YELLOW FOOTED TORTOISE

Common Name: Yellow foot tortoise
Scientific Name: Chelonoidis denticulatus
Origin: The South American Amazon Basin
Size: 14"-16" with some specimens getting as large as 30"
Lifespan: 50 years

You will find many ways on the internet on "how to" take care of this animal. This care sheet is showing the way we found works best for us from our many years of experience of caring for this species.

The yellow foot tortoise is popular in the pet trade. Yet in the wild, it is an endangered species. Only purchase captive-bred turtles and from reputable reptile stores or breeders.

Yellow foots are similar to red foot tortoises. The color variations of both can vary widely. The yellows tend to be flatter and wider. They also have longer scales near the nose.

HOUSING
Indoors, the larger the space the better. For adults, a custom built enclosure of 8" x 4" is the minimum size required with 16" walls. But it is important to let your tortoise out to explore in your home. They don't like being cooped up.

You should line the enclosure with a good substrate like sphagnum moss and Zoo Med forest floor. Zoo Med Eco earth and Exo Terra sand can be mixed in sparingly. Keep it clean by spot cleaning whenever they go to the bathroom.

Provide a hide, plants, and other cover. Slabs of bark, hollow logs, or the like for them to take shelter in.


LIGHTING & TEMPERATURES
You'll want to keep your enclosures ambient temperature around 75 degrees with night time temperature drop only down to 70 degrees. A basking spot of 85-90 degrees F should also be provided at one end of the enclosure. Use a good quality temperature gauge, like Zoo Meds digital temp gauge or Exo Terras Thermometer to figure out the temperatures in your enclosure.

They will need a UVB light to help properly process calcium and to synthesize vitamin D3. Since they are not out in natural sunlight in our homes, we must provide UVB light in the form of a special fluorescent bulb designed to produce UVB rays. The best bulbs are the mercury vapors such as Exo Terra's Solar Glo bulbs, ZooMed's Powersun, or Solar bright bulbs. These bulbs provide heat and UVB all in one bulb. You can also use separate basking (heat) bulb and UVB bulbs. If you use these, you will want the Zoo Med 5.0 or Exo Terra UVB 100 variety.


HUMIDITY
Moisture is vital to yellow foot tortoise. They can become sick if it's too dry in their enclosure. They also soak, so provide a low sturdy water tray that they can get in and out of easily. They often drink and defecate at the same time, so it's really important to change the water daily. Shallow Exo Terra bowls or the Zoo Med repti ramp both work well. In addition, mist your turtles enclosure every day to keep the substrate damp.

You will want to soak babies in a shallow bowl of room temperature water every morning for approx. 15 mins. to help them stay hydrated.


FEEDING
Yellow foots are mainly herbivores. They eat grasses, broadleaf weeds and a variety of dark leafy greens, plus vegetables, fruits, and flowers.

You can top off your greens with Repashy bluey buffet or zilla dried vegetable mix. Make sure to coat your tortoise's greens with calcium and vitamins mix such as Repashy Superveggie.

They do need some protein. Various worms can be fed a few times per week. Don't over do it..

TEMPERAMENT
Yellow foot tortoises tend to be somewhat shy. They are fun to watch, though it can be stressful for them if handled too much. After they get to know you they may follow you around, liking to be near to you, though they would still prefer not to be picked up or handled too much.