New Owner Checklist

Red-footed tortoises come from warm, humid South American forests. Yours will usually grow to about 11–14 in (28–36 cm), many reach 18 in (46 cm), and it can live 50 years or more [1][2]. It never hibernates, so its heat and light stay on all year [3].

The big three: warm, humid, big

• Warm: basking spot 90–95°F (32–35°C); rest of the pen 75–85°F (24–29°C); nights no cooler than 68°F (20°C) [1].
• Thermostat on every heater.
• Humid: 70–80% humidity, with a damp humid hide to sleep in [1][4].
• Soil moist, not muddy; mist daily.
• Big: a baby can start in 4 × 2 ft (120 × 60 cm) (keeper experience, not proven); an adult needs at least 8 × 4 ft (2.4 × 1.2 m) [1].
• Summer outdoor pen with a heated hide (heater on a thermostat), if you can.

Light

• T5 HO UVB tube, 11–13 hours a day [1].
• Replace at least as often as the maker says, even if it still glows, or check it regularly with a UV meter [3]. Many keepers replace T5 HO tubes about every 12 months (keeper experience, not proven).
• No glass or plastic between lamp and tortoise.

Food and water

• About 70% greens and veggies: dandelion, collards, turnip greens, endive, escarole, squash, hibiscus flowers, cactus pad [4].
• About 15% fruit: papaya, mango, melon, berries [4]. Sources differ here; some allow more fruit and flowers [1].
• A little protein every week or two: hard-boiled egg, earthworms, roaches or tortoise pellets [3].
• No iceberg lettuce.
• Calcium powder on food a few times a week (keeper experience, not proven); cuttlebone always in the pen [1].
• Babies eat daily; adults every other day [1].
• Fresh, shallow water every day.

Soaking and handling

• Shallow, warm soak (no deeper than the lower edge of the shell), 15–30 minutes, once or twice a week, always supervised [2][3].
• Many keepers soak babies 2–3 times a week.
• Handle as little as possible; lift low with two hands under the shell.
• Let it walk to you on the floor instead.

Health habits

• Weigh weekly on a gram scale during quarantine and keep a log.
• Yearly vet checkup with a stool test [3].
• Find a reptile vet now, before you need one: arav.org.

Call a reptile vet if you see

• Bubbles or foam at the nose or mouth.
• Wheezing or open-mouth breathing.
• Swollen or shut eyes.
• Soft shell, pits or cracks.
• No eating for a week (babies: 3–4 days).
• Straining, or anything protruding from the tail end.
• Steady weight loss.

Wash your hands

• Wash your hands with soap and water after touching your tortoise, its enclosure or anything in it, including its water [3][9].
• Never soak it in the kitchen sink.
• The CDC says children under 5 should not touch reptiles, and reptiles are not recommended for homes with children under 5, adults 65 and older, or people with weakened immune systems [9].

The long-term plan

• Who will care for this tortoise 30 or 40 years from now?
• If you are not sure yet, that is okay, but make a plan before you need one. Rehoming an adult tortoise is hard.