Hi all, I'm new to posting on this part of the forum but have done lots of reading and believe me am a little hesitant about asking this question but would really like some advice. I've been researching having a tortoise for quite a while now and am really keen on the cherry head red foots (I love the look of them, have no problem with their diet, heating, lighting and humidity needs and don't really want a tort I have to hibernate).

What I want to know is what is the most suitable housing for these? I seem to be reading conflicting advice for this breed due to it's need for high humidity. I know and understand the need for a table for hermans, horsefields etc but there seems to be conflicting info for cherry heads... some say a viv, some say a table, some say a viv while young then a table??? Can anyone help?

Also, if anyone knows of good cherry head breeders in the Midlands I'd be most grateful if you'd let me know

Thanks in advance.

__________________

I know of no cherry head breeders, i breed red foots, they have the same requirements as cherry heads.
Some say you can keep reds and cherrys in vivs due to the humdity requirements, but i dont.
I prefer tortoise tables, i havce a huge one for my adults 7 x4 ft with top soil and childrens play bark on top. I spray this every day to keep the humidity up.

__________________

Thanks Sarah, I've been on shelled warriors and got some really useful information... gorgeous tortoises you have. I'm still in the early planning stages so will keep on reading and most likely do the TT course before I decide which tort to go for... I'm sort of getting my head around hibernating now I've read more and realised it isn't so difficult.

If you don't know of any cherry head breeders does that mean that the ones I've seen advertised are wild imports then? If so I'll steer clear unless I can find a UK breeder.

__________________

They are most probably wild caught.

__________________

Once you get more and more torts (most people do!) then you'll start to realise hibernation isnt so bad, and is a nice break!

__________________
Josh
www.tortoise-world.com

Tina as said there are few if any true captive UK bred cherry headed reds about, most are captive farmed imports and often suffer with internal parasites that can and do prove fatal to so many cherryheads seen for sale, but I do no that there are people with young animals that have thrived well with no problems its pot luck really something I wouldn't like to risk.

Why Cherries is it a personel preferance as normal redfoots are just as colourful and appealing.

As for housing reds do well in either a Viv (but must be big to allow free air flow) or a table, the myth of huge amounts of humidity isn't so its extremely easy to give a humid enviroment regarding all red types with jsut basic floor covering(good quality top soil and bark mulch) and a hand mister.

D

are cherry heads different to red footed torts?

In there captive requirements answer is no they aren't different.
But geograhpically they are though and new research is showing that they are possibly a different sub speices from the main race (geochelonia carbanaria)
There is actually a lot of new classification now being done regarding redfoot types as well as other tropical speices, they are so very distinct regionally from each other that seperation is important for purity of type.

I'm a stickler for type to type matchings as I beileve in purtity of type quite strongly, I know that few others don't regarding reds or tropicals but wow betied you if you mix meds .

D

thats really interesting [bout the sub species]

whats so bad about mixing meds [apart from the obvious] does it just completely knacker their genes?

Hi Darren

My choice of cherry heads over normal redfoots was simply the difference in size as I believe cherry heads are smaller and I was worried about providing a big enough indoor area for a redfoot when fully grown. After doing more research though I won't be looking for one as I definitely want a UK CB. I've got my head around hibernating now though so may go for a Hermanns and have found a local breeder who has some absolutely lovely 6 month olds.

Thanks for your input

**Edit** Ooops, sorry forgot to say welcome to the forum

__________________