Why does she look so different?

[matt41gb]

I've always wondered why this female looks so different than the rest. Her carapace is very domed, unlike any of my others. She is also very thick and heavy. I know there isn't anything wrong with her or anything. I believe she's a Northern red-foot, but just looks so much different. Anyone else have one that resembles her?

-Matt

 

[Tropical Torts]

she is different but i
coundnt tell you why. interesting post though.

 

[PeanutbuttER]

She looks very pretty. I'm having trouble seeing the extra high dome on her. I'm no expert, but it doesn't look extra domed. Could you put up a side by side comparison picture of her with another one of your redfoots?

 

[matt41gb]

She looks very pretty. I'm having trouble seeing the extra high dome on her. I'm no expert, but it doesn't look extra domed. Could you put up a side by side comparison picture of her with another one of your redfoots?

Certainly, PeanutbuttER.

This is Rose, Kiwi is the red-foot in question. Rose is very long and shaped like a loaf of bread, while Kiwi is very domed.

Rose

Bird's eye view of Kiwi's and Rose's carapace. Kiwi on right and Rose on left.

Here is the best side by side picture I have of them so far.

-Matt

 

[N2TORTS]

Matt nice torts! .... Just a view and my thoughts ...
1st ,,, the reason possible for all females of any tort species to have a more " dome like" carapace would perhaps to " have room"for holding eggs. Space is need to squish organs around while eggs develope.
2nd. your two mature females well...thats easy its two different " types" of redfoots. besides the fact the larger beefy one is much older.
I too have a redfoot that is much different shape than any of the other 17 and he is a " columbian". they tend to have distinct coloring orange and yellows,whites on their face.,,, hence the nickname" clowns" ..
( which is fitting) ... and from the last 300 or so RF's I have seen in the last year.It seems to hold true ... they tend to be smoother ...and more elongated even with a very orange apperance on the Shell and scutes are smooth and different shape ... some would say ..thats easy its " wildcaught" ...but I have seen in person .. CB hatchlings with these same features from the torts were talking about .
anyhow .... just my own thoughts ...
JD~

 

[cdmay]

Matt, those are nice animals showing individual variation. Some females do tend to become quite domed and as with other species of turtles, this is associated with being able to carry lots of eggs. But then other females can be rather elongated too.
When there were a lot of Colombian red foots being imported into the US in the 60s and 70s, you would see many tortoises that looked just like her.

 

[matt41gb]

Thanks for the responses guys! Kiwi (the biggest one) is supposedly in her mid 30s. To my knowledge she has always been in the states, but that doesn't mean she wasn't wild caught originally. The longer female (Rose) is pushing 20, but not sure of her exact age or location she came from.

Both females have absolutely no red on them, so I wasn't sure if they were from the same area. You guys are thinking they are both Colombian? JD, you said "they were two different "types" of red-foot." In your opinion where do you think each came from?

Thanks again for the responses!

-Matt

 

[Angi]

What a cute face. I love the one with her mouth open.

 

[cdmay]

Thanks for the responses guys! Kiwi (the biggest one) is supposedly in her mid 30s. To my knowledge she has always been in the states, but that doesn't mean she wasn't wild caught originally. The longer female (Rose) is pushing 20, but not sure of her exact age or location she came from.

Both females have absolutely no red on them, so I wasn't sure if they were from the same area. You guys are thinking they are both Colombian? JD, you said "they were two different "types" of red-foot." In your opinion where do you think each came from?

Thanks again for the responses!

-Matt

Matt, without actually being present when the animals were un-crated from their country of origin (and even then, you can't be 100% sure), it is impossible to say for certain where any tortoise came from. But having said that, the all yellow with no red morph is very common in animals from Colombia. Also, your big female looks identical to many, many, many redfoots I've seen that were reportedly from Colombia. In most instances years ago you could be pretty certain that nearly all redfoots (as well as boa constrictors and most other reptiles from S.A.) came from Colombia as for a long time this was the number one country that exported them. Legally, anyway.
Of course, reptiles were imported into the US from other S.A. countries at various times over the decades but for a long time Colombia was the major exporter. And unless a dealer specifically stated that the reptiles in question were NOT from there, it was generally understood that they came from Colombia.

 

[N2TORTS]

Thanks for the responses guys! Kiwi (the biggest one) is supposedly in her mid 30s. To my knowledge she has always been in the states, but that doesn't mean she wasn't wild caught originally. The longer female (Rose) is pushing 20, but not sure of her exact age or location she came from.

Both females have absolutely no red on them, so I wasn't sure if they were from the same area. You guys are thinking they are both Colombian? JD, you said "they were two different "types" of red-foot." In your opinion where do you think each came from?

Thanks again for the responses!

-Matt

Matt, without actually being present when the animals were un-crated from their country of origin (and even then, you can't be 100% sure), it is impossible to say for certain where any tortoise came from. But having said that, the all yellow with no red morph is very common in animals from Colombia. Also, your big female looks identical to many, many, many redfoots I've seen that were reportedly from Colombia. In most instances years ago you could be pretty certain that nearly all redfoots (as well as boa constrictors and most other reptiles from S.A.) came from Colombia as for a long time this was the number one country that exported them. Legally, anyway.
Of course, reptiles were imported into the US from other S.A. countries at various times over the decades but for a long time Colombia was the major exporter. And unless a dealer specifically stated that the reptiles in question were NOT from there, it was generally understood that they came from Colombia.

***PERFECTLY STATED! ****

CD , I couldnt agree with you more! I was into the boa thing in the late 70's myself ...aka ..Columbian Redtails'..now the boa scene is insane with all the new morphs!

JD~

 

[cdmay]

I was into the boa thing in the late 70's myself ...aka ..Columbian Redtails'..now the boa scene is insane with all the new morphs!
JD~
[/quote]

What happened with the boas in this country over the past 20 years would be a whole other topic from this and one that would generate much arguing. But I will say just this one thing...what the boa breeders have done to the regional populations and sub-species of Boa constrictor with all of their inbreeding, cross-breeding and striving for the latest mutation (and the highest dollar amount) is a crime. Most boas offered for sale these days is a mutt of one kind or another and very few resemble the wild type animals.
I hope most tortoise breeders don't go down that road but sadly, some have already.