Getting my tort a friend?

Hello! Haven't posted in a while, you may not knowy little guy, he's called The Rock

He's a Hermanns tortoise and I've had him since February this year. He was born 20th July 2018 so he's a year and 3 months old.

He has a 2 x 4 foot open-top enclosure and a healthy diet of mixed weeds.
He is very small: 6cm in length and 45g last time I checked (I think).

He looks quite lonely in his table. I know naturally they wander around the wild alone but I was wondering whether it would be okay to get him a little friend, either Horsefield or Hermanns? Is it okay to mix breeds? I would try and get one around the same age of course. Does gender matter?

I would really like to know.

Thankyou so much!

Species should never be mixed.
Tortoises should never live in pairs.

Other tortoises are not seen as "friends" or companions. They are seen as competitors and intruders. Your tortoise is happiest as the sole king of its castle. It does not want other tortoises around.

Tom said:

Species should never be mixed.
Tortoises should never live in pairs.

Other tortoises are not seen as "friends" or companions. They are seen as competitors and intruders. Your tortoise is happiest as the sole king of its castle. It does not want other tortoises around.

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Oh ok, that's a shame on my behalf but I understand.
Thanks for the info

Hey there! Cute little guy.

Can we see some pics of his enclosure and tell us at what temperature, humidity etc. he is at in his space?

You are going to be informed that no, he does not need a friend. He just needs a big enough enclosure with correct conditions and the right diet!

You're the only friend your tortoise will ever need.
It's hard for us pack mammals to think like a solitary reptile.

ZEROPILOT said:

You're the only friend your tortoise will ever need.
It's hard for us pack mammals to think like a solitary reptile.

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I must have a reptilian brain!

TammyJ said:

I must have a reptilian brain!

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I know what you mean

I feel like I can always communicate with my pet reptiles over the many , many years I have owned way too many....
So my tortie is getting a double sized table upgrade instead of any herd members!!!!
A pal for your tort is a no no ! Only your horny Male probably would want a room mate. Just not to be friends with....
If you take good care of her, and dont stress her, she can grow up to be a much bigger better looking adult animal.

ayrgrn said:

Hello! Haven't posted in a while, you may not knowy little guy, he's called The Rock
View attachment 282593
He's a Hermanns tortoise and I've had him since February this year. He was born 20th July 2018 so he's a year and 3 months old.

He has a 2 x 4 foot open-top enclosure and a healthy diet of mixed weeds.
He is very small: 6cm in length and 45g last time I checked (I think).

He looks quite lonely in his table. I know naturally they wander around the wild alone but I was wondering whether it would be okay to get him a little friend, either Horsefield or Hermanns? Is it okay to mix breeds? I would try and get one around the same age of course. Does gender matter?

I would really like to know.

Thankyou so much!

Click to expand...

Hermann's are GREAT tortoises! Your's is a cutie for sure!!!

Mine, Elsa Elizabeth, is (probably) about 11 years old. When I get frenzied and wound up about things, I sometimes go sit with her in her enclosure. Tortoises are so calm, and they take whatever the world dishes out...it does me so much good to have her around! She'll walk up to me and stand on my foot to see if there's a treat coming. If not, she'll wait a bit, then accept the situation and amble along, doing whatever it is that tortoises do. I suspect she is a guru or at least a philosopher...
Dang it- I can't get any photos of Elsa to upload..

BUT The Rock is quite a looker!!

Moozillion said:

Hermann's are GREAT tortoises! Your's is a cutie for sure!!!

Mine, Elsa Elizabeth, is (probably) about 11 years old. When I get frenzied and wound up about things, I sometimes go sit with her in her enclosure. Tortoises are so calm, and they take whatever the world dishes out...it does me so much good to have her around! She'll walk up to me and stand on my foot to see if there's a treat coming. If not, she'll wait a bit, then accept the situation and amble along, doing whatever it is that tortoises do. I suspect she is a guru or at least a philosopher...
Dang it- I can't get any photos of Elsa to upload..

