How big DO redfoots get?

[Redfoot NERD]

Any time you see a / any redfoot that looks like mine below... they were WC imports!

My SONshine was imported in 2002 and I acquired her in 2003 - she was a little over 11" SCL then.

I've left the pic of her big.. so open the "Click to view full-size" and clic on her again to better see the scale next to her - she is coming up on 14" SCL.



I'm getting the impression they get big - and she's a Northern / Guyana locale import!

 

[Leo1986]

I'm kinda curious about this too! Hopefully someone will come along with a good first hand answer

 

[Kathy Coles]

I saw on here a video of a science team that was investigating the intelligence of red foot in the wild. The pictures of those native were huge. Looked to be 14 inches at least. Saw it after I had my Zebulun. I thought, Yikes.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

I'm kinda curious about this too! Hopefully someone will come along with a good first hand answer

That was not actually a question question Leo1986. I was just responding to another thread.

It's unlikely that anyone other than cdmay here will have seen many that are much bigger than 16" or so.. of course there's always exceptions.. most of them will be old males.. not active producing females.

During the TEN years I've had SONshine and her mate they have grown the most in the first 8 of those.. and have not grown much since.

They still make hatchling that look like this - from this year -





AND SONshine from early on -



The baby that was on her back -

 

[tortadise]

Spectacular Terry. I know of some large Northerns here. They are 30+ year LTC. Females are 16-17". Quite some large Northerns. Not very often seeing females of this size.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

I saw on here a video of a science team that was investigating the intelligence of red foot in the wild. The pictures of those native were huge. Looked to be 14 inches at least. Saw it after I had my Zebulun. I thought, Yikes.

Not sure how old your Zebulun is.. but it will be many years until he gets that size! The 1998 hatchlings I raised up were not much more than 10"-11" when they left here 3 or so years ago - so it took a good 12 years or more for them to become 10" SCL.. in captivity! They grow faster in captivity than in the wild I'm sure.

 

[Millerlite]

Awesome girl! They just keep getting bigger! I hope my girl breaks 12 within her lifetime but now you gave her hope! Lol
Kyle

 

[ascott]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-14281.html

Suppose it is really hard to have a stead fast answer....

 

[FLINTUS]

Largest I've seen was what I would guess at about 16 inches at a zoo.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Spectacular Terry. I know of some large Northerns here. They are 30+ year LTC. Females are 16-17". Quite some large Northerns. Not very often seeing females of this size.

Let's see pics of those beasts Kelly!!!??? Come on now..........

 

[Leo1986]

Largest I've seen was what I would guess at about 16 inches at a zoo.

There is one at Omaha zoo (I think it was a red... Could have been a yellow bc I didn't see it up close) ... That looked pretty big.

They are pretty awesome!

---

Sorry nerd! That's what I get for reading threads while half asleep

 

[N2TORTS]

Here are some of the larger guys and gals .....at the Cove'
The two from the bottom up of the pitcure are CherryHeads...while the top one is a Redfoot (placed just for the pictures) all of these are good size into the 12" range ....

 

[mike taylor]

Here are some wild caught adults. They are in a big fish tank because he is building onto there enclosure. These guys and girls are pushing 14 " .

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Here are some of the larger guys and gals .....at the Cove'
The two from the bottom up of the pitcure are CherryHeads...while the top one is a Redfoot (placed just for the pictures) all of these are good size into the 12" range ....

Jeff I thot "Cherryheads" are REDFOOTS.. from Brazil?

Are you trying to confuse me?

The whole purpose of this thread was to rag on bigred for his statement on COOLEST REDFOOT ON TFO thread..
most every redfoot keeper has 12" or less redfoots!

This thread is not about seeking info on the sizes of carbonaria thru-out their range in South America.. or captivity.
Breeding adults range from 8" ( North ) to 18"++ in the South.
Once again there are always exceptions and extremes.

