Fanning

[EMTgirly]

I think my male Redfoot (Paxton) has started "fanning" How do I know for sure? He was an inch shorter then a dollar 5-6 inches when I got him in 2006 and now is 9-10 inches. At least I think he is a boy. If not I really have problems. His shell has the belted look so I guess I just kind of assumed. I rescued him from a pet store. She said he was a male. I have a much smaller female 4-5 inch cherryhead (Pixie) in the same enclosure and I just want to make sure all is well. My email is [email protected]. Please help my kids were horrified they thought he was dying and all his internal organs were falling out.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Welcome to the forum!

If it came out and went back in then yes you have a boy. Completely normal. The only thing you have to be careful of is a prolapse (it will not go back in on its own; you need to keep it moist and get him to a vet ASAP; rare).

We'd love to see pictures on Paxton and Pixie. I think we know Paxton is a boy, but if you want to post a backside shot and an underbelly shot of Pixie someone will be able to sex "her" as well. Will you want to separate them, or are you planning got allow them to breed? Sounds like Paxton has reaches sexual maturity but Pixie may have time still.

What do you mean his shell has the belted look? Have not heard that term...

I guess you have some explaining to do to the kiddos, lol.

 

[spring pace]

the belted look is an '8' or hourgalss shape. sounds like you got a boy there. i met a beautiful confirmed redfoot boy a month ago and he fits your description perfectly.

 

[EMTgirly]

I will try to post some pictures. Thank you for the info. I tried to look up on web but all I found was about prolapse, which scared me. We are moving in a week and I couldn't bear to think he could be sick.

 

[Candy]

Dale did the same thing and sometimes he still does it. Yvonne explained it to me because I was afraid also. I've got to admit that thing comes out pretty far I always wondered how they reach the female, but not anymore. I think what she's talking about (the belted look) is how Mike Pingleton explains it in his book that males end up having a shell that looks similar to the shape of a peanut (the middle is kind of curved in on both sides). I find that Dale is starting to get that.

 

[j.martin]

please can you explain to me exactly wot fanning is? I had an incident today were i was holding my tortoise up and was talking to him when this slug like thing came out of his tail then when back in , i obviously then realised what it was but what traumitised me was that after it went out and in a few times white stuff came out of it and im like, omg has my tortoise just orgasmed?

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[tortoisenerd]

From what you said I think you have a boy! It could also be urates...I'm actually not familiar with what tort "stuff' looks like but those are two types of white liquids.