Yellowfoot + Redfoot= Rellowfoot????

[Marty333]

I was just curious if Redfoots and yellowfoots can interbreed. Is it bad if they do? They just seem so alike to me. Just a question Its not like i want to breed them together.

Thanks,
Katerina

 

[Balboa]

As I understand it they can, and the offspring is viable. In the wild this seldom happens as they speak a different "language", but when options are limited they are willing to overlook that barrier apparently.

That being said, I've never seen a picture of a cross.

 

[Marty333]

just found this
http://www.theturtlesource.com/tortoise_inventory.asp?cat=444&id=225689759
interesting huh?

 

[cdmay]

In the wild they apparently avoid interbreeding by having different courtship behaviors in addition to just 'being different' from each other. There are probably other factors that we as humans are not aware of (such as smells, chemical cues or how they recognize each other visually) that keep them from cross breeding.
In captivity it might be that rarely, these factors get muted somehow and a mixed breeding occurs.
I will say though that most of the supposed redfoot X yellowfoot crosses that I have seen offered for sale--usually called "orangefoot tortoises" are nothing more than yellowfoots with orange color. This is a very common color phase with yellowfoots and although pretty is otherwise not unique in any way.
Similarly, redfoot tortoises with all yellow colors and no red are sometimes hyped as being rare or especially valuable although such tortoises are quite common in some populations i.e. Panama, Colombia and parts of Venezuela.
But I will say that one of the hatchlings that was offered by Turtle Source (see the above link posted by Marty333) a while back does indeed appear to be an actual cross...although I have no idea why on earth anyone would want to pay $695.00 for it.

 

[LindaF]

just found this
http://www.theturtlesource.com/tortoise_inventory.asp?cat=444&id=225689759
interesting huh?

That is interesting!