Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi, i want to get a red-foot tortoise. i haven't read up on them to much yet because it is a very recent decision. A friend told me they are a really great one to get.

i have a three-toed box turtle now which is almost 2 years old and i had been taking care of a sulcata for a short while until i moved.

what are some pros and cons with red-foot tortoises?

thanks for reading and any suggestions will be much appreciated.

i ADORE my redfoot, who has just turned a year old. i honestly haven't had any "cons" about him!

"pros," i suppose, would include things like:

size -- while they can get to be a respectable size (up to 14 inches, i think?), they don't get so huge as to be very difficult to create housing for.

housing requirements -- their requirements aren't very extreme or difficult to maintain. mine lives in a 20 gal. long aquarium (which is pushing it size-wise, i know; i'm currently looking into options for larger housing), with an overturned tupperware bowl with a door cut into it for a hide, and food and water, of course. i've been using bed-a-beast, and i like it. i mist it all generously morning and night, and he has a heat bulb and a uva/uvb lamp.

diet -- easy to feed, in my opinion. i just swing by the produce department of the grocery store snd grab spring salad mix (not the cheapest, but a good variety of greens) and a fruit or two (i rotate different things like blueberries, squash, strawberry, kiwi...). every once in a while i'll give him a little bit of boiled egg or cooked meat, since i know they eat carrion in the wild, so he can have a bit or protein.

looks -- shallow, huh? they're quite pretty!

personality -- i can't vouch for other species, but i've heard that redfoots have great personalities, and i know mine does. he's very obviously aware of what's going on around him, and will do things like stand by his food dish and stare at me if he wants more. he's also quite tolerant of being held and handled, for the most part.

Hi Andy,

Everything unchikun said and more.. chances are any redfoot you would find will not get much bigger than a foot and that takes several years.

Hope this album isn't overkill.. the female at 5 o'clock in the 2nd pic.. RFBUFFET.. is a true 12'.. she's SONSHINE.. seen thru-out the album.

http://img14.photobucket.com/albums/v41/clemmysman/Redfoot%20tortoises/

I have other info to share too.. contact me via direct E-mail.

You gotta love 'em!

Terry

you know, i was assuming that they all had dark grey eyes, as mine does, but it looks like there's maybe quite a range of eye color redfoots can have. looking at your pics, i see what appears to be brown, light green, blue... are they really all those colors, or is it just the pictures?

Yes, there is quite a bit of variablity in eye color with redfoots. Many from all populations have a clean yellow 'ring' in their eye. From the redheaded (cherryhead) populations in Brazil, many have bright orange eyes.
What is confusing is that others from the same population have normal or dark eyes. This does not appear to be sex related either as both males and females can have the 'bright eyes'.

(Images in lens are closer than they appear)

Is this that 'yellow eye' you mentioned Carl?

If I could just get them to wash their face after eating!!

You gotta love 'em!

Terry

...looks like a pig nose turtle indeed...nice nostrils

Tried to post a link to my Redfoot colony.. but didn't know how.

Well unchikun came thru.. AGAIN!

Thanks Carly!!!

When it comes to tortoises..

You gotta love 'em!

Terry
Redffots here

You gotta love 'em!

Terry

My RF is three years old and she (?) is a delight. She's probably the most gregarious creature I have, and I have cats! Right now, she is about 6" SCL and 2 1/2 pounds. She loves to "knock around" with our other tort, a yellowfoot, but the other one doesn't like to be bothered.

I haven't had any health problems with her. Her temps range from 90-75 and the humidity level is about 80%. We feed her various veggies and fruit, along with calcium and D3 supplement.

In answer to the eye color question, both the redfoot and the yellowfoot have brown eyes.

what does everyone keep baby redfoots in? what do you use to retain a humidity level around 80% too?

i definatly want to get one now but not until i know everything i need to get started with one and get its home already. so if you know any reliable breeders as well, that will also be helpful.
thanks

keep scrolling...this place (forum) has been "RFdominated" for the best 80% as you can see.

... abbott's turtle farm in central florida (link below). i'd heard good things about them from a couple of sources, and besides being delighted with my scaly purchase, they seem to be good folks who'll answer questions for you and such. there are some folks on this forum who breed tham, too!

i started mien out in a 10 gallon aquarium, but i quickly increased it to a 20 long. some people use plastic bins, and i've heard that glass can pose a problem because some torts stress and try continuously to dig through the glass. i don't have that problem with mine, though; in fact, he seems to enjoy looking out.

i don't have a very scientific method of maintaining humidity. i just mist it all generously with a spray bottle, maybe twice a day. i can't be doing things too wrong, since his shell looks quite smooth, i think!

abbott's turtle farm