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Red Foot Tortoise
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 recommend 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 deg. 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
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