Testing the waters

pacific chelonians

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I have been working on a breeding project between 2 cherry Heads to get a super vibrant red and a lot of marbling, I will have the babies from that pairing in a few months. I was wondering if there was anyone who has raised baby tortoise who would like to raise them for a few years so that I can see what they turned out looking like as juveniles, and well if anyone wanted to raise them for me that would be awesome. must have example of tortoises raised in the past preferably any species closely related to Redfoots, like I said testing the waters. If you would be interested just comment on this post I have 5 eggs in incubation, and am planning on letting 3 people raise one up. I have attached photos of the mother, these would be free but I would like them back if they turned out nice as juveniles or adult. Depending on what I am working on at the time.I will cover shipping to and from your house.
 

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wellington

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Be very careful on your screening of the people you choose. Active forum members I doubt you would have problems with. It's the newbies that just want free and no history here that I would worry about.
Good luck.
 

ArmadilloPup

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Ill take one.. but if it turns out nice it may get lost in shipping on the way back to u ?
I was thinking something more nefarious... "Oops, I lost it ? Btw unrelated, look at this money I found."

(For clarity, I don't want one, just concerned :))

It would be pretty neat if everyone agreed to post regular growth of the whole family in a dedicated thread. But giving them back kind of stinks. Some people get attached to their animals.

My suggestion is offer in a contract where the "foster home" ships them back to @Tortoisebreeder to make a few clutches, and after a successful breeding, the "foster home" is given the choice to permanently buy back the tortoise for the shipping price. Lots of potential for things to fall through, but at least it makes it more rewarding for both sides.
 

pacific chelonians

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I was thinking something more nefarious... "Oops, I lost it ? Btw unrelated, look at this money I found."

(For clarity, I don't want one, just concerned :))

It would be pretty neat if everyone agreed to post regular growth of the whole family in a dedicated thread. But giving them back kind of stinks. Some people get attached to their animals.

My suggestion is offer in a contract where the "foster home" ships them back to @Tortoisebreeder to make a few clutches, and after a successful breeding, the "foster home" is given the choice to permanently buy back the tortoise for the shipping price. Lots of potential for things to fall through, but at least it makes it more rewarding for both sides.
My idea behind this post to to give someone else the joy of raising one up for free. I agree that a dedicated post to have every one stay updated would be awesome.Like I said I may want them back once they are adults, depending on what I am doing at the time. But at least the idea Is there, it is not for everyone. I like some of the ideas that you proposed. like I said I kinda want to test this idea out, not sure it will work and I am only going to try it with 3 hatchling, witch allows me to be very selective about who I choose. I am not someone who is a perfectionist. I think that everyone has there own way and that’s how we discover the new best ideas. so that’s why I said photos of tortoises raised from hatchling, so I can see how your method works. I don’t care if your tortoises shell is perfectly smooth at all. I care about is knowing that the tortoise will have the optimal chances to thrive.
 

pacific chelonians

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Would only be interested in carmine red leg scales, head and neck and no ugly marbling at all.
Can’t tell if your being sarcastic if not this is clearly not for you I’m trying to give nice genuine people the chance to raise an extremely nice cherry head I am not looking to work for someone
 

William Lee Kohler

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The Only real cherryhead I've ever seen and the first I knew of was Red and Black ONLY. No white or yellow. That's a real cherryhead. None of that white diseased looking patterning. No sarcasm.
 

Kymberlyn

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I would love to be considered for one. I'm new on this forum and new to tortoises however I raise many exotic animals. My house is always stocked with fresh fruit and veggies and my farm has a huge selection of greens since this is the major foods for my other animals (parrots and marmoset monkeys). My vet lives next door and there is a good herp vet only an hour away. I'm retired so my entire day is dedicated to animal care.

When the time comes, I hope to hear from you. Good luck with your project.
 

Blackdog1714

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If it is a few years then maybe you want it back then Chubbs is the guy. His first sulcata was as smooth as a bowling ball when he it went on to its forever home. He has a redfoot and radiated and they are on track for the same smooth growth. He is a true goof that takes how to raise right super serious. Good Luck
 

huaban

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Sounds like you are trying to find free foster care for your tortoise hatchlings. And the caregiver has to be honest and professional to do the selfless work for you.
I would say tortoises somehow considered as high maintenance animals. They require good amount of daily works and high quality equipment if you want to raise from a hatchling to a healthy/beautiful adult. General speaking, tortoise is not expensive for majority species, however, the care and effort you make behind that are priceless. From my experience, the worry definitely more than the joy.
 

