Do Tortoise's need company?

Gus.

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So do Tortoises like being solo creatures or is it better to have two of them in the same space?
 

RosemaryDW

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Welcome to the forum!

Tortoises absolutely do not need to and should not be kept in pairs. They are solitary animals; housing two together will result in one of them bullying the other to illness or even death.

They aren't like dogs or humans, one is enough! They don't need company. :)
 

Korall

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Nope, would never recommend housing them in pairs.

This is a quite common beginner mistake though, so good on you for asking and doing research.
 

Gus.

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Welcome to the forum!

Tortoises absolutely do not need to and should not be kept in pairs. They are solitary animals; housing two together will result in one of them bullying the other to illness or even death.

They aren't like dogs or humans, one is enough! They don't need company. :)

Thanks for the welcome.

Ah, thats good to know.
 

Gus.

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Nope, would never recommend housing them in pairs.

This is a quite common beginner mistake though, so good on you for asking and doing research.

Yeah I wasn't sure, I figured I'd ask.
 

Triciarae_07

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Welcome to the forum!

Tortoises absolutely do not need to and should not be kept in pairs. They are solitary animals; housing two together will result in one of them bullying the other to illness or even death.

They aren't like dogs or humans, one is enough! They don't need company. :)
Nope, would never recommend housing them in pairs.

This is a quite common beginner mistake though, so good on you for asking and doing research.

HI! i was reading some replies to the question and MAYBE that is why Baby got sick and passed away BUT i had them together for close to 4 years and Bob never showed any aggression or was mean to her..i just noticed that she hadn't been able to use the restroom and when i took her to the vet it was too late she passed the next day. i got her cremated and she now sits on my shelf. but could it be something happened between them and she got sick or maybe she just ate something and wasn't able to pass it??
 

Tom

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So do Tortoises like being solo creatures or is it better to have two of them in the same space?

Tortoises should never be kept in pairs. Groups can sometimes work, but not pairs. They don't want or need company and they don't see other tortoises as "friends". They see them as competitors or intruders, and they want them gone.

The chronic stress created by keeping two together frequently leads to the death of one.
 

WithLisa

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In my area it's very common to keep pairs or groups, but it can lead to problems, in some cases they have to be separated permanently.
Being kept alone is definitely less stressful for them.
 

Yvonne G

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HI! i was reading some replies to the question and MAYBE that is why Baby got sick and passed away BUT i had them together for close to 4 years and Bob never showed any aggression or was mean to her..i just noticed that she hadn't been able to use the restroom and when i took her to the vet it was too late she passed the next day. i got her cremated and she now sits on my shelf. but could it be something happened between them and she got sick or maybe she just ate something and wasn't able to pass it??

The aggression isn't always overt. Most of the time you don't see it. I've called it mental bullying in the past.
 

ZEROPILOT

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The aggression isn't always overt. Most of the time you don't see it. I've called it mental bullying in the past.
Sometimes aggression is seen by keepers as affection.
Things like tortoises following each other around and sleeping together, etc.
All bullying.
 

Gus.

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How do tortoises reproduce if they can't be around each other? :p
 

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