# Some zoo photos of a true giant yellow foot tortoise.



## Baoh

Went to the Saint Louis Zoo today for some walking and so on.

A female pancake tortoise was struggling in vain to dig a nest in a cage with no real substrate beneath the river rocks in its enclosure, so I told one of the zookeepers and she put her in a more accommodating setting so she could lay.

Embedded below are some photos of a genuine giant yellow foot tortoise. For reference, it is sitting with some Aldabras, so that should give you some idea of its size. Since it was behind glass, I could not use flash and the photos were of a lesser quality than I would prefer, but that is just how it goes until I do a behind-the-scenes tour. Tried to get a close-up of the tail, too.

















Finding one of these legitimate giants can be difficult.


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## tortadise

Thats what Im talking about. Awesome specimen. Thanks for sharing.


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## Eweezyfosheezy

Doesn't get much cooler than that.


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## TortoiseBoy1999

Whoa!!!! How do they get that big?!




Baoh said:


> A female pancake tortoise was struggling in vain to dig a nest in a cage with no real substrate beneath the river rocks in its enclosure, so I told one of the zookeepers and she put her in a more accommodating setting so she could lay.



You SAY you just told the ZooKeeper that the Pancake tortoise needed more substrate all casually. But you were REALLY probably like: "What's wrong with you?! That poor Pancake needs more substrate to lay her eggs!"  Nah I'm just messing with you  JK


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## kurmaraja12

ooooooo I'm trying to strong-arm my boyfriend into taking me tomorrow


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## tortadise

She has got to be pretty close to the record sized one of 37" that was found in Peru. I am making a pure speculation here. Given the elongation of the aldabras those would be males. She is absolutely massive, what would say she roughly was 30". I might have to just go visit St.Louis soon. Just spectacular. I love seeing these at natural ancient massive size.


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## bigred

That is a beautiful tortoise


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## mainey34

Wow..I did not realize they got so big. Turkey a beautiful thing...


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## DrewsLife727

Whoa.. That's huge


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## yellowfoot

Wow! I have heard stories about the giant yellowfoots at the zoo but I have never seen them in person.


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## mattgrizzlybear

That is one big tort! Are those aldabras next to her?


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## Yellow Turtle

I never know yellow foot can get this big. Thought it was an aldabra until I saw its dotted feet. Is this giant yellow foot only happen rarely in the nature or are they actually exist in a specific area only, just like Sudanese sulcata? Anyone please share. Thanks.


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## ColorfulTortoise

Wow thats one impressive tortoise!


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## N2TORTS

Dat's a BIG ONE .... thanks for sharing!


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## Tropical Torts

Wow this awesome! Did you snag pictures of any other torts there? I know they have a huge reptile house.


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## Tortuga_terrestre

Hey Baoh,

I'm trying to PM you but your profile doesn't have that option. Shoot me an email. I wanted to see pics of the Hybrid Leo I sold you. Thanks


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## dannel

mainey34 said:


> Wow..I did not realize they got so big. Turkey a beautiful thing...



Ditto!


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## waterboy

What is the record sulcata size. I thought sullies where the 3rd largest tort but looking at him im not so sure. Really cool looking tort he must be over 100 years old


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## kathyth

Very impressive!
I had no idea they got that big
Thanks!


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## Baoh

Tortuga_terrestre said:


> Hey Baoh,
> 
> I'm trying to PM you but your profile doesn't have that option. Shoot me an email. I wanted to see pics of the Hybrid Leo I sold you. Thanks



I sold that animal earlier this year and now only work with Gpp het for sunset hypo as far as pure leopards go. I also still work with inter-specific hybrids, but no longer with intra-specific crosses outside of one locale exception.




jrcrist4 said:


> Wow this awesome! Did you snag pictures of any other torts there? I know they have a huge reptile house.



I am not so crazy about most of their tortoises. They have radiated tortoises, spider tortoises, pancake tortoises, Aldabra tortoises, Galapagos tortoises, and the yellow foot tortoise.




Yellow Turtle said:


> I never know yellow foot can get this big. Thought it was an aldabra until I saw its dotted feet. Is this giant yellow foot only happen rarely in the nature or are they actually exist in a specific area only, just like Sudanese sulcata? Anyone please share. Thanks.



Information on this varies and there are likely many inaccuracies being bandied about.

Most of the larger animals are purported to come from Peru, but there are many non-giant yellow foot tortoises also living in Peru.

