My born and raised outdoors Redfoot thread

ZEROPILOT

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I have four Redfoot.
One I rescued from a flea market 8 years ago.
One was hatched and raised in my enclosure and two others that came to me at 4 months old.
These are all more or less 100% raised outdoors here in south Florida.
I provide temperatures, humidity and ground cover that I believe is as close to their natural habitat as can be provided. (My area in general)
However, as you can see. It does not produce the perfectly smooth animals that you find in their home ranges.
Something else is missing.
Your comments are reqested.
 

turtlesteve

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Something else is missing.

Yep, I’m looking for that “something” too. Your redfoots are probably similar to if not smoother than mine, which I hatched / started in a humid closed chamber and moved outdoors at 4”.

I have lots of hypotheses but no data, just general observations that known husbandry factors seem insufficient to explain the presence or absence of pyramiding.

0EC4D239-44A9-41F7-AFFC-D434B611BD5A.jpeg
 

turtlesteve

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I will add that redfoots in my experience are least prone to pyramiding versus any other species I have worked with.
 

ZEROPILOT

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Yep, I’m looking for that “something” too. Your redfoots are probably similar to if not smoother than mine, which I hatched / started in a humid closed chamber and moved outdoors at 4”.

I have lots of hypotheses but no data, just general observations that known husbandry factors seem insufficient to explain the presence or absence of pyramiding.

View attachment 299509
Humidity, diet, temperature, genetics probably...
 

Srmcclure

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This is the Wild Child.
She somehow hatched in the enclosure and went unnoticed for months until I saw her the first time.
That is about how big mine is! How old is that one? I know its not 100% but maybe they are close-ish in age?? I guessed her to be around 2 or 3, but idk lol
 

newCH

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I have wondered that myself. Probably something like humans & that some are predisposed to freckles & some are not.
Maybe there is a gene for accelerated keratin production. I have no idea.
 

TammyJ

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I believe that humidity and moist cover in warm conditions are the key factors to promote smooth shell growth. Mine are also born and grew outdoors in Jamaica and have very mild pyramiding, hardly noticeable really. I cover their outdoor enclosure with a tarpaulin every night and half uncover it in the daytime but not completely. Damp leaf cover is offered and they will go under it if they feel like it, and they often do. Also, their shells get muddy sometimes, and I believe the mud help keep moisture on their shells. All in all, they get as much warm, damp atmosphere and options as I, the sun, the rain, and nature can provide.
 

newCH

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Maybe I am imposing my anxieties onto Sheldon and keeping him too clean. Hmm,
going to look into mud.
 

ZEROPILOT

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That is about how big mine is! How old is that one? I know its not 100% but maybe they are close-ish in age?? I guessed her to be around 2 or 3, but idk lol
Two?
I'm retired.
I lose track of time
 

ZEROPILOT

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Don't brag ??
And thanks!
I'd have to check my old WILD CHILD posts.
She's about 2.5 months older than those posts.
She is growing flat and wide. Not as domed like my others.
She still just does her own thing out there. Often out late at night or not seen for days while everyone one else is eating or swimming.
 
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Something else is missing.

I dabble in a bit of 3D printing and one thing that comes to mind is print layer resolution. Now just bear with me, but what I am referring to is the distance between each layer in the Z axis (up and down) as the filament gets deposited. In 3D printing the higher the resolution the smaller that distance becomes, which turns out in higher quality and smoother prints. In other words each individual layer uses less plastic than a lower resolution layer, but the overall print takes much longer to complete.

As a pretty much inexperienced keeper speaking out loud what I am saying is that maybe the tortoises are experiencing "low resolution" growth due to the consistency/availability of food. Faster growth, than in the wild, could mean thicker "layers" as they "build" giving the carapace that raised appearance. Could it be that in the wild tortoises experience a sort of waxing and waning availability of foods (thinner layers) and take much longer to grow (longer print time)?

Anyways that is what came to mind.
 
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