Red footed tortoise help with shell problem?

Hi i own two wonderful redfoots Basil and Willie they weigh 1.7kgs and 2.1 kgs so they are big boys. Recently i have noticed a raising on the shell on the sheild shape at the base of the scutes on both of them which leads me to think it is a diet problem. they live in a very large viv with access to the room at all times. i have a shower tray in it for access to drink and soak and also a humidifier to mirror humid conditions. I feed a varied diet of weeds fruit (only 5%) and romaine lettuce watercress mushrooms peppers small amounts of kale or spring greens pansies etc. Also I grate cuttlefish on their food every other day and also nutrobal every other day.

I have had the torts for three years and they approx eight years old they are very tame curious and sexually active even though they are both male...

Does anyone have any idea why this is happening??? The raising has only occurred recently I have tried looking on the internet without any luck

Red footed tortoise help with shell problem?
im not to sure but im gonna try i have 2 torts samson ans phyliss and have had then for 7yrs my react to weather changes hardness of tap water and diet, but mostly never the last i dont feed mt torts any of the stufff that you do so i am not sure i give mine regular lettuce all melons and no extra suplemants. i feel like im an ogre now lol or bad mama. but mine are healthy they have had breathing problems but the vet cleared them with drops . phyliss was attacked ans smashed her shell but i glued it bac and its grown over maybe you should take them to the clinic hope it goes well
Reply:1. The BEST site I know of for Redfoots is http://www.tortoisetrust.com.uk Another good one is http://www.redfoots.com or the sister site http://www.turtletary.com



2. The diet is a bit off. A good Redfoot diet consists of:

- 4 parts dark leafy greens, especially escarole or endive lettuce, or turnip or dandelion greens. (Avoid kale, spinach, or cabbages.)

- 2 parts fruit, especially plums, melons, strawberries, pineapple, and mango. (Avoid apples and bananas.) (Note- Redfoots eat a LOT more fruit in the wild than the more 'grassland' species do).

- 1 part meat. A great meat item is a weight-maintenance cat food, well soaked before serving. You can also try pinkies, etc. (Note- some articles have discussed that too much protein is a concern in pyramiding, but it is well-known that Redfoots eat a lot of meat in the wild!)



I feed mine greens 2 days, fruit for a day, greens for 2 days, fruit dfor a day, then meat for a day. I do a light sprinkle of vitamins on every other greens day, and a dash of calcium carbonate on the meat day.



While the bulk of the meal will be one of the items listed above, I always try to include at least a little of a 'surprise', like mushrooms, some cooked egg, other kinds of veggies, etc.



Do you actually monitor the humidity levels? Humidity is known to be a big issue with pyramiding- too dry of conditions seems to work with other concerns to create the pyramids.



A humidifier does not automatically boost humidity for the tortoises if the substrate is absorbing it, or it is being lost to the general air.



the phrase 'very large viv' interests me- how big? A single adult Redfoot should be in a pen about 8' x 4'- much bigger than most vivs can offer. Possibly, the pyramiding is the result of some stress and crowding?

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