How to tell between a Cherryhead and a standard Redfoot?

[scuseme]

Went back to PetCo today to take back some items we found out we don't need for a Redfoot tortoise--they basically told us to care for him like a Russian, even gave us a Russian care sheet and encouraged us to buy a book about caring for Russians...

Anyway it was a different associate who was pretty helpful and maybe a bit more knowledgeable who said that he is a Cherryhead Redfoot. I am not super inclined to believe her, since in general, they don't seem to be tortoise experts. Also, our tortoise wasn't there and they had no more Redfoots in stock to compare to.

How can I tell? Are there any distinguising characteristics between the breeds?

Also, are there differences in care and feeding for standard Redfoots and Cherryheads?

 

[Marty333]

Standard redfoots have yellow heads cherryheads have red heads

 

[scuseme]

Standard redfoots have yellow heads cherryheads have red heads

I think his head looks pretty yellow... What do you think? Might be hard to tell from the photo, but it's definitely not red. The scales on his legs are MUCH redder.

 

[egyptiandan]

To me your Redfoot looks like a Cherryhead. You'll need though to take a picture with the flash on of the head and the plastron (bottom shell) to be sure.

Danny

 

[Kristina]

Cherryhead's typically have big old "Rudolph" noses and dark plastrons. Head color is not a good indicator, as they can be red, yellow, orange, and even white, although Cherryheads typically run more to the red spectrum. I have a Cherryhead hatchling that is almost completely black with no red or yellow on him.

The care is the same. Also, some claim that Cherryheads are "dwarf" Redfoots. This is not true. They may stay slightly smaller than say, a typical Northern Redfoot, but they are far from "dwarf" proportions.

Based on what I can see from the picture you posted, I would also say Cherryhead.

 

[Madkins007]

1. Plastron. If the plastron is mostly pale, it is a Northern Red-foot and cannot be a cherryhead.

2. Elbow. While many other Southern groups may have this as well, Cherry-heads have an enlarged, colorful scale inside each front elbow.

3. Nose. While not all have it, most Cherry-heads have a slightly bulbous nose that is usually the red head color.

4. Other. The adult male shell shape is different, as is adult male territorial behaviors. Most Cherry-heads also have fairly dark skin on the neck with relatively few colored blotches. Many (most?) Cherry-heads also show pale marbling or mottling on the shell.

I have a section about them, with photos, in the Tortoise Library- http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/cherryhead.html that may help you. We don't know tons about them yet, but I'm working on documenting what we know.

 

[tortoises101]

What about the price? Cherryheads go for more than the average northern RF.

 

[Candy]

Looks like a Cherryhead to me.

 

[scuseme]

1. Plastron. If the plastron is mostly pale, it is a Northern Red-foot and cannot be a cherryhead.

Plastron is golden, with slightly darker kinda "striation" markings

2. Elbow. While many other Southern groups may have this as well, Cherry-heads have an enlarged, colorful scale inside each front elbow.

Yep, it appears that there is a larger, rounds red scale on the inside of each elbow

3. Nose. While not all have it, most Cherry-heads have a slightly bulbous nose that is usually the red head color.

It appears that his nose is slightly bulbous and the area is a little darker and more reddish in color (although I'd say it's more orange than red)

4. Other. The adult male shell shape is different, as is adult male territorial behaviors. Most Cherry-heads also have fairly dark skin on the neck with relatively few colored blotches. Many (most?) Cherry-heads also show pale marbling or mottling on the shell.

The skin on his neck is dark and very uniform in color. It doesn't appear that there is any marbling on the shell.

I have a section about them, with photos, in the Tortoise Library- http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/cherryhead.html that may help you. We don't know tons about them yet, but I'm working on documenting what we know.

I will check out the photos!

---

What about the price? Cherryheads go for more than the average northern RF.

I got him at PetCo and he was priced the same as the Russians he was being housed with. The sales associated told me that they had been sent the Redfoots "accidentially" and were selling them at the same price as the russians, although they would normally be about twice the price. They were on sale for $69. I think regular was $100? So, I guess they'd normally sell Redfoots for $200?

 

[tortoises101]

1. Plastron. If the plastron is mostly pale, it is a Northern Red-foot and cannot be a cherryhead.

Plastron is golden, with slightly darker kinda "striation" markings

2. Elbow. While many other Southern groups may have this as well, Cherry-heads have an enlarged, colorful scale inside each front elbow.

Yep, it appears that there is a larger, rounds red scale on the inside of each elbow

3. Nose. While not all have it, most Cherry-heads have a slightly bulbous nose that is usually the red head color.

It appears that his nose is slightly bulbous and the area is a little darker and more reddish in color (although I'd say it's more orange than red)

4. Other. The adult male shell shape is different, as is adult male territorial behaviors. Most Cherry-heads also have fairly dark skin on the neck with relatively few colored blotches. Many (most?) Cherry-heads also show pale marbling or mottling on the shell.

The skin on his neck is dark and very uniform in color. It doesn't appear that there is any marbling on the shell.

I have a section about them, with photos, in the Tortoise Library- http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/cherryhead.html that may help you. We don't know tons about them yet, but I'm working on documenting what we know.

I will check out the photos!

---

What about the price? Cherryheads go for more than the average northern RF.

I got him at PetCo and he was priced the same as the Russians he was being housed with. The sales associated told me that they had been sent the Redfoots "accidentially" and were selling them at the same price as the russians, although they would normally be about twice the price. They were on sale for $69. I think regular was $100? So, I guess they'd normally sell Redfoots for $200?

---

Yep, sounds like a cherryhead. Normally you'd expect northerns to be under $160. I think Petco misidentified the species and sold it as a northern redfoot.