Is Breeding Redfoot Tortoises Right for You?

Breeding redfoot tortoises is a deeply rewarding undertaking, but it demands significant preparation, space, time, and financial commitment. Before attempting to breed your tortoises, ensure both animals are healthy, of appropriate size and age, and that you have a plan for responsibly homing any offspring you cannot keep long-term.

Sexing Redfoot Tortoises

Reliable sexing becomes possible once tortoises reach around 6–7 inches (15–18 cm) in length, though some individuals may be identifiable earlier.

  • Males: Have a noticeably concave (indented) plastron (belly), longer and thicker tail with the cloaca positioned further from the body, and tend to be slightly smaller overall than females of the same age.
  • Females: Have a flat plastron, shorter tail, and are generally larger and heavier at maturity.

Never attempt to breed tortoises based solely on size — always confirm sex visually or through veterinary examination.

Pre-Breeding Conditioning

Healthy, well-nourished adults are far more likely to breed successfully and produce viable eggs. In the months leading up to intended breeding:

  • Ensure both tortoises are at optimal body weight — not underweight or obese.
  • Increase dietary variety and nutritional quality, particularly calcium supplementation.
  • Provide plenty of natural sunlight or high-quality UVB to support hormone production.
  • Keep animals separately housed (especially multiple males) to reduce stress outside of introduction periods.

Courtship and Mating Behaviour

When a male redfoot tortoise is introduced to a female, you'll typically observe a recognisable courtship sequence:

  1. Head bobbing: The male bobs his head in a side-to-side or up-and-down motion — a species-specific communication signal.
  2. Circling and following: The male follows the female, nudging and biting at her hindquarters.
  3. Mounting: The male mounts the female from behind. Mating can last from several minutes to over an hour.

Supervise introductions, as males can be aggressive. If the female appears extremely stressed or is being injured, separate the animals immediately. Mating can be attempted over several days or weeks across the breeding season.

Egg Development and Nesting

After successful mating, females carry eggs for approximately 90–120 days before laying. Signs that a female is gravid (carrying eggs) include:

  • Restlessness and increased activity, particularly digging behaviour.
  • Reduced appetite in the weeks before laying.
  • Visible bulging at the rear of the shell when eggs are near term.

Provide a deep nesting box (at least 10–12 inches deep) filled with a slightly damp mix of sand and coco coir. The female will dig a flask-shaped nest, deposit 2–8 eggs, and carefully cover the nest. Do not disturb her during this process.

Egg Collection and Incubation

Once the female has left the nest, carefully excavate the eggs. Mark the top of each egg with a soft pencil before moving them — rotating eggs can kill developing embryos.

Incubation Setup

  • Incubation temperature: 82–86°F (28–30°C). Redfoot tortoises do not exhibit strong temperature-dependent sex determination, but staying within this range promotes healthy development.
  • Humidity: 80–90%. Eggs should be placed on a slightly damp substrate (vermiculite or perlite mixed with water at a 1:1 ratio by weight is commonly used).
  • Incubation period: Approximately 120–200 days depending on temperature and individual variation.

Candle eggs (shine a light through them) at 30 and 60 days to check for development. Infertile or dead eggs should be removed to prevent mould spreading.

Hatching and the First Days

Hatchlings will pip (break through the shell using their egg tooth) and may remain partially in the egg for 24–48 hours as they absorb the remaining yolk sac. Do not pull hatchlings out of the egg. Allow them to emerge in their own time.

Once fully out, move hatchlings to a separate container with moist paper towel while the yolk sac fully absorbs (usually 24–72 hours). After this, set up a proper hatchling enclosure with the same humidity and temperature requirements as adults.

Raising Hatchlings

  • Offer food daily — finely chopped greens, soft fruits, and small protein sources.
  • Soak hatchlings daily in shallow warm water for 10–15 minutes.
  • Keep humidity at 80–90%; hatchlings are particularly vulnerable to dehydration.
  • House hatchlings individually or in small groups only if the enclosure is large enough and all individuals are the same size.

Hatchling redfoots grow relatively quickly in their first few years when conditions are optimal. Careful record-keeping — logging weights, feeding, and health observations — will help you track their progress and catch any problems early.