RED-FOOTED TORTOISE

• OVERVIEW

  The red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonariu) is a medium-sized tortoise that is native to northern South America and the Caribbean.

  They are known for their brightly coloured scales, which can be yellow, orange, or red, and are located on their limbs, head, tail, and legs.

  females average 11.25 inches (28.5 cm) long and males growing up to 13.5 inches (34 cm) long.

  • Care

  • Lifespan

• ENCLOSURE ENVIRONMENT

  Recommended readings:

  • Hot spot: 32⁰C (90⁰F)

  • Background temp: 21⁰C-26⁰C (69⁰F-79⁰F)

  • Night-time temp: 18⁰C-23⁰C (64⁰F-73⁰F)

  • Humidity: 40%-50%

  • UVI: 3-4

• SHOPPING LIST ESSENTIALS

  • Suitable housing (tortoise table or well-ventilated wooden vivarium)

  • Clamp lamp with ceramic holder

  • UV basking spot bulb

  • Beech chippings (or other substrate)

  • Water pool

  • Food dish (or piece of slate)

  • Relevant supplements

  • Decor of choice

  • Scoop for spot-cleaning

• HOUSING

  • Ideally, the Horsfield tortoise should be housed in an open-air tortoise table (like the one in our Tortoise Table Starter Kit)

  • Alternatively, it can be kept in a well-ventilated wooden vivarium

  • Min: 4ft long tortoise table or vivarium

  • Note: Glass tanks (such as fishtanks) are NOT suitable for Horsfield tortoises

• HEATING

  • Horsfield Tortoises are a diurnal species and require a suitable light and heat gradient in the enclosure to simulate a complete 24-hour period

  • Overhead UV basking lamp required

• LIGHTING

  • No additional light source required if using a UV basking lamp

• DIET & SUPPLEMENTS

  Young/Juvenile/Adult offer a varied diet daily such as:

  • A handful of fresh weeds, flowers, leafy greens, daily

  Follow a supplementation regime that involves calcium and multivitamin powders