Redfoot/Yellowfoot/Cherryhead Tortoise
Red and Yellowfoot Tortoises are opportunistic grazers and enjoy broad leaf plants. However, they also eat overripe fruit and carrion, insects and worms. The best diet is one that contains a wide variety of weeds (leaves and flowers), greens, vegetables and fruit.
A good starting point:
- Greens : turnip greens, collards, kale, red & green leaf lettuce, endive, escarole, chicory, dandelion, grasses
- Fruit: papaya, mangoes, apples, melons, cactus fruit etc
- Vegetables: all squash, carrots, occasionally green beans
- Animal matter: once in awhile feed a source of animal protein. Such as earthworms or snails.
- Mushrooms like the Portabella are also enjoyed
These tortoises should have water available at all times. The dish should be large enough for them to soak in. Outdoors they enjoy a small wading pool. They also love to wallow in mud. Humidity is important so if you live in a dry climate, additional moisture will be needed in the form a sprinklers and misters. There should be a heavily planted area to provide cover and additional humidity
The indoor enclosure needs to be roomy with ambient temps of 75-80 degrees and a basking area of 90 degrees. The basking lamp should be a high quality one.
Adult tortoises can stay outdoors 24/7 as long as the nighttime temps are 60 degrees or above. A large enclosure is needed outdoors, 4 feet by 6 feet or larger. Cypress bark as a substrate helps retain humidity.
Redfoot tortoises often reach a length of 10-14 inches, although they can be larger (16 inches or more). They can reach weights up to 30 pounds. A slightly smaller variety is also being sold, commonly called the cherry-head that only attains a length of 10 – 12 inches as an adult. This Brazilian sub species has a distinct marbled plastron and sometimes the carapace is also marbled. Yellowfoot tortoises are the larger of the three and often reach 16+” in length as adults.
