Housing different tortoises

[jimbravo9]

I had spoken with someone at a reptile show who mentioned that leopards and sulcatas can be kept together. This sounded like a stretch and I haven't researched it at all but was curious if anyone does this?

 

[terracolson]

i think no... sulcatas need more heat.. right?

 

[egyptiandan]

It is possible to do, but only when they are of the same size. Once a sulcata gets larger than the leopard, they can do quite a bit of damage to the smaller leopard.

Danny

 

[Maggie Cummings]

The thinking used to be that you shouldn't house different species together because one species could pass pathogens indigenous to it's self, to the other species making it sick or sometimes sick enough to death..
But now there are several generations of captive bred species so they don't have those pathogens anymore, so MAYBE it might be alright to house different species together. But this is new thinking it is happening right now, so we aren't quite sure that the pathogen passing is or is not as harmful as it used to be.
I personally would never house different species together. Leopards are a slow growing quiet shy species, Sulcata are rapid growing boisterous loud pushy outgoing species. So IMHO even if they are the same size as Danny suggests, the outgoing Sulcata could mentally bully the more shy Leopard. I am not trying in any way to contradict Danny...
that person at the show could possibly be trying to sell you something???

 

[reptylefreek]

I talked to a lot of people about this because I wanted to get a new baby Leopard to put with my baby sulcata. Shortly after hearing "absolutely not" about housing together, I adopted a full grown Leopard. The difference in their personalities is astonishing. Just like Maggie said Leopards are shy and Sulcatas are outgoing. IMO I believe if you had enough yard to where all of the tortoises had enough space to themselves they, would be ok. I do believe the "bullying" theory and I hear it effect a lot of babies. I think if the situation was monitored closely it could work. I do believe there are a few members hear who house together with no problems at all.

 

[Tom]

I agree with Maggie. Species shouldn't be mixed because of behavioral incompatibility and possible disease transmission. Sulcatas and leopards are not a good match any way you look at it. I love them both, but house them separately. I'm not saying its impossible, I'm just saying its a risk I'm not willing to take and a compromise I'm not willing to make.

 

[TortieLuver]

I have seen people do that, but is truly a big no,no. Each species has different germs on their bodies and can make the other species sick. I know as they get bigger that Sulcatas are known to know Leopards over. I would never do it, but have even seen reptile stores have then together. I wouldn't risk it myself.

 

[kyle42leopards]

You can house babies together but once the sulcata gets bigger you have to separate them. I house a sonoran w/ a sulcata but the sulcata is only 5 inches and so is the sonoran plus the enclosure is large.