# Red footed tortoise!



## Tortoiseme (Nov 4, 2011)

I bought a Red foot pair. Male 9 1/2" and Female 11". The previous owner said they have been breeding for the past 2 years. Ive had them since the beginning of Aug. and they have been constantly breeding. Im not sure if they connect or not. Also, the female looks very old. Her colors are not bright, her beak is over grown, her front feet have no nails, and the top of her shell has some chips with some discoloration and under her its chiped also. I only have pictures of the bottom, sorry. 

Can red foots be too old to reproduce? or am I doing something? I provide fresh water, greens, heat bulb/ heater for them because im housing them for winter right now.

Its hard to tell on this picture but maybe you can see.



If you cant see the picture above. Go to my older post and scroll the bottom-ish to find the correct pictures of my torts.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Red-Foot-Mating-Sexing#axzz1cks0eott


Thank you!


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## Yvonne G (Nov 4, 2011)

If a female's eggs are fertilized, she can lay viable eggs right up until the day she dies. Their reproductive systems don't get "old."


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## cdmay (Nov 4, 2011)

To begin with, the female in the attached photo has relatively healthy looking new growth at the scute edges (especially along the midline of the plastron) and so I doubt very much that she is that old. But the condition of her shell could make you think that she is.
Her feet are a mess though. Her front claws have been worn (or chewed?) off and the bottom of the rear feet are covered in large scars. What was she kept on before you obtained her? Broken glass?
Whatever the cause, the wounds are healed over now and there doesn't appear to be any infection.
If this were my animal I would first get her away from any and all male attention immediately. Second, I would have my vet check her for high parasite loads and if she has them, I would treat accordingly. Then I would set her up in a nice location where she could finished healing up her feet, get some good food and get adjusted to her surroundings.
She looks like she could use a full year of some TLC. 
As far as breeding her in the future don't worry. She isn't that old and besides, as emyesemys said, they breed until they are about to die of old age.


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## Tortoiseme (Nov 5, 2011)

cdmay said:


> To begin with, the female in the attached photo has relatively healthy looking new growth at the scute edges (especially along the midline of the plastron) and so I doubt very much that she is that old. But the condition of her shell could make you think that she is.
> Her feet are a mess though. Her front claws have been worn (or chewed?) off and the bottom of the rear feet are covered in large scars. What was she kept on before you obtained her? Broken glass?
> Whatever the cause, the wounds are healed over now and there doesn't appear to be any infection.
> If this were my animal I would first get her away from any and all male attention immediately. Second, I would have my vet check her for high parasite loads and if she has them, I would treat accordingly. Then I would set her up in a nice location where she could finished healing up her feet, get some good food and get adjusted to her surroundings.
> ...



Thank you for the advice. I bought her and when they shipped her in, I was shocked at opening the box and seeing her condition. She seems to be eating and drinking fine. I'm not sure what her old enclosure was like, but I'm glad I can provide her with better care. Thank you again!


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## grogansilver (Nov 5, 2011)

"Oh my god" she really does have no nails! what did they do cut the tips of her feet off? where did she come from? or should i say who? thats a Dam shame...


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