Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I bought this tortoise at the pet store. I hate buying animals from the pet store, but I feel so sorry for them. I was wondering if anyone knew what type or tortoise this is. They said it was a red-footed tortoise, but I just want to make sure what species it is. Thanks!

Hi,
If the scale dots on the legs are red, and the scales on the head are red, orange, or yellow..It's a redfoot hatchling ...I have one too..I Love mine!!!!

I notice he is on carpet and straw. These guys seem to
do best with higher humidity. I keep mine like you
would a box turtle.

Make sure you research your new baby.
Linda

Notice the pure yellow head and the lack of red/orange on the legs. I say, yellow foot.
-----
Kelly Wood

1.3 Cherry Head Redfoots

1.2 Brazillian Redfoots

1.1.4 Leopard tortoises

1.1.2 Sandfire Bearded Dragons

0.2 Dogs

1.3 Parakeets

Hi , Most redfoots have pure yellow heads, and some have hardly any coloration on thier legs.. I found this very confusing when trying to tell the difference between the two. I learned about the prefrontal scale difference at:

http://www.chelonia.org/articles/redfootcare.htm

I also learned alot about my redfoot "SAGE" and his requirements there...This is a very helpfull site...
Have a GREAT DAY!!! shawne1

see the pic
left is yellow-footed
right is Red-footed
Link

repost

Hi,
This is a Redfoot...The colorations of the two speices are often similiar, so the easiest way to tell the difference between redfoots and yellowfoots is by the PREFRONTAL scales on thier heads.Yellowfoots have elongated prefrontal scales and a fragment frontal scale..Redfoots have shortened prefrontal scales and a intact frontal scale...Basicaly if your hatchling has a solid frontal Scale (scale just above nose) It is a redfoot, if the frontal scale is split into two seprate scales it is a Yellowfoot...Look up "Prefrontal scale of redfoots, yellofoots" on the web, It will give you a good side by side view of the prefrontal scales differences between the two..I Found this out on the web...Neet info!!!
Have a GOOD DAY< shawne1

I am sorry, but I feel that this is just a matter of difference in opinion. I keep a herd of redfoots and yellowfoots and I still say this is a yellowfoot.

Look at the head, it is solid yellow. Redfoots do not have a head pattern such as that. Look at the leg scales, there is no hint of red coloration in there. Every red foot I have seen or dealt with has had some sort of coloration. And then there is the shell. That is a typical shell coloring for a yellowfoot where as the redfoot's shell is more blackish, not all the time, but most.

Either way, it really does not matter anyways since the care between the 2 are close to the same. The yellow foot just requires higher humidity and more fruit in it's diet.
-----
Kelly Wood

1.3 Cherry Head Redfoots

1.2 Brazillian Redfoots

1.1.4 Leopard tortoises

1.1.2 Sandfire Bearded Dragons

0.2 Dogs

1.3 Parakeets

as lots of people have already mentioned, the scales on its nose are the way to really tell (though your picture has some glare on his nose, it looks more like the redfoot's pattern to me).

there does seem to be a lot of variation in the coloring form individual to individual... i've seen the heads especially show a lot of variety, from straight crayola yellow, to orange like mine, to vibrant red. as someone else said, the rest of his coloring does seem more like a yellowfoots, but i think it's possible that you have what they call a hypomelanistic (lacking coloration)? who knows?

beats me, but as long as you love him and take care of him, it's all good.

check out the one on the right...