A question about stimulating breeding activity

[Minotaur]

Hi guys, I have a couple questions about breeding my russian tortoises. The age on both of them is unknown, but both appear to be fully grown. The male is just over five inches (and has been that size for two and a half years now) and the female, which I acquired about six months ago, is about 9 or 10 inches long (I would give more exact measurements, but I am quite far away from my animals right now for an internship in Kentucky). Lengths are in SCL.

Anyhow, the tortoises have only been together for a few months, and I have yet to see any breeding activity. I want to know how to stimulate them to breed - I have a feeling that hibernation plays a big part in the whole deal, but am not sure about how long to hibernate them (I've never hibernated any before). I want to hibernate them for the minimum amount of time needed to stimulate the activity, both for safety, and so I'm not separated from them for too long. Any other tips regarding hibernation and breeding would be welcome as well.

Thanks a lot,
Ken

 

[egyptiandan]

Hi Ken,
They sound adult you will of course post pictures of your huge female Russian. Never seen one that big.
You can seperate your pair, also less light and cool night time temperatures can get them going. People breed them in Florida without any real hibernation. They can though hibernate for up to 7 months, which one of my females has.

Danny

 

[Minotaur]

Thanks for the reply Danny, are you saying that reducing temperature and hours of daylight my kind of mimic the cooler months a bit and raise my boy Genbu's libido a bit? I would love to be able to breed my torts without having to hibernate them, so if that's the case that would be great. Musou is a pretty big girl, and fortunately I seem to have recorded her actual length in my signature on TurtleTimes - she is 9 inches long, not ten. Either way she makes Genbu (who is actually six inches not "just over five" according to what I have recorded) look like a little girly man. I don't have any pics right now, but I will post one on here as soon as I get back to Marquette which will probably be on the 17th or 18th of next month.

As far as separating them goes, I'm not worried about separating them from eachother, I'm loathe to separate them from ME

Ken

 

[agiletorts]

Hi Ken,
They sound adult you will of course post pictures of your huge female Russian. Never seen one that big.
You can seperate your pair, also less light and cool night time temperatures can get them going. People breed them in Florida without any real hibernation. They can though hibernate for up to 7 months, which one of my females has.

Danny

I've seen a huge female wc Russian at a local pet store here, close to 9 inches. I was told it was normal for certain sub species of Russian from certain region to grow that big. I once adopted a relatively big female c.b. Russian too , she was 7 inches even when she was only 6+ years old. Here is the picture.

 

[Jacqui]

Mine breed without hibernating and the same with most folks I know. I have an antique male that no longer shows any interest in breeding and another one that really isn't a gung ho one for the girls. My third male was first introduced to one of the female groups early last winter and he practiced all winter long (I believe he is the sire of the eggs). The fourth male showed no major interest in the one female he ended the winter with, but once placed in the larger group outside, he has become almost to the point of becoming too aggressive with the females.

I think change stimulates them. They at times seem to become complacent with the females they have been around a lot. I think Danny's idea is a good one. Separate them, change the season on them, reintroduce them, and then see if they hear the call of nature and see each other in a new way.

Are they outside? I think that is a huge stimulator and so beneficial for them at the same time.

Are you wanting to just stay with the two? I think competition is a great motivator for breeding too, but that would mean more torts.

 

[Minotaur]

I am looking to end up with more than two (I was planning on keeping any babies that I get) but probably won't have any room for adults anytime too soon (although, I could rearrange a few things ). I think the idea of separating and reintroducing sounds good, but they were just introduced early this spring, so I'm not sure why it would work the second time and not the first. The male has always been shy and lazy, so it's his interest I need to spark... I just need to figure out how to do it.

 

[Jacqui]

Did you place her in his pen? Him in her's? Or a new neutral one?

 

[Crazy1]

agiletorts, I have never seen a Russian so light colored before it she is beautiful. What subspecies is she?

 

[Minotaur]

Did you place her in his pen? Him in her's? Or a new neutral one?

I put her in his pen.

 

[agiletorts]

agiletorts, I have never seen a Russian so light colored before it she is beautiful. What subspecies is she?

I'm not sure what subspecies as the seller (from craigslist ad) knew nothing about it and they just purchased it from a reptile show without asking too much questions. But I've seen this type of Russian several times at Kingsnake, and usually they sell it for $200-$300, relatively more expensive compared to wc Russian which are usually under $100 or even regular cb Russian which are usually between $100-$150. Maybe if there are some breeders of these type of Russian could educate us all?

 

[kallista]

agiletorts, I have never seen a Russian so light colored before it she is beautiful. What subspecies is she?

I'm not sure what subspecies as the seller (from craigslist ad) knew nothing about it and they just purchased it from a reptile show without asking too much questions. But I've seen this type of Russian several times at Kingsnake, and usually they sell it for $200-$300, relatively more expensive compared to wc Russian which are usually under $100 or even regular cb Russian which are usually between $100-$150. Maybe if there are some breeders of these type of Russian could educate us all?

Didn't you say you were away from them now?
When are you going to be back with them?
I wouldn't try to breed them while your away or having someone else breed them.
wait till your back..
I get the impression you want to sell the babies
when will you be back with your RT? Since your so far away from them now?

 

[agiletorts]

Didn't you say you were away from them now?
When are you going to be back with them?
I wouldn't try to breed them while your away or having someone else breed them.
wait till your back..
I get the impression you want to sell the babies
when will you be back with your RT? Since your so far away from them now?

No I don't have Russian tortoises anymore as I want to concentrate on Ibera greeks. I'm not a breedeer either and I just love having tortoises in my backyard. But hey if I get some babies I'd take care of them .

 

[kallista]

Didn't you say you were away from them now?
When are you going to be back with them?
I wouldn't try to breed them while your away or having someone else breed them.
wait till your back..
I get the impression you want to sell the babies
when will you be back with your RT? Since your so far away from them now?

No I don't have Russian tortoises anymore as I want to concentrate on Ibera greeks. I'm not a breedeer either and I just love having tortoises in my backyard. But hey if I get some babies I'd take care of them .

Agile..
Oh shoot this was supposed to be a quote to Minotaur's post soooooooooo sorry , i didn't mean to quote you hon.... sorry

 

[Minotaur]

Thanks for the concern Kallista - I would never have anyone else breed my animals while I'm away, I don't even like leaving them in the care of others. Also, I am not interested in breeding to sell, I am interested in breeding them to keep for myself. I will be back with my animals in about 6 days now.

 

[kallista]

Thanks for the concern Kallista - I would never have anyone else breed my animals while I'm away, I don't even like leaving them in the care of others. Also, I am not interested in breeding to sell, I am interested in breeding them to keep for myself. I will be back with my animals in about 6 days now.

I bet you cant wait to be back with him...