Thinking of getting another Sully

[jagsrule100]

Yeah i'm thinking about getting another Sulcata, but before i do i would like to ask some questions and if anyone has advice please share

I've had Buster since October 2010 and i was wondering if i get another one, can i just put him/her in with Buster or keep them seperate and slowly introduce each other?

I know that when they get big they might ram each other, Do they do that when they are babies?

I think that's it for now, I would like to thank everyone that has helped me with Buster. I will post pictures of him soon

 

[Candy]

I know that Sulcatas are cute and all, but remember they grow up and get very big and males don't get along at all. Why not just spend a while with your baby and see how fast he grows. Just my opinion. And yes you would have to keep them separate for a while if you did.

 

[Laura]

if you can afford two, then do it. but think LONG TERM! Are you moving? going to school? Kids married etc..
Cant predict it all of course. but some common sense planning..
Can you afford two set ups? double the heating, food, etc.
I would look into a rescue.. many needing homes.

 

[tortoisenerd]

If it was me, I'd wait until the first one grew up to see how you could handle it. If all goes well, then adopt a second adult.

 

[jagsrule100]

Thank you all for posting, i think i might change my mind cause i would have no where to put another enclosure.

May i ask why to keep them seperate and slowly introduce them?

 

[Yvonne G]

I can only offer you my experience and my opinion:

I have Dudley, who came to me several years ago as half of a breeding pair. I adopted out the female and Dudley has been an only child for about 6 or 7 years. During that time, I've placed various different sulcatas in pens next to Dudley while they were waiting for someone to adopt them. It drives him crazy! He works and works on the fences until he finally breaks them down to get to the other tortoise. Then the fight to the death ensues. Ever since that first rescued sulcata, whenever I get one in large enough to go outside, I have to work like crazy to find a new home ASAP! Dudley really LIKES being an only child.

On the other hand, when you have them together as babies, chances are much better that they will get along in later years.

And then there's Laura, one of your previous posters. She has adopted three larger sulcatas at different times, and if memory serves correctly, they all live together in harmony.

So, it really all depends upon each individual tortoise. You just have to have an alternate plan 'B' on the back burner, and plan for a separate pen if it doesn't work out having more than one in one pen.

 

[Shelly]

I had an adult male Desert Tortoise that lived side by side peacefully with a juvenile male for 5 years. As soon as the young one hit sexual maturity, all Hell broke loose. If you've never seen 2 pissed off tortoises go at it, trust me, they mean business.
I couldn't imagine trying to break up a fight between 2 100 pound torts.

 

[jagsrule100]

Thank you Yvonne for posting, i decided that if i want to get another one, i better do it soon cause Buster is still a baby and when i got him at this reptile store they had 3 babies in the same aquarium.

Now if they do fine together as hatchlings and when they get big and mature, should i keep them seperate when im not home and at work or something? Or will they be fine since they grew up together?

 

[Shelly]

Or will they be fine since they grew up together?

Doubtful.

 

[Yvonne G]

Any time you have a group of baby tortoises together, you have to be watchful to make sure each individual is getting along ok. But if they seem to be living in harmony, you can probably trust them together while you're away at work. After eating in the a.m. they usually sleep all day anyway. What you want to watch for are signs of bullying. Pushing, shoving, biting. And sometimes it doesn't manifest as a physical act, it can be mental. You'll notice that one will be hiding in a corner or not coming to the food station. That tells you that someone has let this one know he's low man in the pecking order and its time for him to get out of the bully's territory.

---

Oh, I just realized you were talking about down the road when they're bigger. You can keep them together for as long as they coexist. You'll know if and when they're not going to be getting along anymore. And maybe it will never happen. If you separate them when you go to work you're asking for trouble. Because if you give them the time to notice that they like being alone, it will encourage a fight when you put them back together.

 

[John]

first thing too catch my eye is not having room for another enclosure,do you live somewhere where the adult torts gan live outside year round.if not what are you gonna do with two torts that get very very large?

 

[Yvonne G]

If it was me, I'd wait until the first one grew up to see how you could handle it. If all goes well, then adopt a second adult.

Kate: I've notified Josh that you're banned. He's at the show today, so it probably won't be fixed until tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Tom]

I started two male hatchlings in 1998. In 2001 one I added a 1 year old female to the group. They all got along and lived harmoniously until 2009. At that point the two males started trying to kill each other. I had to build a separate pen and night box on the other side of my ranch for one of the males. Now he's all alone and very happy. Gets all his food and attention to himself. In the old pen the remaining male began to relentlessly hunt the lone female and have his way with her several times a day. She began to try to hide all the time despite 7000 sq. feet and lots of hiding places and nooks and crannies. I had to add two more females to divert his attention some and now everything is pretty harmonious again. Nobody gets overly harassed. I've seen them do well in large mixed groups of say 10 or more, but pairs and trios are usually difficult to maintain. As Yvonne said, it really depends on the personality of the individuals, but it is really unlikely that two adult males will ever get along. Most of the time babies get a long just fine, but not always. In my experience trios (or more) of babies give you a getter chance for success than pairs.

 

[Jermosh]

They work best in large communities, or alone with maybe one other in a large yard, or a huge yard with multiples.

But you really cant judge temperament till they hit puberty though, some males will attack garbage cans and mount cinder-blocks, others really don't care. Females can be aggressive as well.

 

[Laura]

And then there's Laura, one of your previous posters. She has adopted three larger sulcatas at different times, and if memory serves correctly, they all live together in harmony.

well.. I have adopted 4.. the two larges ones that grew up together, are still together.. they do have issues tho ,a nd I have to watch that..thier yard is 60x100 and they share a box, that might have to change..
The other two are both smaller but i have to watch them too.. sigh...

I had a breech in the wall one day.. the largest busted thru into the smaller pen.. rolled one over and took over the stall.. it could have been ugly.. damn boys anyway...
I predict that soon, i will be revamping, building.. changing...

 

[jagsrule100]

Thank you all very much, all of this information is very helpful =)

I believe that i will get more than 2 tortoises, probably 4 total.
I had just weighed Buster today for the first time since i got him, which i should of weighed him earlier. He is at 46 grams or 1 in a half ounces, and he is around 5 months old. I hope that is good, im gonna be weighing him every week.

Also, should i have him and the others when i get them checked at a vet to see if they are healthy?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

When you get a new tortoise the first thing you should do is take it to the Vet. Then you would keep it quarantined for about 6 months to make sure it's not carrying any diseases. That means 2 habitats right from the gate. If I've done this right go here and read this and see if you still want another one...

http://turtlerescues.com/sulcata_challenge.htm