BUT The Rock is quite a looker!!

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Wanna see Elsa. Put her in another thread for herself. Elsa the Lioness - Born Free, and all that???

TammyJ said:

Wanna see Elsa. Put her in another thread for herself. Elsa the Lioness - Born Free, and all that???

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No- I just like the name Elsa because it's simple and (to my mind) sweet.
For the first few years she had no middle name. But when Kate Middleton had her second child, I decided Elsa needed a middle name (Yes, I'm one of those silly people who follow the British Royal Family- even before Prince Harry married an American! ).
Since the new little princess was named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, I suggested Elsa pick one of those names for her own middle name.

My married name is Treadwell (is that a GREAT surname for a tortoise, or what??!?!? ). So her options were Elsa Charlotte Treadwell, Elsa Elizabeth Treadwell or Elsa Diana Treadwell. She liked all 3 options, and considered it for a good while. She settled on Elizabeth, and said she liked the rhythmic sound when you say it aloud. Tortoises, I've learned, are much more tuned in to vibrations and rhythms than we are because of their close contact with the earth. I like her choice.

I have a similar relationship with my red foot , where if I'm getting all stressed out by life or whatever, I make myself just sit and observe Artemis and tone it down. Her little vocalizations ( her continuous whistling!) are practically mood music for me. I had a severe medical emergency recently that scared the heck out of me. And Arty might as well have been my therapist to help talk myself through it or something.

Thanks for all your replies! All of your torts sound amazing xD

Moozillion said:

Hermann's are GREAT tortoises! Your's is a cutie for sure!!!

Mine, Elsa Elizabeth, is (probably) about 11 years old. When I get frenzied and wound up about things, I sometimes go sit with her in her enclosure. Tortoises are so calm, and they take whatever the world dishes out...it does me so much good to have her around! She'll walk up to me and stand on my foot to see if there's a treat coming. If not, she'll wait a bit, then accept the situation and amble along, doing whatever it is that tortoises do. I suspect she is a guru or at least a philosopher...
Dang it- I can't get any photos of Elsa to upload..

BUT The Rock is quite a looker!!

Click to expand...

I also love just visiting my tortoises ( 4 total, separate enclosures), It is so relaxing. We have been building a "Tortoise Cabin" for my two largest ones (again separate) and my Sargent has to watch everything we do and inspect anything in his enclosure (ladder, measuring tape, lumber temporarily, etc.). when we tell him he's being nosey he goes inside his burrow like he knows what we're saying and is insulted. About 2-3 mins later he's out inspecting again. I have to be careful though because I get so involved watching him I forget to keep working. lol We'll finish it some day, I hope.

ayrgrn said:

Oh ok, that's a shame on my behalf but I understand.
Thanks for the info

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Why is this a shame? I'm just curious why that would be your reaction.

If you want another tortoise, you can always set up another enclosure.

Tom said:

Why is this a shame? I'm just curious why that would be your reaction.

If you want another tortoise, you can always set up another enclosure.

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I don't know really, I just pictured a cute couple of torts roaming around together but I completely understand

I, too, thought two tortoises would be cute paling around together. I also hate to admit that I scoffed at the advice her about not keeping them together because they would bully each other. Well, I found out that these people on here know what they are talking about. One of my pair got bigger and one lost weight. I started noticing the bullying that was going on. I now have them in separate enclosures and they are so much happier. Listen to their advice!

tortoisenana said:

I, too, thought two tortoises would be cute paling around together. I also hate to admit that I scoffed at the advice her about not keeping them together because they would bully each other. Well, I found out that these people on here know what they are talking about. One of my pair got bigger and one lost weight. I started noticing the bullying that was going on. I now have them in separate enclosures and they are so much happier. Listen to their advice!

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I'm sorry to hear you had to learn the hard way at your tortoises expense, but I'm glad you figured it out before too much damage was done. Thanks for sharing this info.

Members here are often receptive to advice about not keeping 2 tortoises together.
Try that on FACEBOOK......