Redfoot eating reptibark

[Cordycord]

My redfoot (or cherryhead, idk for sure), keeps nibbling on his reptibark. He has food in there (weeds, fruits, flowers, greens) and yet he still nibbles on it from time to time. Has anyone’s tortoise done this? Is it safe?

Here are photos of my Kola. In case anyone can help me identify if he’s indeed a HE and if he is a cherryhead or redfoot. 😁

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello again!

If he just nibbles it and not eating - nothing to worry about. They "test" their surroundings from time to time.

I think it's to early to "sex" your tortoise. When they are young they all look like females. Wait for 2-3 years more. Males have much longer tails and then other signs like concave plastron or "peanut" carapace shape will develop.

Cherryheads are still redfoots. They are still not recognized as a subspecie. On these photos it doesn't look like a Brazilian redfoot ("cherryhead"). But I'm not sure about locality. You can look at this thread to get an idea: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/a-new-update-on-red-foot-types.89886/ And here is the "undoubtful" cherryheads: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/sudden-deaths-of-rf-hatchlings.215951/#post-2130541

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Yeah as Alex said I wouldn’t worry, ours has done this too, on a few occasions she’s even swallowed a small piece but passed them, I don’t think they’d swallow something too big for them to pass

 

[Cordycord]

Hello again!

If he just nibbles it and not eating - nothing to worry about. They "test" their surroundings from time to time.

I think it's to early to "sex" your tortoise. When they are young they all look like females. Wait for 2-3 years more. Males have much longer tails and then other signs like concave plastron or "peanut" carapace shape will develop.

Cherryheads are still redfoots. They are still not recognized as a subspecie. On these photos it doesn't look like a Brazilian redfoot ("cherryhead"). But I'm not sure about locality. You can look at this thread to get an idea: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/a-new-update-on-red-foot-types.89886/ And here is the "undoubtful" cherryheads: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/sudden-deaths-of-rf-hatchlings.215951/#post-2130541

Hello again! Thanks for linking that thread. I had no idea there were so many different kinds. So different yet so the same lol 😂

 

[Cordycord]

Yeah as Alex said I wouldn’t worry, ours has done this too, on a few occasions she’s even swallowed a small piece but passed them, I don’t think they’d swallow something too big for them to pass

Phew that eases my mind a bit. Thank you!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Your Redfoot has some marbling showing. But not the classic dark plastron. But dark borders and small leg spurs like a Cherryhead. But not as pronounced.
I'm going to step out onto a fragile branch and say.....possible hybrid.
I'm seeing more and more crosses as more and more Redfoot are bred for high color.
It's entirely possible that this is a northern. But I'm thinking he or she is mixed.

You don't have a red light bulb for heat. Do you?
Red bulbs make everything look like food. And have been a serious issue and number one cause of substrate eating in the past