Jeff you've demonstrated that "Dwarf Cherryheads" was a marketing name created by those guys that were in FL
when the first shipment of redfoot tortoises from Brazil came in.. late 60's early 70's???

Both of my Brazilians are 12+ also - nothing "DRAWF" about those is it?

Thanks for the pics..... hey Kelly! where's those pics - or anyone else???

Thanks everybody for your feedback.. keep it up...

[ Mike made his entry while I was still typing.. thanks Mike ]

 

[N2TORTS]

I wasn’t trying to confuse you nor anyone else , just thought I would throw in the Cherries “by name” as most of the larger torts we see are of the other types of redfoots. I believe Mr. CD has a very large Cherry male as well . Sorry bout' posting and disrupting your thread ...

 

[gigios]

I saw on here a video of a science team that was investigating the intelligence of red foot in the wild. The pictures of those native were huge. Looked to be 14 inches at least. Saw it after I had my Zebulun. I thought, Yikes.

Not sure how old your Zebulun is.. but it will be many years until he gets that size! The 1998 hatchlings I raised up were not much more than 10"-11" when they left here 3 or so years ago - so it took a good 12 years or more for them to become 10" SCL.. in captivity! They grow faster in captivity than in the wild I'm sure.

My Red-foots had them when they were 2.5 inches now after 3 years one is 7.5 inches and the other 6.5 inches so not sure about the 12 years lol i expect them both to exceed 8 inches by next year. I live in the Mediterranean so have em outside in half of the spring, summer and half autumn in the garden , and keep em inside for winter in 27.5 by 19.5 inches moist tank. Surely i will need a bigger tank for next winter!!!

 

[Redfoot NERD]

I saw on here a video of a science team that was investigating the intelligence of red foot in the wild. The pictures of those native were huge. Looked to be 14 inches at least. Saw it after I had my Zebulun. I thought, Yikes.

Not sure how old your Zebulun is.. but it will be many years until he gets that size! The 1998 hatchlings I raised up were not much more than 10"-11" when they left here 3 or so years ago - so it took a good 12 years or more for them to become 10" SCL.. in captivity! They grow faster in captivity than in the wild I'm sure.

My Red-foots had them when they were 2.5 inches now after 3 years one is 7.5 inches and the other 6.5 inches so not sure about the 12 years lol i expect them both to exceed 8 inches by next year. I live in the Mediterranean so have em outside in half of the spring, summer and half autumn in the garden , and keep em inside for winter in 27.5 by 19.5 inches moist tank. Surely i will need a bigger tank for next winter!!!

Their growth "rate" usually slows down at 5 years or so [ personal and other breeder friends' rates ].. yours are growing at a good rate - would luv to see pics of them. Yes that's [ winter space ] really "crampin' their style" for sure!!!

 

[tortadise]

Spectacular Terry. I know of some large Northerns here. They are 30+ year LTC. Females are 16-17". Quite some large Northerns. Not very often seeing females of this size.

Let's see pics of those beasts Kelly!!!??? Come on now..........

Not mine of course(I wish). I will ask if the owner will allow his photos to be posted. My biggest ones are 14".

Claude in the back is 14", then T-Bone to the right of him is 13" then gracie to the immediate left of claude is 12ish" shes been with me since she was a hatchling 8 years ago. pretty good size Guyana for 8 years old in my opinion.

 

[Hustler]

Ive got a lady close to the 14" mark aswell CB northern to boot

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Ive got a lady close to the 14" mark aswell CB northern to boot

Thanks Hustler.. my hatchlings raised up were subjected to low carapace humidity [ early on ] that caused that same irreversible bumpiness as well! Of course there are many that actually think it is something else that caused it. Great colors and patterns on her head!!!

That's how you make claims.. back your words with pics!

When you look at bigred's WC female you see the results of being fed too much [ wrong stuff? ] .. by the [ growth ] space between the scutes!

I need to get a weight of SONshine.. she's massive...