The "Amazon Basin giant" yellow foot tortoises often have a particular shell shape (and head shape) to them. The coloration claims are more variable from what I have seen, so I do not count coloration. The animal in the photos I put in this thread does *not* have this particular shell shape. I have been planning to, and putting off, a tour behind the scenes so I can learn more about this particular animal as it relates to from where it was obtained.

Speaking to that difference in shell shape, there are exceptional animals from other areas in South America that, by size alone, are giants. Maybe they are old. Maybe they are genetic giants. Maybe the giants were more widely spread and, due to their size, were more easily hunted by humans and picked off, severely limiting their numbers. I am speculating and I do not know. Some larger species have delayed sexual maturation times and could be easily outcompeted. There are "giant" animals from Suriname and possibly other areas, but they do not look the same as the Basins I have seen.


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## EricIvins

The true "Basins" come out of Brazil, possibly southern Guyana, but that isn't known yet. I have never seen a Yellowfoot over 17" come out of Surinam or other Northern Shield Countries.........

I can count on one hand how many Yellowfoots in the 25" range that have come into the US from Guyana in the past 10 years.......I know Exporters in Surinam that get Brazilian animals and they have yet to come across animals that large from their contacts. I have yet to find anyone that has come across large Yellowfoots in Peru in-situ. Yes, some people have them, but they are more than likely the result of border hopping Indians bringing them to market. The large animals were common place in the 80's. Not the case anymore...........

The most logical reason would be the fact the the large animals are a food source for many different people, and have been extirpated in all but the unaccessable primary Forests........I don't know if I still have it, but I did have a picture of an animal in that 25" range that was being cracked open by the natives as the picture was taken......


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## tortadise

[/quote]

I am not so crazy about most of their tortoises. They have radiated tortoises, spider tortoises, pancake tortoises, Aldabra tortoises, Galapagos tortoises, and the yellow foot tortoise.




Yellow Turtle said:


> I never know yellow foot can get this big. Thought it was an aldabra until I saw its dotted feet. Is this giant yellow foot only happen rarely in the nature or are they actually exist in a specific area only, just like Sudanese sulcata? Anyone please share. Thanks.



Information on this varies and there are likely many inaccuracies being bandied about.

Most of the larger animals are purported to come from Peru, but there are many non-giant yellow foot tortoises also living in Peru.

The "Amazon Basin giant" yellow foot tortoises often have a particular shell shape (and head shape) to them. The coloration claims are more variable from what I have seen, so I do not count coloration. The animal in the photos I put in this thread does *not* have this particular shell shape. I have been planning to, and putting off, a tour behind the scenes so I can learn more about this particular animal as it relates to from where it was obtained.

Speaking to that difference in shell shape, there are exceptional animals from other areas in South America that, by size alone, are giants. Maybe they are old. Maybe they are genetic giants. Maybe the giants were more widely spread and, due to their size, were more easily hunted by humans and picked off, severely limiting their numbers. I am speculating and I do not know. Some larger species have delayed sexual maturation times and could be easily outcompeted. There are "giant" animals from Suriname and possibly other areas, but they do not look the same as the Basins I have seen.
[/quote]

I agree with these statements. I have always been boggled as to what major difference the giants play in relation to not so giant ones. I have seen many of these giant yellow foots. I acquired some from Peru 5 years ago as yearlings and they have shown a very unique difference amongst other giant YF I have seen. The giant ones tend to show a very round like chacteristic. But I think maybe and its purely an opinion. The sex might play a role. Take aldabras for case in point. Males tend to get very elongated and flattened on top of the carapace, as where females stay nice and round with marginal scutes that flare posterior on the animal. 

One thing I have noticed is the difficulty in sexing my 2 I have from known giant parents. They are quite large for being 5 years old compared to a suriname or guyana locale I have, and still unsexable by visial means and methods. I would be very interested if you find more information out about this big girl. Again thanks for the post. Gives me some more boggles in the "giant" strains of Yellow foots.


