Reptile & Amphibian Forums

is it true that cherryheads reach significantly smaller adult sizes compared to other redfoots?

Jim,

I think I'm confident now that the so-called 'Dwarf Cherryhead' is mostly lore past on from bad information long ago. It's true that the cherryhead variety is different and slightly smaller but on average, comparing a 12-13" cherryhead to a 13-14" regular redfoot is hardly significant.

My largest female cherryhead is nearly 13" and still growing. Carl May has a female that is around 14". These are no dwarves. Oddly, it seems that cherryheads reproduce at larger sizes than regular redfoots (10"ish vs 8"ish). I have animals that are between 7" and 13" and none of my females below 10" is mature. The males seem to mature a little smaller around 8-9" which is similar to regular redfoots.

I think the biggest difference is the coloration and their overall shape of the shell. Female cherryheads are more oval than regular redfoots which are more elongated and male cherryheads seldom have the figure-8 that regulars are known for.

Paul

I have had both for years and the only real difference I have found is that some wild caught male cherryheads were sexually mature at a fairly small size.
My two W/C males were both only 7 1/4 inches when I got them and they were quite ready to breed. But after a few years they were both 9 inchers. Smallish to be sure, but not 'dwarf'.
Also as Paul mentioned, females can get really good sized. And I have also seen long term W/C males that were well over 12 inches.
Still, I would say that the cherryheads are slightly smaller than the northern forms but not by much.

so my next question is do dwarf redfoots exist at all? are they from another region or is the whole notion a myth? and can cherryheads and regulars coexist?

Do 'true' dwarfs exist? I doubt it. It seems that most of the really small cherryheads imported in 1984 eventually, with lots of food and care, grew to be about 'normal' sized redfoots.
Having said that, I spoke to Joe Terry at the recent Expo and he insisted that one of his pairs is very small even though they have been in captivity for many years. But then, I have seen imported redfoots from Suriname and Guyana that were also unusually small for adults too. I think there are some that are just runts in any population.
As far as keeping the two forms together you can---but I would try to avoid interbreeding.

Some of the island forms seem to reproduce at a much smaller size than what is thought 'normal' although these 'dwarf' races have gotten to 'normal' size in captivity.

No one will argue that distinct races or populations do exist and the Cherryhead does seem to be one of those distinct races.

You have to figure that the RF range is huge and the habitats that the inhabit is extremely variable.

>>so my next question is do dwarf redfoots exist at all? are they from another region or is the whole notion a myth? and can cherryheads and regulars coexist?
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care