Redfoot Coloration Question

[HarleyK]

I was wondering if northern redfoots/normals end up with yellow markings on the head and red markings on legs. There are some that have shades of red orange and yellow on the head with red legs. When should I expect my northern rf to develop those yellow markings?

 

[Madkins007]

Every Red-foot is unique and different. There is some trending of color by region, but one nest can turn out a rainbow of variations.

The colors generally fade or pale a bit as they age, but they usually don't change a ton.

 

[cdmay]

Very good question but with a complicated answer.
In some of the northern populations (i.e. Colombia and Venezuela) the head and leg colors can be a mixture of reds, oranges, yellows and even white or green. The colors of the legs and head can be, and often are, the same as each other. Individual tortoises from these areas can possess a number of very pretty 'tropical fruit' colors all mixed together.
But then in other northern populations such as Surinam and Guyana, the head is usually yellow while the leg scales are all scarlet red. These animals tend to be rather uniform in this color scheme although some have more of these colors than others.
I have seen some exceptional red foots from Surinam where virtually every single scale on the rear legs and the tail was bright red.
So the answer to your question is that it depends on where the animal is from and then what its genetic potential is.

 

[allegraf]

I don't think your tort will develop any additional colors. The colors they hatch with is what they will be. The colors may intensify after the hatchling stage through growing to sub adult size. Usually, over time, the colors slightly fade out. The hatchlings really do look like little adults.

Allegra

 

[PeanutbuttER]

Very good question but with a complicated answer.
In some of the northern populations (i.e. Colombia and Venezuela) the head and leg colors can be a mixture of reds, oranges, yellows and even white or green.

What? I've seen red, orange, and yellow, but I've never seen whites and greens sound even more bizarre. I'm not doubting they exist, rather I'd love to see some pics if you have some. Especially of the green and white.

I had no idea that those colors were even possible.

 

[cdmay]

[What? I've seen red, orange, and yellow, but I've never seen whites and greens sound even more bizarre. I'm not doubting they exist, rather I'd love to see some pics if you have some. Especially of the green and white.

I had no idea that those colors were even possible.
[/quote]

Yep, they are. White scales, especially over the eyes are fairly common in Colombian red foots. Also, scales that grade from very pale sea green to the color of a green grape are not uncommon either.
But the strangest thing I ever had was a half grown female red foot, presumably from Colombia, that had all yellow scales on one front leg and all orange on the other. Now that was weird.
I used to have slides and prints of all these things but they got sold off, or given away, or lost over the years.

 

[Madkins007]

[What? I've seen red, orange, and yellow, but I've never seen whites and greens sound even more bizarre. I'm not doubting they exist, rather I'd love to see some pics if you have some. Especially of the green and white.

I had no idea that those colors were even possible.


Yep, they are. White scales, especially over the eyes are fairly common in Colombian red foots. Also, scales that grade from very pale sea green to the color of a green grape are not uncommon either.
But the strangest thing I ever had was a half grown female red foot, presumably from Colombia, that had all yellow scales on one front leg and all orange on the other. Now that was weird.
I used to have slides and prints of all these things but they got sold off, or given away, or lost over the years.

LOL! Isn't it bad enough that 'RED-foots' often have yellow or orange limbs, now we have to deal with white and GREEN as well?? What next, blue shell backgrounds?

 

[Jacqui]

Always interesting what colors can actually happen. The two different colored feet remind me of a childhood friend who was split down the middle. One half was brown hair, brown eyed and the other side was blonde with a blue eye. Not something you forget or ever expect to see again.

 

[cdmay]

LOL! Isn't it bad enough that 'RED-foots' often have yellow or orange limbs, now we have to deal with white and GREEN as well?? What next, blue shell backgrounds?
[/quote]

I guess I should have been a little more clear on this color thing.
It is easy to get the impression that when I said green and white colored scales actually do occur in some population of red foots, that one could imagine tortoises with solid green or white heads.
Although that would be a very cool thing for sure, I should have explained that these colors are scattered in among more 'normal' red foot colored scales. So the green and white scales that appear on some animals are a random thing, although as I mentioned before, they seem to appear over the eyes most often.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

May I show an example?

Hatchling - 2005 -

2 years later -

'07 hatchling -

Summer of 2010 -

NERD

 

[HarleyK]

Wow very interesting color possibilities. Do you have more pics Nerd.....I always like seeing those updated pics of hatchlings.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Early '05 ( 2-3/05 hatchlings ) -

Aug. '06 -

Marbling "peak" @ 2 years -

Early '08 -

April '08 -

Jan. '10 - ( growth and colors ) -

It appears the "marblings" fade quickly with outdoor sunshine, age, etc. [ other examples available ]

Carl's kids....

You're playing right into my hand.. by asking for pics Harley, you know that don't you?

Color variety Carl mentioned -

 

[allegraf]

I stand corrected! Let me clarify my statement, I was referring to cherryheads, that which I have experience. Thanks, Nerd, I learned something new today about those northerns.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

What color would you call this head? -

He left and came back 18 months later -

Do I see 'white' spots before my eyes?

NERD

 

[HarleyK]

Those are some great pics....it's interesting how all adults have same colored shell regardless of how colorful they may be when they are hatchlings

 

[HLogic]

Here are some pics that show what one end of the spectral extreme Northerns can be. These are Colombian from the Santa Marta region west of the Andes.

White & Yellow Headshot
A Trio of Redless Redfoots
Full Frontal Yellowness

 

[Kristina]

Well I can stir the pot a little bit further - how about a Cherryhead with only 8-9 red scales on it's entire body?


Only two spots of red on the head.

The front legs have one red scale each - just the "hook" scale that they use to grab and tear vegetation. Also has a little red nose.

Two red scales on the heel of each back foot - That is 6 red scales total on the legs

Had to have him the moment I saw him

 

[HarleyK]

That is amazing Kyrah! Are those recent pictures? I would love to see how the colors progress down the road.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Well I can stir the pot a little bit further - how about a Cherryhead with only 8-9 red scales on it's entire body?


Only two spots of red on the head.

The front legs have one red scale each - just the "hook" scale that they use to grab and tear vegetation. Also has a little red nose.

Two red scales on the heel of each back foot - That is 6 red scales total on the legs

Had to have him the moment I saw him

O.K.!!! I want him back.. NOW!!!

His older sibling a few months back -

Early on.. still had "egg-tooth"! -

NERD