Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is a picture of one my males, he's my fav. I was outside in the yard not long ago and sat down for a minute to see if any would come out as I havn't had some of my blacks very long, and this male, comes right out and just sits on my lap. He would not move, Let me rub his head. So then i moved across the pen and then he followed me over there and did it again. I didn't have any food or anything. He's a flawless LTC male, he's been breeding alot with some of the females, none of my other males are. He's really outstanding and they they say this species really is a 'dog in a shell' I really do believe it as there Personality’s are just outstanding. I can't wait for a few years when there's 5" inchers everywhere. and in several more years there will be lots around with some size. Anyone else keep black mt.'s here on the forum?

Andy

RedoFootMan@yahoo.com

Hay,I have a few.Very fine looking animal.One thing i've noticed about wild emys is that the heavy armer on the front legs lay down flat and tight.On captive born and raised emys of some age to adults the same armered scales are always protruding and sticking out,and ferther apart.This at times will cause them to rub on their eyes as they pull into their shells.Just wandering if anyone else has noticed this.Vic

Vic,
I have seen that same thing with some of my C/H cherryhead redfoots. The carapaces of these animal are perfect with no pyramiding but the front leg scales stick out like you mentioned.
I don't know if it is a result of too fast growth or some other factor. I have also seen in in other keeper's C/H Manouria as well.
But I never saw this in the past with my northern redfoots.

Gorgeous tortoise . . . as soon as I get a house I want to get one (or a few).

I just acquired two hatchlings. They're still quite shy but I know will become more outgoing as they grow. This is my first experience with blacks; I used to keep a colony of browns but housing them well in the winter was problematic. What they lacked in looks they certainly made up for in personality. I had one in particular (Elsie) that was a real pet.
I'm looking forward to these babies growing into big, healthy 'dogs in shells'.