I don't keep redfoot tortoises, but let's see if I can remember some of what I've read here on the forum (I don't like to see a question go unanswered):
Cherry head and redfoot are the same tortoise. It's a matter of location. Where in South America they came from. Some of the cherry heads stay a little on the small side, and some of them actually get as big as the regular redfoots.
You can trust Terry of turtletary.com and Mark (Madkins) for the real scoop. Allegra too. There are others, but I'm drawing a blank. They'll be by and set me straight and give you good info.
Yvonne pretty much summed it up for you. Yes the housing is the same. Also they can be breed together, but should not be. Mixing the two is causing a lot of problems for folks not knowing for sure just which one they really have and if it is a true Cherry, a true Redfoot, or a combo of the two.
. Mixing the two is causing a lot of problems for folks not knowing for sure just which one they really have and if it is a true Cherry, a true Redfoot, or a combo of the two.
You hit the nail on the head ....80% of the " cherrys" you see are really a combo ... and why there is such debate over subspecies ect. I have several of both , One group of cherries that are adults and breeding at 7" look different than other group of cherrys who biggest male is about 13" . This goes on and on .. in here ...its very easy to distinguish the two " even different markers" between the cherrys once you've seen 500 or so and compare them side by side .
JD~
ok .. here is an example ... " even though Iam not a listed expert"
Here are some " Large " Cherrys .. rather you call them pure cherrys with , Marbled. leg scale , head... markings. Look at the shape of their carapace, overall size, head shape and color. All of these are 9 to 13 "
...
Now the " DRAWFS" ....
All usally marbled very small 6 - 7 "breeding adults. Notice domed shell , pointed narrow snout. a very distinct different head shape...and carapace.
To answer the original questions, they are technically the same species that have the same environmental and dietary requirements. They can be bred together, but I personally do not agree with the practice. The word "dwarf" is a misnomer, the cherries appear to sexually mature at a smaller size, but continue to grow to similar sizes as the northerns (excluding the Bolivians), but anything is possible.
Since they sexually mature at a smaller size, caution should be taken before allowing the females to be exposed to males because safe breeding is dependent on the size of the anal scute opening. If the opening is not large enough to pass the egg, the tort may become egg bound. I will take pictures of our cherryheads later today and start another thread to show what I consider as sexually mature.