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## Baoh

EricIvins said:


> The true "Basins" come out of Brazil, possibly southern Guyana, but that isn't known yet. I have never seen a Yellowfoot over 17" come out of Surinam or other Northern Shield Countries.........
> 
> I can count on one hand how many Yellowfoots in the 25" range that have come into the US from Guyana in the past 10 years.......I know Exporters in Surinam that get Brazilian animals and they have yet to come across animals that large from their contacts. I have yet to find anyone that has come across large Yellowfoots in Peru in-situ. Yes, some people have them, but they are more than likely the result of border hopping Indians bringing them to market. The large animals were common place in the 80's. Not the case anymore...........
> 
> The most logical reason would be the fact the the large animals are a food source for many different people, and have been extirpated in all but the unaccessable primary Forests........I don't know if I still have it, but I did have a picture of an animal in that 25" range that was being cracked open by the natives as the picture was taken......



I have seen some biggish ones said to be from Guyana, but I have also seen a group of three in 2011 that were supposed to have come in from Suriname ranging from 17" to 22" scl, but that is where they were said to have come from. I did not see those in their countries of origin, wherever that might actually be. 

The one in the photos in this thread far exceeds any others I have seen in person. I will get a straight line measurement and, if I am lucky, some origin information whenever I manage to get some hands-on time with it.



I am not so crazy about most of their tortoises. They have radiated tortoises, spider tortoises, pancake tortoises, Aldabra tortoises, Galapagos tortoises, and the yellow foot tortoise.




Yellow Turtle said:


> I never know yellow foot can get this big. Thought it was an aldabra until I saw its dotted feet. Is this giant yellow foot only happen rarely in the nature or are they actually exist in a specific area only, just like Sudanese sulcata? Anyone please share. Thanks.



Information on this varies and there are likely many inaccuracies being bandied about.

Most of the larger animals are purported to come from Peru, but there are many non-giant yellow foot tortoises also living in Peru.

The "Amazon Basin giant" yellow foot tortoises often have a particular shell shape (and head shape) to them. The coloration claims are more variable from what I have seen, so I do not count coloration. The animal in the photos I put in this thread does *not* have this particular shell shape. I have been planning to, and putting off, a tour behind the scenes so I can learn more about this particular animal as it relates to from where it was obtained.

Speaking to that difference in shell shape, there are exceptional animals from other areas in South America that, by size alone, are giants. Maybe they are old. Maybe they are genetic giants. Maybe the giants were more widely spread and, due to their size, were more easily hunted by humans and picked off, severely limiting their numbers. I am speculating and I do not know. Some larger species have delayed sexual maturation times and could be easily outcompeted. There are "giant" animals from Suriname and possibly other areas, but they do not look the same as the Basins I have seen.
[/quote]

I agree with these statements. I have always been boggled as to what major difference the giants play in relation to not so giant ones. I have seen many of these giant yellow foots. I acquired some from Peru 5 years ago as yearlings and they have shown a very unique difference amongst other giant YF I have seen. The giant ones tend to show a very round like chacteristic. But I think maybe and its purely an opinion. The sex might play a role. Take aldabras for case in point. Males tend to get very elongated and flattened on top of the carapace, as where females stay nice and round with marginal scutes that flare posterior on the animal. 

One thing I have noticed is the difficulty in sexing my 2 I have from known giant parents. They are quite large for being 5 years old compared to a suriname or guyana locale I have, and still unsexable by visial means and methods. I would be very interested if you find more information out about this big girl. Again thanks for the post. Gives me some more boggles in the "giant" strains of Yellow foots.
[/quote]

Do you happen to have any photos of the parents of your animals? I find it very difficult to get folks to give those up. I have wanted to buy a number of animals from folks selling giant offspring, but they never produced adult photos, so I had to start passing.


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## Yellow Turtle

That is interesting knowledge to know for the giant YF origins. The shell for the one shown in the photo is amazingly high for a YF. I do hope there will be people who are able to breed and produce the giant lines in the future, especially the high dome ones.

Kelly, you should share your giant YF pictures if you don't mind


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## tortadise

I would gladly show the parents photos. I have to find them first. All I know is they were farmed in peru so not sure of actual origin. I know my brazilian is quite large but she has weird chacteristics more like my guyana YF. Hard to really depict exactly where each come from like eric stated.


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## lovelyrosepetal

Hey Baoh, I wanted to pm you also. I wanted to ask about your ivories and your ivory hets. I know you mentioned somewhere that you would be having some available and I wondered how much you want for them. I probably couldn't get one but it would be nice to know someone else who has them available so that when I have adequate space and more money, I know where to go.


