Western New York Herpetological
Society
www.wnyherp.org
© 2001 - 2002 by Western New York
Herpetological Society
This document is for guidance only and
should not be used as the sole source of information. New information is being
developed daily. It is recommended that a concerted effort be made to maintain
up-to-date knowledge of the animals of interest.
Common
Name:
Red Foot Tortoise
Latin
Name:
Geochelone carbonaria
Native
to:
Tropical South America
Size:
10-14 inches at maturity; males are larger than
females of same age.
Life
Span:
40-50 years
General
appearance:
Carapace (top part of shell) is black with the
center of each scute being yellow. The plastron (bottom part of the shell) is
yellow. In mature males the rear of the plastron is concave. There are red
scales on the head and legs.
Housing
requirements:
Enclosure:
Should be tropical, (high humidity). Space
requirements should be at least 2 sq. ft. per inch of shell length. A 4 in.
youngster would need 8 sq. ft. They need a shallow pan of water approximately ⅓ of their shell height to drink from and soak in. A
source of UV light is
recommended.
Temperature:
Temperature during the day should be 85°-90°F at one
end of the enclosure and 70°-75°F at the
other. This can be accomplished with the use of a heat lamp or pad
(waterproof).
Substrate:
Newspaper, aspen, Cyprus are a few. (But not cedar
or pine).
Diet:
Their diet consists of vegetables, fruit and some
protein. Broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts should be fed sparingly.
Protein could consist of earthworms, mealworms, crickets, etc. They should be
fed 2-3 times a week, with their food being dusted with a D3 vitamin and
calcium. A commercially prepared tortoise food is also a recommended source of
food.
Maintenance:
Changing the substrate and water when soiled is a
must. Handlers are advised to wash their hands thoroughly after handling any
reptile or reptile cage furnishings.
Other
references or recommended reading:
Encyclopedia
of turtles: Dr. Peter C. H. Pritchard
Turtles
of the World: Carl H. Ernst and Roger W. Barbour
Encyclopedia
of Keeping and Breeding Tortoises and Freshwater turtles: A.C. Highfield