Do all cherry heads marble?

Rustynavel

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This person claims all cherry heads must marble and if they don't have any amount at all the must be a mixbred or not a cherry head. Is this true? I was under the impression only some due because of genetics.
 

Rustynavel

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No.
But it's not uncommon. Many of them do. Not all.
It also fades away eventually just like it showed up.
So only some do? I wonder why it fades. I've see what people call black cherry heads but those are different right? As they have been bred for melanin
 

turtlesteve

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They don't all marble. And some redfoots that are not cherryheads marble. In particular the ones that are imported now are from somewhere else, probably still in Brazil, they're typically very marbled but the head/skin markings are not red at all, so I can't see how people are calling them cherryheads. Sometimes even the northern redfoots marble. There is a huge variability in what people have called "cherryheads" to the extent I'm not even sure what it means anymore.
 

turtlesteve

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Yeah so by marbling I am thinking carapace. I think the vast majority seem to marble on the plastron, but commonly the plastron pattern fades to almost solid black as they get older.
 

cooky_luvs

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Yeah so by marbling I am thinking carapace. I think they all seem to marble on the plastron, but commonly the plastron pattern fades to almost solid black as they get older.
Yes thank you. The plastron of the tortoise in question that prompted his post was young and had zero marbling and I was jumped on for saying it was a cross and looked just like the cross in my collection rather than the various cherries in my collection
 

ZEROPILOT

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They don't all marble. And some redfoots that are not cherryheads marble. In particular the ones that are imported now are from somewhere else, probably still in Brazil, they're typically very marbled but the head/skin markings are not red at all, so I can't see how people are calling them cherryheads. Sometimes even the northern redfoots marble. There is a huge variability in what people have called "cherryheads" to the extent I'm not even sure what it means anymore.
There are certain traits like the different nose scales. The arm spurs, smaller size and the dark plastron that "we" associate with a CHERRYHEAD.
But you are correct that the lines are very blurry sometimes.
 

Things_betwix

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There are certain traits like the different nose scales. The arm spurs, smaller size and the dark plastron that "we" associate with a CHERRYHEAD.
But you are correct that the lines are very blurry sometimes.
What exactly is the characteristics of the dark plastron and how does it differ from a northern redfoot? Ive seen redfoots with large black marking like hourglasses on the plastron, are those another type of red foot?
 

Things_betwix

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Wow that's beautiful! When do they start to grow that white? It looks pretty dark before it started to marble. Such adorable feet ?

They have such different patterns too! Definitely easy to tell apart as the red foot has like no dark and a lot of yellow

What would it look like if they had a hybrid baby? I've seen redcata which look stunning.
 

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What exactly is the characteristics of the dark plastron and how does it differ from a northern redfoot? Ive seen redfoots with large black marking like hourglasses on the plastron, are those another type of red foot?
To be honest, I lack that scientific knowledge.
My answer would just be a theory. And that theory would be variations in the native location of the group.
 

William Lee Kohler

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This person claims all cherry heads must marble and if they don't have any amount at all the must be a mixbred or not a cherry head. Is this true? I was under the impression only some due because of genetics.
Actually complete BALONEY! The first and in my view only true Cherry Headed Redfoot I've ever seen had a coal black shell and RED head and leg scales. No ugly marbling at all.
 

William Lee Kohler

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So only some do? I wonder why it fades. I've see what people call black cherry heads but those are different right? As they have been bred for melanin
Several years ago when they were(ALL)very rare in the USA I was told the Black and RED ones came from Paraguay and maybe a neighboring country I can't remember. As far as I know these are STILL very hard to find. Have never seen even one for sale on Kingsnake or Fauna.
 
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