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## Spn785

TortoiseBoy1999 said:


> Whoa!!!! How do they get that big?!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Baoh said:
> 
> 
> 
> A female pancake tortoise was struggling in vain to dig a nest in a cage with no real substrate beneath the river rocks in its enclosure, so I told one of the zookeepers and she put her in a more accommodating setting so she could lay.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You SAY you just told the ZooKeeper that the Pancake tortoise needed more substrate all casually. But you were REALLY probably like: "What's wrong with you?! That poor Pancake needs more substrate to lay her eggs!"  Nah I'm just messing with you  JK
Click to expand...




One of the great things about the St. Louis Zoo is that the keepers will listen to and then research what visitors tell them. I used to work for the St. Louis Zoo, and know of a few times visitors gave information about the husbandry of animals, and after researching it the keepers decided to make changes. They never disregard information unless it is obviously wrong or they have already looked into it.


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## Alan RF

Awesome!


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## Baoh

lovelyrosepetal said:


> Hey Baoh, I wanted to pm you also. I wanted to ask about your ivories and your ivory hets. I know you mentioned somewhere that you would be having some available and I wondered how much you want for them. I probably couldn't get one but it would be nice to know someone else who has them available so that when I have adequate space and more money, I know where to go.



The ivories I produce are priced at $550 shipped each with graduated reductions in cost for multiples (not the most common option chosen by buyers). The regular hets are typically $125-150 shipped, although this can vary up or down by around $25 for good-kind-of-special or bad-kind-of-special animals. If all goes well, I will also be injecting Sudanese bloodline into my mix and those will be around $225 to $250 shipped. I sold my ivories mainly online and my hets mainly locally in 2012. I would not expect a new crop until mid-to-late Summer of 2013 at the earliest. In the meantime, Richard Fife (ivorytortoise url) and a couple others currently produce more ivories than I do, so he or Bill Corwin (reptileodyssey url) may have better availability at present than I can offer. Theirs run somewhat higher (around $100-$200 more, I think), but any of us would be offering the same genetic trait, so the legitimacy is there across the board. I have animals from both (and other) breeders and have only good experiences with both. Richard is highly communicative and Bill is very efficient, so they both bring positives to the table. I have combined three sets of outcrossed bloodlines and will now be adding/creating a fourth. Sorry that I cannot provide any at present.


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## tortadise

Yellow Turtle said:


> That is interesting knowledge to know for the giant YF origins. The shell for the one shown in the photo is amazingly high for a YF. I do hope there will be people who are able to breed and produce the giant lines in the future, especially the high dome ones.
> 
> Kelly, you should share your giant YF pictures if you don't mind



They are no giants yet. But definitely showing a large difference in growth compared to the Suriname/Guyana I have. The one the left is Brazilian, and the 2 on the right are Peruvian. The Peruvians are not physically sexable yet but one has flashed me so I know 1 is male. The hopefully female in the middle is showing more rounded shape and is smaller of the 2 Peruvians. "She" is 12" and the male is almost 13" 5 years old. The Brazilian is 7 years old and 15".











sorry the picture sucks. It is from my phone.


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## Yellow Turtle

tortadise said:


> Yellow Turtle said:
> 
> 
> 
> That is interesting knowledge to know for the giant YF origins. The shell for the one shown in the photo is amazingly high for a YF. I do hope there will be people who are able to breed and produce the giant lines in the future, especially the high dome ones.
> 
> Kelly, you should share your giant YF pictures if you don't mind
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They are no giants yet. But definitely showing a large difference in growth compared to the Suriname/Guyana I have. The one the left is Brazilian, and the 2 on the right are Peruvian. The Peruvians are not physically sexable yet but one has flashed me so I know 1 is male. The hopefully female in the middle is showing more rounded shape and is smaller of the 2 Peruvians. "She" is 12" and the male is almost 13" 5 years old. The Brazilian is 7 years old and 15".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sorry the picture sucks. It is from my phone.
Click to expand...


Thank you, it is enough to show the size difference. Well hoping it grows to a truly giant YF


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## tortadise

No way of really knowing. Like stated before and is of truth. Giants can be found in Peru,Brazil,Guyana, and even Northern Bolivia. Same goes for smaller sized specimens. Not much factual or data has been presented on the differences. So time will tell.


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## Baoh

Found this photo while looking for something else.

Female giant in Brazil. Found in 1991. 73.1cm straight length. 57.7kg.


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## CtTortoiseMom

Great pics and info. Thanks!!


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