New tortoise

[George Hassard]

Hi recently i have been thinking about getting a second Russian Tortoise I already have 1 I have had him for 9 months and i am pretty comfortable with him now. (No more panic attacks about the lighting temperature etc.)
He eats well is pretty active lives in a indoor 10 foot by 2 foot house and has a 10 by 4 outside with plants and i am thinking about getting a second Tortoise (Male) but half of the people say its OK and the other half say no so i am asking you guys now the main reason i want a new one is because he seems just so lonely and i have seen tortoises be best pal's also the pet store keeps 3 or 4 in a 40 gallon tank its actually disturbing. so if I get everything right what should i do to prepare for a second one should i get a new one etc? Best Regards

 

[wellington]

He's not lonely. They do not want or need a friend. The lonely part is only what you are thinking not the tort. They will fight and one will get sick or dead.
All kinds of threads on here about how bad it is to keep tortoises in pairs. Specially Russians. Your one is very happy being king of his domain.

 

[RosemaryDW]

half of the people say its OK and the other half say no

No one on this forum will say it's okay to house two together.

Tortoises aren't like humans or dogs. They see other tortoises as competition for food and space. The tortoises you see in pet stores aren't pals, they are animals kept in very small quarters that are stressed and often sick. One tortoise only! If you want two, you will have to build entirely separate enclosures for each and keep them apart.

 

[JoesMum]

I agree - one per enclosure

This is example typical of pairs
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...together-a-lesson-learned-the-hard-way.94114/

 

[counting]

Go ahead and get a second, but keep it in a different, suitable enclosure at all times.