We often get threads in which people ask, "Can I keep tortoises of different species, or tortoises and box turtles together?" The answer is almost always "No," and here's why:
1) Environmental requirements - Different tortoise species (and box turtles) often come from different types of climates. Different moisture and temperature levels can make it difficult to mix species successfully. Sometimes, their requirements may be quite similar, but then other considerations come into play.
2) Behavioral incompatibility - Some species are more solitary than others, or may use slightly different body language postures. Thus, when you put tortoises in together with other kinds of tortoises or box turtles, they may not be able to communicate or understand each other's signals. They may also have different requirements for individual space or time alone. This can lead to fights breaking out, and to stress, injury, or death.
3) Hybridization - If the animals do get along, then in the absence of their own kind, males and females might hybridize. This is not good, because it can lead to what's known as genetic pollution, or the compromising of each parent species' genetic integrity.
4) Disease transmission - Finally, even if none of the above things happen, one more serious problem still remains, and that is the spread of diseases. Different species have evolved in isolation from each other for millions of years. Over that time, they have come to acquire resistance to a certain set of diseases. The animals may serve as carriers for these diseases, and not be seriously harmed. However, if other species are exposed to those same diseases, they may quickly become very ill and even die, simply because they have little or no defense.
Despite these risks, some people still mix species and get away with it, not experiencing any of the problems outlined above. However, that's still taking a chance, and it could backfire at any time. It's best not to mix species, and to keep tortoises and box turtles in single-species groups, according to the space and environmental requirements of their kind.
1) Environmental requirements - Different tortoise species (and box turtles) often come from different types of climates. Different moisture and temperature levels can make it difficult to mix species successfully. Sometimes, their requirements may be quite similar, but then other considerations come into play.
2) Behavioral incompatibility - Some species are more solitary than others, or may use slightly different body language postures. Thus, when you put tortoises in together with other kinds of tortoises or box turtles, they may not be able to communicate or understand each other's signals. They may also have different requirements for individual space or time alone. This can lead to fights breaking out, and to stress, injury, or death.
3) Hybridization - If the animals do get along, then in the absence of their own kind, males and females might hybridize. This is not good, because it can lead to what's known as genetic pollution, or the compromising of each parent species' genetic integrity.
4) Disease transmission - Finally, even if none of the above things happen, one more serious problem still remains, and that is the spread of diseases. Different species have evolved in isolation from each other for millions of years. Over that time, they have come to acquire resistance to a certain set of diseases. The animals may serve as carriers for these diseases, and not be seriously harmed. However, if other species are exposed to those same diseases, they may quickly become very ill and even die, simply because they have little or no defense.
Despite these risks, some people still mix species and get away with it, not experiencing any of the problems outlined above. However, that's still taking a chance, and it could backfire at any time. It's best not to mix species, and to keep tortoises and box turtles in single-species groups, according to the space and environmental requirements of their kind.