zovick

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I have been working on a breeding project between 2 cherry Heads to get a super vibrant red and a lot of marbling, I will have the babies from that pairing in a few months. I was wondering if there was anyone who has raised baby tortoise who would like to raise them for a few years so that I can see what they turned out looking like as juveniles, and well if anyone wanted to raise them for me that would be awesome. must have example of tortoises raised in the past preferably any species closely related to Redfoots, like I said testing the waters. If you would be interested just comment on this post I have 5 eggs in incubation, and am planning on letting 3 people raise one up. I have attached photos of the mother, these would be free but I would like them back if they turned out nice as juveniles or adult. Depending on what I am working on at the time.I will cover shipping to and from your house.
Just wanted to post a precautionary heads up here. I worked very closely with the Radiated Tortoise Species Survival Program (SSP for short) for 30 years in my capacity as Field Associate in Herpetology with the New York Zoological Society/Bronx Zoo (now called the Wildlife Conservation Society or WCS).

In the early days of the SSP program, the Bronx Zoo's large breeding group housed at St. Catherine's Island, GA was producing most of the Radiated Tortoise babies in the country. Radiated Tortoises were quite rare in the US back then, and many other zoos wanted to get some of the offspring, presumably to raise up and give back to us later. We loaned babies to a good number of other institutions, usually for a 5 year term. These were official loans with loan documents signed by both institutions.

We found that when the time came to return the animals, most of the other zoos balked, even though they had agreed to do so in writing at the outset. Their personnel had put in 5 years of care, and in most cases, the keepers had become very attached to the animals and did not want to let them go.

The WCS ended up "donating" many of the loaned offspring to the other institutions rather than making a stink and insisting on getting them back which would have caused the losses of old friendships and connections within the AZA, etc.

You will really need to pick the people carefully for this experiment, and, even if you already know them, based on my past experiences, I still tend to see this idea as a way to lose both friends and your tortoises. If you really want to see how they turn out, I would heartily suggest that you raise them yourself.
 

Maggie3fan

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For years my sister ran a large turtle and tortoise rescue and she would send me clutches of hatchling tortoises to 'head start'. I loved it. I like what you are proposing to do. BUT...you don't know us...you don't know who is an active particapating TFO members...some new people simply come here to get tortoises to sell, eat or abuse. Also...Redfoots are tortoises needed a more experienced keeper and with your offer they might not be experienced enuf. Just my opinion. I was recently given a Redfoot. a beautiful little tortoise who has specific care requirements. I am experienced with Sulcata and other savannah type tortoises and my pens are set up for them. Sulcata are tough easy keepers, Redfoots are seriously temperature and lighting sensitive and have special eating requirements.
I just want to give you a heads up on the people you might encounter with your proposal. Be careful, make sure they are experienced and WE know them here. Ask us. Please be careful who you choose
 

zovick

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I have been working on a breeding project between 2 cherry Heads to get a super vibrant red and a lot of marbling, I will have the babies from that pairing in a few months. I was wondering if there was anyone who has raised baby tortoise who would like to raise them for a few years so that I can see what they turned out looking like as juveniles, and well if anyone wanted to raise them for me that would be awesome. must have example of tortoises raised in the past preferably any species closely related to Redfoots, like I said testing the waters. If you would be interested just comment on this post I have 5 eggs in incubation, and am planning on letting 3 people raise one up. I have attached photos of the mother, these would be free but I would like them back if they turned out nice as juveniles or adult. Depending on what I am working on at the time.I will cover shipping to and from your house.
Some questions occurred to me regarding your breeding project itself which may help you to determine how well the initial stage of your project will work and what it may tell you:

Has that nice female in your photo produced any live babies in the past or not? You have 5 eggs incubating now according to your post. Do you know if the eggs are fertile yet?

How long have you had the mother and the father of the potential babies (assuming here that you know the male that bred her since you are trying to get vibrant coloration in the babies). IE, are you sure the male in your project is the sire of the possible babies and the female wasn't exposed to any other males before you got her?

If the female has been exposed to other males, you may need to hatch out these first eggs and breed her to your colorful male the next time around, etc.

The female looks really good. Have you a photo of the presumed father we can see as well?
 

TammyJ

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I hope that this works out well for you, but I have to say that I agree with most of what cautions you have been given about your "free" limited time adoption idea. It seems you are being a bit naive and too trusting, or you have something else in mind that you have not mentioned here? Just my opinion.
 

ZenHerper

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I would end up too attached and wouldn't be able to give them back.
Agree. Essentially people would be investing thousands of dollars and countless hours only to send the critter back.

Not sure what the Upside for a genuinely engaged participant would be? @zovick has detailed a very common outcome for these kinds of custodial partnerships. I also know people who lost individual animals and entire collections, despite signed contracts.
 
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