Red Footed Tortoise

Red Footed Tortoise
By Madhumita Shivade

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A red footed tortoise is a very popular pet. This tortoise is an exotic specie and quite rare. Let us see how to care for this little one, its diet, habitat and some more information on these reptiles.

This specie is named so, due to the red, yellow and orange scales on its limbs, head and tail. The carapace length of the red footed tortoise is 25 to 35 cms, which is approximately 10 to 14 inches. Some might also measure 40 cms, that is up to 16 inches. There is also another type of the red foot tortoise, which has a bulb-like shaped nose and it's plastron (the underside of a tortoises' shell) is a little darker. These ones are called as the 'cherry head red footed tortoise'. These tortoises are sexually dimorphic, which means, the males are larger than the females in the weighing of the carapace as well as its length. However, their height and width is the same. The mature red foots have longer and wider tails as compared to the females. Red footed tortoise sexing can be spotted as the plastron of the male is a moving inwards. The males weigh more, around 9 to 10 kg and the females weigh a little less than them.

Let us see the scientific classification of the red footed tortoise.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Reptilia
Order Testudines
Suborder Cryptodira
Family Testudinidae
Genus Geochelone
Species G. carbonaria

The binomial name of the red footed tortoise is Geochelone carbonaria

Red Footed Tortoise Habitat
A native of South America, the red footed tortoise is a rare specie, also found in Panama, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Venezuela, etc. Some of these have also been introduced to West Indies. The red footed tortoises are found in all types of habitats such as the rain forests, dry thorny forests, forests having temperate climatic conditions. They are also occupy the savanna areas, which are, grasslands, compromising of man-made grasslands too. Some are of the opinion that these red footed reptiles prefer grasslands and dry forests, as compared to rain forests.

Red Footed Tortoise Care
Red foot tortoise are very cute pets and are also very friendly. Before adopting a red footed tortoise, the 'to be' pet owner must try to gain some valuable knowledgeable into the animals care and concern. As it is an endangered species, according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) , this specie cannot be exported from its hometown without a permit. One should also be aware of the laws regarding petting of the red footed tortoise. In case of any emergency a vet, who has an experience in treating exotic species of animals including red footed tortoise or any other tortoises, should be at an easy reach. These animals should be kept in clean water tank if at home. The water tank should be cleaned once a week.

Red Footed Tortoise Diet
These cute little shelled red foots are omnivorous, that is, they eat both, plants as well as animals. Red footed tortoise diet consists of greens, vegetables that are high in calcium, fruits, flowers and a good amount of protein. Calcium greens such as lettuce leaves, hibiscus leaves, turnip greens, grape leaves, collard greens, etc. is included in their diets. Spinach and kale should be fed in deficient amount. Flowers such as hibiscus, nasturtium flowers, prickly-pear flowers, dandelions, etc. can be fed to the red foots, as these flowers are edible. Fruits such as mangoes, kiwis, plums, pineapples, peaches, strawberries, cantaloupes, melons can be fed to them. One should not feed banana often, maybe once or twice in a month if at all you do. But not recommended. They also eat dead and rotting bodies of animals such as snails, earth worms and other insects.

Red Footed Tortoise Breeding
The red footed tortoise breeding starts when they are 6 to 8 inches long. A mature red foot male is productive in warm and humid areas all through out the year. A healthy pair of red footed tortoises are able to produce 2 to 4 clutches having 3 to 5 eggs every season. But this also depends up on the size of the female red footed tortoise. A protein rich and calcium rich diet of the females can produce healthy eggs. The red footed tortoises' young ones hatch in temperatures between 82 to 85 degree F.

These are some of the red footed tortoise facts. Having these tortoises as pets is real fun and its amusing to watch them. I hope this article has provided you with enough information regarding the red foots and has helped you in making your mind up, in having one!

great info sir.