) for her to hang out in if she wants.

If you continue to see lethargic behavior even when the weather is really sunny out, I would consider having a fecal check done by your vet to make sure there are no parasites.  Good luck and let me know if you have more questions.

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QUESTION: WE WERE JUST IN HOLDING AND PETTING BOBBER, AND SHE SEEMED FINE WITH THAT. SHE COMES OUT WHEN SHE'S HUNGRY, AND NOW SHES EATING LIKE A LITTLE PIG.THERE'S A BUT HERE. WE NOTICED THESE VERY TINY LITTLE WHITE CRAWLING BUGS IN AMONGST THE DIRT AND MOSS. SOME WERE ON HER JUST CRAWLING AROUND. I DON'T THINK THEY ARE MITES BECAUSE THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE ANY OF THE MITES I'M FAMILIAR WITH. AY OF THE DIFFERENT MITES I'VE SEEN ALL KIND OF LOOK THE SAME. THESE BUGS ARE NOT MUCH BIGGER THAN A PIN HOLE, VERY HARD TO SEE. DO YOU THINK I SHOULD BE CONCERNED? THE MOSS IS SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE FOR REPTILES. THANKS

ANSWER: Hi Don,

I'm glad to hear she's eating well now.  Those little bugs are probably some kind of soil mite and nothing to worry about.  Sometimes substrate will get tiny springtails, too, which are also not a problem.  They tend to come and go, but aren't harmful to Bobber and won't spread to the rest of your house.  Getting rid of them is a pain (basically heating the substrate with either boiling water or baking it, obviously with the tortoise removed) and they may come back, so I'd just ignore them.  

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QUESTION: HI JEANNIE!I'M WONDERING, NOW THAT PLANTS ARE ACTUALLY GROWING,,WHAT KIND OF PLANTS I CAN GIVE BOBBER THAT I HAVE IN MY YARD. I KNOW I CAN GIVE HER DANDELION,CLOVER. WE HAVE YARROW, HYBISCUS,MUMS,HOLLYHOCK,AND MUCH MORE. DO YOU KNOW OF A SIGHT THAT GIVES PLANTS THAT BOBBER CAN HAVE? ALSO, AT WHAT POINT CAN I BRING HER OUT WITH ME? WE HAD TEMPS IN THE LOW 80's THE OTHER DAY, BUT I THOUGHT THE WIND WAS STILL TO COOL FOR HER. OF COURSE, BEING IN WISCONSIN, WE ARE BACK INTO THE 40's NOW. IT'S UP AND DOWN HERE FOR AWHILE YET. SHOULD I WAIT UNTIL SUMMER ACTUALLY STAYS? I'M NOT SURE WHERE YOU LIVE, BUT MAYBE YOU'VE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR RED FOOTS ON WEATHER ISSUES.
     THANKS JEANNIE

Answer
Hi Don,

I've forgotten how old Bobber is now, but you can definitely get her outside if the temps are above 70 and sunny.  Tortoises are very efficient at heating themselves up, and the sun is actually better at warming them than a basking lamp.  The cool wind doesn't matter so much because tortoises are so low to the ground.  Just don't leave her outside overnight because it's probably too cool for that.

Plants...yarrow is OK for them, but none of mine eat it.  Hibiscus is great, and so is abutilon if you have it.  Hollyhocks, nasturtium, hosta, rose petals, viola, primrose, are all good.  I believe mums are toxic.  Here's a link to a list of edible landscaping plants that should help you:  http://redfoottortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm.