breeding the RF tortoise

[Yvonne G]

I had been babysitting two RF tortoises for a Forum member who left the country to teach school. He has since told me he sees no time in the future that he'll be able to take them back, and he has given them to me. A space in my 'rain forest' has opened up, and I'm now able to give them a more permanent home and it got me to thinking maybe I should get them back into the gene pool. They're both female.

So my question to you RF aficionados is - do I have to be aware of the area of South America these tortoises came from in order to keep the strain pure? They're not cherry heads. Are they like the Russian tortoises with not identified sub species and I need to be careful to purchase a male of the same type as mine?

 

[bouaboua]

You forgot to post picture my Lady! ! ! ! !

Are those two you are referring to??



Look at the smile on above picture! ! ! !

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes. I'm going to clean them up in the morning and then take top and bottom pictures for expert identification. thanks for posting these for me.

 

[mike taylor]

They look like northern red foots . @ tortadice will know .

 

[tortdad]

They look like northern red foots . @ tortadice will know .

You've got to get the tag right if you want to summon him, lol

@tortadise

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm going to clean them up and post top and bottom pictures tomorrow for better i.d.

 

[mike taylor]

Haha thanks tortdad . ( smart @$$)

 

[Turtlepete]

The locales will interbreed without hesitance, it's more of a moral question and concern for keeping the strain "pure". I have Northern's and Suriname's together myself. While I admire the pursuit some keepers take of breeding a "pure locality" (i.e., Venezuelan, Bolivian, Suriname, etc.), it isn't a species nor a sub-species. Simply a geographical variation owing to their large native range. Not to mention, the true locality of many of the tortoises originally imported is questionable, in my opinion.

Are you familiar with where these specific animals originated from? Keeping the strain "pure" implies you are beginning with pure locale animals, which they very likely may not be to begin with.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Good LORD what have I done?
I have a Colombian female and two female and one male from Suriname.
Is this frowned on, seriously?

 

[tortadise]

No it's not frowned upon at all. It's hardly even really known. A nice northern male would do just fine Yvonne, they do look northern anyways. As to exactly what country hard to tell.

 

[Yvonne G]

The locales will interbreed without hesitance, it's more of a moral question and concern for keeping the strain "pure". I have Northern's and Suriname's together myself. While I admire the pursuit some keepers take of breeding a "pure locality" (i.e., Venezuelan, Bolivian, Suriname, etc.), it isn't a species nor a sub-species. Simply a geographical variation owing to their large native range. Not to mention, the true locality of many of the tortoises originally imported is questionable, in my opinion.

Are you familiar with where these specific animals originated from? Keeping the strain "pure" implies you are beginning with pure locale animals, which they very likely may not be to begin with.

No, I don't know anything about them. So in your opinion, I shouldn't worry about what male I buy and just get a RF?

 

[Yvonne G]

Thanks everyone. I'll still clean them up and post pictures a bit later just to be sure.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yvonne, I hope males are easier to find on YOUR coast.

 

[Yvonne G]

I haven't started looking yet, but I'm really in no hurry. I followed your quest. There was one up for adoption a few days ago. Did you get that one?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yes. Thanks. I now have a big male and three big females. One small female.

 

[tortdad]

I haven't started looking yet, but I'm really in no hurry. I followed your quest. There was one up for adoption a few days ago. Did you get that one?

I took the the one from a few days ago. He got one a few weeks ago from I think a craigslist ad he posted.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I took the the one from a few days ago. He got one a few weeks ago from I think a craigslist ad he posted.

Another male? When it rains, it pours.
Yes mine was a response for a trade. Nice Colombian lady with like 65 years of Redfoot keeping...I don't need any more males. However I would still take as many as two more females. Just sayin'.

 

[Yvonne G]

I was really tempted to respond to the one you got, Kevin, but I wanted to be sure if I should try to keep the strain pure - if there is such a thing. I need to get educated before I buy anything.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I wish I could remember who it was. I could go back through the postings...Someone here could tell the home range/location of the Redfoot by looking at a photo. tortdad?

 

[tortdad]

I was really tempted to respond to the one you got, Kevin, but I wanted to be sure if I should try to keep the strain pure - if there is such a thing. I need to get educated before I buy anything.

It's a northern male. They say it's 13 inches but I think it's smaller. My guess is they are including head and tale length. They also say boy but I don't know that for fact. There is only one picture, a side shot, and it does look like it has some hourglass shape to it.