A complete self cleaning, self maintaining bioactive kit for Red Foot Tortoises. This Bioactive kit is meant for younger tortoises, as adults should be kept outdoors for beneficial heat, UVB and humidity.  In the wild, these unique tortoises are commonly seen feasting on carrion, fruits and whatever else they can slowly get their faces into. Providing more fruits and protein is key with proper nutrition when keeping Red Foots. This kit is meant to be utilized with Earthworms or Dubia roaches established into the Terra Firma as a secondary protein source for your tortoise. Not only does they help aerate the Firma but they also work directly with the Dude's proprietary Bio Shot to promote the self cleaning, self maintaining bioactive ecosystem.  With their high humidity requirements, it is important to keep the Firma hydrated but not oversaturated. This can easily be accomplished with providing a mix of the Dude's AAA New Zealand Spag moss. Mixing cork within the substrate and on the top level will allow your tortoise to create necessary dens and burrows. Earthworms will also allow your tortoises to naturally hunt and forage for them.  The Firma will also allow you to plant live plants that are edible to your tortoise. Plants that are available in the terrarium should have the expectation that they will be destroyed. This not only provides enrichment to your torts, but allows them to naturally forage and graze as they would in the wild. The Dude's Red Foot loved his strawberry plant!

The Dude's Ca+ bones are great to break up, and mix in the soil. Not only will your Red Foots find them during their digging excursions and slowly eat them, but this is a great alternative way to offer necessary Calcium. Calcium is vital for proper shell development and overall muscular-skeletal longevity. Dubia, Earthworms, springtails and isopods will quickly take these over creating a feeding station and microbial hotspot for your bioactive terrarium and your tortoise. It is important to provide your tortoise the ability to dig, forage and feel secure for their overall well being and health. 

With land tortoises in general their environment becoming 100% self cleaning takes  slightly longer than it typically would due to the overall size of their environment and their destructive nature. They will take the substrate on the bottom and turn it on the top, they will flip over your cork and attempt to eat and destroy the plants - What you have to remember is that this is what they do as a species and it is important to nurture that. With their diet being mainly organic plant matter with the occasional protein their feces breaks down very quickly. This kit is expected to give your tortoise the ability to dig deep, dense tunnels while giving them the ability to thermoregulate, hydrate and feel secure.

It is very important to provide a large, clean source of water and proper heating and UVB as these turtles require it. 

Please note: These kits are designed via range and do not include plant lighting. You may have extra material left over if your enclosure is smaller than what is listed in parenthesis. Plant lighting can vary depending on how you are housing your tortoise. If you are not sure or need further assistance, reach out to our amazing Dude crew at customercare@thebiodude.com!

Red-Footed Tortoise Care Sheet

This kit does not contain the enclosure, clean up crews, or any UVB, plant light or heating elements your pet will need!

Looking for a good clean up crew for your tortoise? Check out our Ball Python Clean Up Crew Pack!

—Baby/Neonatal Red Footed Tortoise (for up to 75 gallons)—

x2 36 quart bags of Terra Firma - The Dude's handcrafted substrate. Holds all tunnels and burrows. Great for temperate biomes. 

x3 AAA Chilean or New Zealand Sphagnum Moss - This will always be the Dude's choice and is indicative of availability. 

x1 Oak/Beech Oak Leaf Litter 6 quarts 

x1 Southern Palm Leaves 6 quarts - Great for mixing into your deep substrate to help with aeration and air pockets. 

x 2 36 quart BioShot - The perfect shot for your terrarium. 

x2 Large cork bark flats

x2 Calcium Bones - Great for chewing, beak trimming and provide necessary calcium to your CUC and Tortoise. A must for this species.

 —Yearling Red Footed Tortoise (up to 4' x 2' x 2’)—

 x4 36 quart bags of Terra Firma - The Dude's handcrafted substrate. Holds all tunnels and burrows. Great for temperate biomes. 

x2 AAA Chilean or New Zealand Sphagnum Moss - This will always be the Dude's choice and is indicative of availability. 

x2 Oak/Beech Oak Leaf Litter 6 quarts 

x1 Southern Palm Leaves 6 quarts - Great for mixing into your deep substrate to help with aeration and air pockets. 

x 4 36 quart BioShot - The perfect shot for your terrarium. 

x3 Large Cork Bark Flats

x3 Calcium Bones - Great for chewing, beak trimming and provide necessary calcium to your CUC and Tortoise. A must for this species.

x1 BULK CASE (32-35lbs) Creek Rock. Great to create a harder scape to provide enrichment and other types of burrows/moving opportunities.

—Juvenile Red Footed Tortoise (carapace is no larger than 5.5", up to 5' x 2'x 2'. If your tortoise is larger than this, it should already be in an outdoor enclosure.)—

x5 36 quart bags of Terra Firma + x3 6 quart bags of Terra Firma- The Dude's handcrafted substrate. Holds all tunnels and burrows. Great for temperate biomes. 

x3 AAA Chilean or New Zealand Sphagnum Moss - This will always be the Dude's choice and is indicative of availability. 

x3 Oak/Beech Oak Leaf Litter 6 quarts 

x2 Southern Palm Leaves 6 quarts - Great for mixing into your deep substrate to help with aeration and air pockets. 

x5 36 quart BioShot + x1 18 quart Bioshot- The perfect shot for your terrarium. 

 x4 Large Cork Bark Flats

x3 Calcium Bones - Great for chewing, beak trimming and provide necessary calcium to your CUC and Tortoise. A must for this species.

x1 BULK CASE (32-35lbs) Creek Rock. Great to create a harder scape to provide enrichment and other types of burrows/moving opportunities.