Red-footed turtle is a very attractive species with a domed, coal-black shell. There are yellow, sometimes light brown spots in the center of the labels on the carapace (upper part of the carapace). The plastron (lower part of the carapace) is mostly colored yellow to yellow-brown. A typical feature is the colored scurfs on head and legs. The color of the scurfs on the head and legs can be  yellow, red or orange. In maturity it grows to dimensions of 25-50 cm with a weight in the range of approx. 5 to 10 kg. Its homeland is the tropical regions of South America - in the forests and savannas of Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, where the average temperature reaches from 26 to 28 °C and the air humidity is 95%. In wild nature, it likes to stay in swamps, where it often burrows. It is active during the day and also night, searching for fruit and vegetables, which are the main part of its menu, but in the wild it does not disdain animal food or dead animals.