pls help on Cherry head Red-footed

Question
hi mark...
tnx for replying btw.  that was quick....:))
sorry i forgot to mention what the vet and i feed him.  the vet feeds him collard leaves and saluyot( im sorry i dont know the english name of this, according to wikipedia: Saluyot thrives almost anywhere, and can be grown year-round. Being one of the most nutritious vegetables, the leaves are rich in betacarotene, iron, calcium, and Vitamin C..)  the vet feeds him alternately.  in my place the tort refuses to eat collards but eats saluyot irregularry.  if the tort didnt eat any thing at the end of the day i feed it with papaya or apples.  the tort feeds succesfully with the papaya.  BTW the natural humidity in our place is 86% and i verified it using a humidity gauge.  the eye has no problem also not swelling. the place is also 1feet by 2feet.  ryt now he has feces in his tray and i will clean it immediately..haha..


tnx
-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
hi gud day
pls help me on my red foot, my red foot is feeding irregulary. it just takes little bite, also it seems like it is not focusing in its biting because its bite is not accurate it always misses on the food.  it just got back from the vet.  it stayed for 20days in the vet's care and it seems ok, i have seen it eating a lot.  the vet didnt use and lightings, heating lamps yet the redfooted's feeds greatly.  BTW im from the philippines and our steady temparature everyday is 28-31C.  then just two weeks ago i brought back the tort to my place with different set-up. and its weight is getting lighter and lighter because of its irregular feeding.  the first four days its feeding habits is ok then the next days it didnt feed on a regular habit.  but when i feed him papaya he consumes it righr away.  my redfooted is a very picky picky eater.  what action should i do to remove his picky attitude...


tnx regards

Answer -
What was the vet feeding it or doing differently?

Some possibilities:
- Change of habitat. Changing stuff stresses torts and they may stop eating for a while.
- Other stresses- too noisy, too much handling, wrong tank size, etc.
- Wrong diet- you don't say what you are feeding, bu tthat may be an issue.
- An eye problem- is there any other evidence of vision probems or signs of eye issues?
- Humidity is often a key to healthy red-foot care. Could that be an issue here? Too dry for it in the new pen?



I'd start by feeding it thing it likes- papaya, maybe some banana, etc. Add a good sprinkle of good turtle vitamins and a calcium supplement to each serving.

My first goal would be to get the weight back to normal and get it eating regularly. Make sure lots of water is offered and give nice warm soaks every few days. Get stress down to an absolute minimum.

If possible, I'd let it graze outdoors and watch what it eats out there. If that is not possible, I'd mix some fiberous greens (like alfalfa, flowers, etc.) into the feed and slowly re-introduce other foods.

Usually, pickiness is not a big problem. If the tortoise is otherwise healthy, it can go a week or more without food with no problem, and they often do this.

Answer
Pen size: Aim for 100 square inches per inch of shell, minimum- and red-foots like  alot of room! Suggested size for a single adult Red-foot pen is 48"x96". A single hatchling should not be in a space smaller than about 12"x30". Torts never eat as freely in small pens as they do in roomier spaces.

Good tort diet: http://www.petdoc.ws/TortDiet.html This is a great article on the subject, and based on solid research. Saluyot is the leaves of the Jute plant, which is not usually used as food in the US- sounds useful, though!

I remain a bit concerned about the diet- you have now mentioned 4 items (collard greens, jute, apples, and papaya), but my Red-foot's salad usually consists of a mix of 6-12 different items each meal, and a variety of a few dozen different items over a month. Sure, sometimes he only eats a few of the offerings, but with variety, I am more likely to hit something it feels like.

Besides this, my only other idea is lighting- Red-foots NEED Ultra-violet lighting for health, and UV does not pass through glass.

Try http://www.austinsturtlepage.com for other ideas, or check out the forum there to see if any other keepers can offer any other advice.

Good luck!