# How old does redfoot sexually mature?



## chipperchip (Aug 7, 2017)

Chip is about 5 years. When we got him 3 years ago the owner said that he was roughly around 2 yearss old. He is now around 9-10 inches.

My question: How old are redfoots when they sexually mature? First of all, I have seen him stand kind 

of funny in his enclosure and his tortoise boy parts come out and move all over the place. He now eats 2x a day and devors all of his food. He eats a diet of greens, fruit, veggies and mazuri tortoise diet. He devours his food every day.

Question 2: Chip has been trying to escape his outdoor enclosure lately. There have been a couple of times when he just kept pushing his fence and pushing until he is able to lift it or move the panel. He has never tried to do that before. I am trying to figure out ways to double secure the cage panels. Is there a reason he keeps doing this?''

Finally, Would it help him to have another tortoise (not necessisarily a female) to keep him from being too bored?

Thanks for any advice you can offer!


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## Anyfoot (Aug 8, 2017)

Size is probably more relevant than age for sexual maturity. I was able to tell what gender mine were at around 8". At 10" males were capable of producing fertile sperm.
If your tort can see through the enclosure he will want out. 
It's also natural for the males to wander in search of females too. Maybe he as hit maturity and wants to explore for a female. That said he will probably calm down after a while. Lots of people only keep one tort. If you get more get at least 2 females.


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## chipperchip (Aug 10, 2017)

Anyfoot said:


> Size is probably more relevant than age for sexual maturity. I was able to tell what gender mine were at around 8". At 10" males were capable of producing fertile sperm.
> If your tort can see through the enclosure he will want out.
> It's also natural for the males to wander in search of females too. Maybe he as hit maturity and wants to explore for a female. That said he will probably calm down after a while. Lots of people only keep one tort. If you get more get at least 2 females.



Thank you for response. His enclosure does not have open views, but he is spending his time trying to climb up sides. When he is outside, he is spending all his time pushing against his fenced enclosure until it moves and he is able to escape. Now I can only leave him outside when I am at home, which has dramatically decreased the time he is able to spend outside, which makes me feel bad. When I am home and he is outside, I check him ever 1/2 hour and he still finds a way to escape. I have double fenced him as well as used tent stakes to secure the bottom of his enclosure. He did not do this last year at all.
I feel bad for him because he spends a lot of time in solitary confinement, and was told if I get another male he they will fight, and he will spend his time sexually harassing a female if I get a female. I really don't want them reproducing, so I did not want to get a female. Do you have any suggestions to keep him from being bored all day long? I put empty plastic 16 oz water bottles in his enclosure and he likes to smash them up. I also have a ball in there that he rolls around. Other than that, I feel like he needs to have something to do when he cannot be outside.


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## the Turtle Shepherd (Aug 17, 2017)

chipperchip said:


> Thank you for response. His enclosure does not have open views, but he is spending his time trying to climb up sides. When he is outside, he is spending all his time pushing against his fenced enclosure until it moves and he is able to escape. Now I can only leave him outside when I am at home, which has dramatically decreased the time he is able to spend outside, which makes me feel bad. When I am home and he is outside, I check him ever 1/2 hour and he still finds a way to escape. I have double fenced him as well as used tent stakes to secure the bottom of his enclosure. He did not do this last year at all.
> I feel bad for him because he spends a lot of time in solitary confinement, and was told if I get another male he they will fight, and he will spend his time sexually harassing a female if I get a female. I really don't want them reproducing, so I did not want to get a female. Do you have any suggestions to keep him from being bored all day long? I put empty plastic 16 oz water bottles in his enclosure and he likes to smash them up. I also have a ball in there that he rolls around. Other than that, I feel like he needs to have something to do when he cannot be outside.


I have redfoots, males do not harass the females all year around, just during the mating season, so you are actually safe for the rest of the year not that i am suggesting anything there
I am impressed with your tortoise gaming and entertainment skills i just wanted to say I will throw in a ball, see what happens


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## the Turtle Shepherd (Aug 17, 2017)

chipperchip said:


> Chip is about 5 years. When we got him 3 years ago the owner said that he was roughly around 2 yearss old. He is now around 9-10 inches.
> 
> My question: How old are redfoots when they sexually mature? First of all, I have seen him stand kind
> 
> ...


yup he is mature


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## the Turtle Shepherd (Aug 17, 2017)

i am not sure what walls you have but remember - if he can see out - he will go at it until he makes it - concrete cinder blocks stacks in two high will prevent any wall attacks, as for a mate, I will stay silent on the matter for many reasons, mainly you will figure it out on your own when the time is right and the right thing comes along


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## chipperchip (Aug 17, 2017)

the Turtle Shepherd said:


> I have redfoots, males do not harass the females all year around, just during the mating season, so you are actually safe for the rest of the year not that i am suggesting anything there
> I am impressed with your tortoise gaming and entertainment skills i just wanted to say I will throw in a ball, see what happens



When is tortoise mating season? And when will he settle down and stop trying to escape? Every so often I stick him in my husband's garden because it is fenced. Sure enough, he found a way out and he now goes to the same place every time to escape. I supported it with boards and some bricks but he keeps pushing until he is out. Here I found him wedged between the boards, caught in the act of escaping.

I know tortoises are supposed to be solitary creatures, but I feel like he is bored and lonely.


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## the Turtle Shepherd (Aug 17, 2017)

chipperchip said:


> When is tortoise mating season? And when will he settle down and stop trying to escape? Every so often I stick him in my husband's garden because it is fenced. Sure enough, he found a way out and he now goes to the same place every time to escape. I supported it with boards and some bricks but he keeps pushing until he is out. Here I found him wedged between the boards, caught in the act of escaping.
> View attachment 215811
> I know tortoises are supposed to be solitary creatures, but I feel like he is bored and lonely.


but of course he wants out in there, hell, I do too, it looks lovely, two feet cinder block wall, no need to cement, just stack them up - should fix the problem. mating season depends on the climate, in warm it is usually spring or autumn


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## Redfool (Aug 17, 2017)

In Florida my F2 1:3 RFs mate spring and summer. Eggs are laid from Aug to Feb. Your male is looking for some ladies. My females started laying first clutches, a few eggs, at 8 years and full clutches of 6 to 8 eggs at 10 years. When your male does hook up with a female you will hear him cluck like a chicken.


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## chipperchip (Aug 17, 2017)

Redfool said:


> In Florida my F2 1:3 RFs mate spring and summer. Eggs are laid from Aug to Feb. Your male is looking for some ladies. My females started laying first clutches, a few eggs, at 8 years and full clutches of 6 to 8 eggs at 10 years. When your male does hook up with a female you will hear him cluck like a chicken.



Should I be concerned if he's been clucking at me??? Lol


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## the Turtle Shepherd (Aug 17, 2017)

chipperchip said:


> Should I be concerned if he's been clucking at me??? Lol





chipperchip said:


> Should I be concerned if he's been clucking at me??? Lol


lol


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## ZEROPILOT (Aug 18, 2017)

My Redfoot seem to mature around the 6 to 8 year mark.
I only have females right now, but one of my previous males was a love machine. Clucking and trying to get at the ladies every and any day. Any time of year. And yes. He sounded like a deep voiced chicken.
There are always exceptions.


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