Redfoot Tortoise Care Guide

Species Info: Redfoot tortoises are medium sized turtles from the rainforests of South America. They get their name from the red spots that run down their legs and feet, but confusingly, these spots can also sometimes be yellow. Despite this they are still easily distinguished from the closely related yellowfoot tortoise by their smaller size and markings on their carapace. Baby/juvenile redfoot tortoises are preyed upon by many animals, but adults only actually have to worry about humans and jaguars!

Level of Care/Handling: Medium. Redfoot tortoises are generally hardy animals, but their long lifespan and humidity/space requirements keep them from being a good choice for a starter reptile. Redfoots are slightly more tolerant of handling than smaller tortoises, but will always prefer exploring to being held when outside of their enclosure.

Length/Lifespan: Adult redfoots generally range from 11-14 in. in shell length, with females being the larger sex. With proper husbandry, these tortoises can easily live 50+ years.

Temperature/Lighting/Space Requirements: Your redfoot’s enclosure should have a nice heat gradient ranging from 68 degrees on the cool end to 80 on the warm end. A basking spot of ~90 degrees should also be provided. UV lighting is essential for growth and digestion, and is best provided by a light strip spanning the majority of the enclosure. Redfoot tortoises tend to be quite active and require a large amount of space as older juveniles/adults. A 6×4 ft. floor space should be provided at minimum, but more space would definitely be appreciated. Individuals that are 4 in. and under can be kept comfortably in 40 gallon enclosures, and individuals between 5-8 in. in 50 gallons at minimum. If using a glass terrarium, it is a good idea to line the sides with masking or duct tape. Turtles in general are very stubborn and don’t always realize that they cannot walk/swim through glass. 

Humidity/Water Requirements: Proper hydration is essential for redfoot tortoises, especially younger ones. Lack of hydration will almost always result in pyramiding (unnatural spiking) of the carapace, that being the best case scenario. Enclosure humidity is best kept on the high end (60-80%), spiking to around 90% once or twice a day. A shallow water bowl should also be provided and changed/cleaned daily. It is also recommended to bathe growing tortoises in 80-90 degree water at least 3 times a week. 

Cage Flooring: Cypress mulch is the best substrate for redfoot tortoises, retaining water without quickly fouling and easing stress on your tortoise’s joints while moving around. A small amount of coconut fibre or peat moss can be mixed in to prevent any water buildup underneath the substrate layer. Redfoots don’t spend as much time digging as other tortoises, so a 2-3 in. substrate layer is often adequate.

Cage Decorations: Reptile safe items are okay to use, besides fake plants, which your tortoise will likely try and eat. Decorations should be kept minimal overall to give as much floor space as possible. The only real necessity (besides the water dish) is a large hide of some kind, but it is also good to provide one or two flat rocks to help file down your tort’s nails as they walk over them. 

Diet: Redfoot tortoises are mostly herbivorous, and variety is key to keeping them healthy while providing good enrichment at the same time. A good captive diet consists of ~40-50% fruits (most besides citrus and avocado are fine), ~20-30% veggies (leafy greens like collards, dandelion, and turnip are best with spring mixes, kale, bok choy, and escarole being good supplemental treats), and rounded off with Mazuri tortoise chow. This chow will help to provide the higher levels of protein that redfoot’s need compared to other tortoises. Some keepers also feed their torts snails, slugs, and other kinds of slow-moving inverts. Many keepers also provide cuttlebone to keep their tort’s beaks trimmed and calcium levels optimal. Repashy Super Veggie should be sprinkled on young tortoises’ food daily, and 2-3 times a week for adults.

*It is very common for redfoot tortoises to consume the feces of other animals out in the wild. While it can be concerning/disgusting to watch your tortoises consume its own, it doesn’t appear to be harmful for them to do so.

Feeding Frequency: Babies/young juveniles should be fed daily, about as much as they can eat in 30 minutes. Older juveniles/adults can follow the same time constraints, but instead fed 3-4 times a week.

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