? Regarding Redfoots

[TortyTom]

I have a sulcata but I have been thinking long and hard about getting a redfoot as well. My question is in regards to color. I have been seeing a lot of pics of young redfoots of brighter and different colors but everyplace I go and see their redfoots, they are always almost all black. Are the really cool colored ones just because they are so young and eventually turn black? Or can I find one that has more yellow or orange that last with age without paying thousands for hypos? Probably a silly question but forgive me for I just don't know???

 

[naturalman91]

my red is still young but from what i understand and i could be wrong here the shell will darken yes but i've also been told it can depend on the sex like if i remember correctly (can't find info on hand) males are more colorful when adult while females lose some of the color like i said i'm no expert just something i remember reading

 

[immayo]

Are you talking in regards to shell color or scale color? The new shell growth will most definitely end up being black. Scale color on the other hand will stay. The nicer red/ orange baby you get the nicer color it will have in adulthood.

 

[TortyTom]

Are you talking in regards to shell color or scale color? The new shell growth will most definitely end up being black. Scale color on the other hand will stay. The nicer red/ orange baby you get the nicer color it will have in adulthood.

OK WOW! Your Vanilla Bean is amazing! I see it's a hypo but honestly, can you give me a ball park of what something like that would cost me? Not trying to get up in your personal biz. I just really need to know the money I would need to save for something like that. Thanks! And they all look amazing by the way.

 

[naturalman91]

OK WOW! Your Vanilla Bean is amazing! I see it's a hypo but honestly, can you give me a ball park of what something like that would cost me? Not trying to get up in your personal biz. I just really need to know the money I would need to save for something like that. Thanks! And they all look amazing by the way.

go to this site. www.tortoisecove.com i'm pretty sure thats who ALOT of people get there hypos from

oh and you might wanna start the saving process like myself lol

he also is a forum member and produces some VERY NICE cherry head bloodlines like high marble and screamer orange or something like that

 

[Madkins007]

A couple thoughts...

1. Red-footed care is quite a bit different than that for Sulcata- really nice conditions and foods for one are kinda bad for the other. It is usually better to stick to either building a herd or to torts with similar cares.

2. Lots of colorful babies grow into duller adults- not all, but I doubt there are a lot of reputable breeders that would PROMISE that a colorful hatchling will still be that colorful at maturity.

3. There is at least a little diet and care aspect to color. While it is not as simple as feeding them paprika the way it is in some fish, poor diet and cares will result in dull colors as it grows.

 

[Bryan]

Agreed Mark, I believe that food as well as care can have direct correlations to whether or not an animal stays colorful into adulthood. The animal in my avatar for example is a 9-10" male cherryhead and as you can see he is quite colorful in terms of his head scales. The animal in the background is a 9"+ female who seemingly lost color prior to me getting her as an adult. I have however seen her color get a bit nicer with time. A proper diet with proper humidity are likely 2 huge components that a keeper has control of in keeping your RF colorful into adulthood.

 

[Telid]

go to this site. www.tortoisecove.com i'm pretty sure thats who ALOT of people get there hypos from

$2000+ ? Well, that's out of my price range.

 

[Bryan]

$2000+ ? Well, that's out of my price range.

Yeah that is definitely a sizable chunk of change for sure. They are very nice but not everyone will have the means or desire to spend that much on any pet. That said you can find beautiful animals that should fit your budget a lot better. I'd say that you should scroll back the last 2-3 pages in this forum as we have a number of breeders here who produce beautiful animals. Allegra has had some exceptional hatchlings of late for example.

Here is a member that has been doing a great job raising up 4 of her neonates: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/lots-of-marbling-in-my-crew.92378/#post-859835

and here is a thread showing a lot of her beautiful adult animals:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/off-colored-cherries-long-and-lots-of-pics.79526/

 

[Telid]

Hah - no worries, Bryan. I have a couple redfoots, and would love to add a couple more to the family. Those in particular are some gorgeous looking animals due to their coloration, of which I would enjoy having one or two - just not at $2k

 

[Mvptortoise]

I'd love to find a mostly black or very dark colored rf

 

[naturalman91]

$2000+ ? Well, that's out of my price range.

Trust me its out of my range to lol but he does have other bloodlines besides hypo personally I'd love a hypo but not the price lol I'd like to find a JET black red foot I've seen a few on the forum but not sure if someone breeds black reds or if its a clutch random

 

[kathyth]

David....l. I believe Terry from Turtletary.com owns the black one.

 

[naturalman91]

David....l. I believe Terry from Turtletary.com owns the black one.

i do believe you are right, and that's the only all black i've seen lol i'd be interested in seeing if someone breeds them tho

 

[parrotlady]

I have a black cherry, bought from turtletary. I hope to acquire others to find out if they will have normal cherry head babies versus regular cherry heads. Of course this will take quite a while to prove out. It looks like a long term project. Of course JD knows how long he has been working on his hypo project.

 

[parrotlady]

Excuse the typo error.

 

[naturalman91]

I have a black cherry, bought from turtletary. I hope to acquire others to find out if they will have normal cherry head babies versus regular cherry heads. Of course this will take quite a while to prove out. It looks like a long term project. Of course JD knows how long he has been working on his hypo project.

is there a way you could post a pic i'd love to see another black red and so they do breed black reds they sell?

 

[parrotlady]

The one that I have is approximately a year old. I will try to take a picture tomorrow. I don't know if it can be genetically reproduced on a larger scale like the hypos or albinos. It is a possibility that only time will prove out. I am not sure if it is a recessive gene Vs a dominant one. Again, only patience and time will tell. I know a few long time breeders have had a few babies that are black, some with a little red and some without any red. I have not been able to determine if anyone has tried to pair up black animals. I feel that the black coloring is not a new "morph" the genetics have been out there. Or perhaps the black color is caused by the environment, food, incubation temperature. Again there is too many variables. Perhaps there is someone out there that has more specific information. I am interested in working with these animals, so if anyone has any black cherries please let me know. I believe JD has a black cherry male. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

My pair has produced varying very dark/black since 2007.. out of clutches with "red" colored siblings..

from 2011 -

 

[jcaporaletti]

That super dark baby is sweet.