Dominance behavior?

[Whinhill]

Hi All,

quick question MY greeks 3 females and a male are up and active after their truncated hibernation this winter.

Today I notice some odd behavior, my largest female has started ramming the other two females (just like a male does before mating).
I've not seen this before, but is this the "bulling" that gravid/dominant female do?

Ian

 

[GBtortoises]

Certain individuals of my female Ibera and Eastern Hermann's often do the same. Typically the largest and/or oldest females. It's usually done for a number of reasons: When a group of females does not have a dominate male present a certain female will often take on a psuedo male role; when a female is ready to mate and the male present is not (this is a rare occurance). In this case the female will often also mount the male in an attempt to make him "defend his turf"; when a female is gravid and showing territorial dominance over a preferred nesting site.
I've never seen a case with any of mine where a dominate female will go far enough to cause real harm to the other subordinate females. Normally, other than some semi-serious ramming, the biting is usually much less aggressive and persistant. But that is not to say that it couldn't happen either.

 

[Whinhill]

Hi
yes I thought it was something like that. I do have a very active male. There is no damage just knock, knock, knock (we though it was Mojo, the male, on the job again). She's just shell ramming the other two not biting. The others don't seem to mind one even carried on eating as if nothing was happening