Dark hatchling

[cdmay]

Not much of a year for us with the cherry-heads and so far I think there have been only about 25 neonates. None have been exceptional--although most have been at least 'nice'.
Last week this enormous 5.3 cm hatchling showed up. In person it looks ink black.



The red that it has is actually a deep red but as usual my camera flash bleaches the color.



Usually you like a lot of colored scales on the legs but in this case I sort of wish there were less. Then I could call this a 'black cherry'.

This is a clutch mate that started to hatch the other day.



This is the same one as I found it this morning. Again, the red is deeper than it looks in these photos.



Last photo. The big dark hatchling with two (from another female) that are already a month old. You can see that even right out of the egg he is a jumbo.



But no wonder---momma is a jumbo too!

 

[tortadise]

Awesome. I like the black cherry. Great looking adults too. You sure that's not a gran Chaco? How big is that female?

 

[allegraf]

That picture makes Darth look somewhat normal sized. Your camera must be slimming.

 

[tiff3grl]

It is a lot darker.....I like the unique ones though

 

[cdmay]

Awesome. I like the black cherry. Great looking adults too. You sure that's not a gran Chaco? How big is that female?

No she isn't a Gran Chaco animal. She is a cherry-head that I got back in 1998 from a shipment of about 200 that Rob MacInnis got in. At that time she was 4.5 inches.
Last time I measured and weighed her--two years ago, she was 14.5 inches (straight line) and she weighed 23 pounds. Other than her size she is a very typical cherry-head.

 

[starfield]

Very nice! I recently picked up one of your babies via Allegra and she is wonderful and gorgeous!!!

 

[tortadise]

South Brazil and northern Paraguay cherry heads are still gran Chaco. She is shaped like a gran Chaco. Almost a twin of one of my huge females. But mine is 16 maybe 17"

 

[mightymizz]

Cool! Thanks for sharing! Keep us updated if you can as it grows!

 

[cdmay]

South Brazil and northern Paraguay cherry heads are still gran Chaco. She is shaped like a gran Chaco. Almost a twin of one of my huge females. But mine is 16 maybe 17"

I'm not entirely sure if cherry-heads are actually found in Paraguay. Thomas and Sabine Vinke as well as Jim Buskirk, all of whom have traveled extensively within Paraguay (and checked all the museum specimens) have assured me that the 'cherry-head' form of red-footed tortoise does not naturally occur in that country. But Sabine Vinke has later said that although they might be found in the extreme N.E. corner of Paraguay, they are certainly not found in exportable numbers.
As far as I know most if not all of the cherry-heads in this country have originated from the state of Bahia, Brazil located in the S.E. part of the country. I know that all of the animals I have did.
But cherry-heads, regardless of size and shape are still very different tortoises from the giant Chaco animals.

 

[Leopard Tortoise Lover 16199]

Nice!! Very dark nice coloring. Beautiful black cherry tortoise! Also other babies are very pretty, as well as the adults.

---

Googled some pics of dark colored red foot torts, this is the darkest hatchling I could find, but yours is even darker than this. Yours is a one of a kind!!

 

[Redstrike]

In comparison to your other hatchlings, that one is extremely dark. If that little bugger marbles the contrast would be remarkable.

 

[zman7590]

are you going to sell it?!?!

 

[EricIvins]

Northern Versions -

 

[sunshine_hugs]

Really neat! I like the dark hatchlings.

 

[Vickie]

I REALLY like the dark one it makes its colors really POP! Congratulations!

 

[Moozillion]

WOW! That dark hatchling is gorgeous!

 

[CharlieM]

That picture makes Darth look somewhat normal sized. Your camera must be slimming.

Hilarious!

Beautiful torts Carl!

 

[tortadise]

South Brazil and northern Paraguay cherry heads are still gran Chaco. She is shaped like a gran Chaco. Almost a twin of one of my huge females. But mine is 16 maybe 17"

I'm not entirely sure if cherry-heads are actually found in Paraguay. Thomas and Sabine Vinke as well as Jim Buskirk, all of whom have traveled extensively within Paraguay (and checked all the museum specimens) have assured me that the 'cherry-head' form of red-footed tortoise does not naturally occur in that country. But Sabine Vinke has later said that although they might be found in the extreme N.E. corner of Paraguay, they are certainly not found in exportable numbers.
As far as I know most if not all of the cherry-heads in this country have originated from the state of Bahia, Brazil located in the S.E. part of the country. I know that all of the animals I have did.
But cherry-heads, regardless of size and shape are still very different tortoises from the giant Chaco animals.

Ahh yes. I did not disclose that very well. I agree. I do not think cherryheads are found in Paraguay. However Cherryheads are still classified in with all the other types of chelonoidis depending on their range. Brazil has quite the amount of types of red foots. I would have to say Vargus/Ramirez research on DNA clusters that classified the different types. In looking back at the map. I see question marks where your lovely guys are from. So that being said. You may be onto something for sure with a S.E type. Good stuff though. Again too, that baby is great looking.

Im not sure if I recall the animals that were brought in are the same I am thinking of. But it was around the same time frame. A man in Florida had them for sale in the mid 90s. They were northern Paraguay, and Southern Brazil. Massive specimens of 24-26" jet black and solid blood red heads. Never seen them after that. But all in all the red head cherry heads are just a genetic trait carried on and really doesn't classify them as a different type. At least that is my understanding of the research I have read through.

 

[EchoTheLeoTort]

ok I LOVE that tortoise

 

[zman7590]

i wanna see one thats solid black