My tortoises are sleeping together

I was seeing posts that Sulcata tortoises like to be alone so why are my tortoises sleeping together?

I'm curious too. I have 2 red foots that were together & they seemed to like each other except when food was involved. Then the larger one started trying to flip the other one so she gave up. Feeding separately worked until I separated them.

123Sulcata_ said:

I was seeing posts that Sulcata tortoises like to be alone so why are my tortoises sleeping together?

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Sleeping together can be a form of dominance/bullying.

Toddrickfl1 said:

Sleeping together can be a form of dominance/bullying.

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Should I give them separate enclosures?

123Sulcata_ said:

Should I give them separate enclosures?

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Absolutely...sooner rather than later.

123Sulcata_ said:

Should I give them separate enclosures?

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Keeping them in pairs is generally not recommended.

Sleeping together is one tortoise crowding the other.

Yeah separate, what we interpret as cuddling and closeness is bullying. It is often very subtle until its too late.

123Sulcata_ said:

I was seeing posts that Sulcata tortoises like to be alone so why are my tortoises sleeping together?

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Tortoises should never be housed in pairs. The dominant one is telling the submissive one to get out of its territory, and the submissive one wants to leave, but it can't. Its a bad deal and very stressful for both.

Once you can dismiss your cuddly mammal mentality and think like a reptile. It all makes sense.
Seriously, though. You are so NOT alone in thinking that things like sleeping together or following each other around are signs of affection.
They are for us humans. Or dogs, etc.
But tortoises are solitary and any other tortoises is seen as a competitor for the food and must be driven away.
It's something that is instinctively hardwired into their brains.
Some aggression is mild. Other times, they seem to tolerate each other and one morning one of the tortoises has a leg bitten off. But all aggression makes tortoises ill.
One will stay smaller. One will become dominant. Keeping two together is a recipe for a horrible life for them.
Groups of multiple tortoises can work. But doing this requires a very large area of outdoors space.
Most times we hear about a pair being kept together, they are in an enclosure that is not large enough for even one.
This will greatly increase the stress and high likelihood of serious injury because they simply can not get away from each other.
Unrealistic expectations and improper understanding of these animals is very widespread. What they need now and what to expect as they reach maturity and maximum size..

Please take these suggestions from members who have "Been there. Done that" and avoid learning like we have. The hard way.

Yeah I went with the train of thought, I have a big area & I can expand it as much as they need. Lots of tropical plants. Mine slept in their own areas but I supervise a lot & with webcams. They had their own areas staked out & came to eat in order of dominance. I was watching & 1 saw the other peeking out of a plant. She went straight over & flipped her over. She righted herself but I don't think this was the 1st time. So yeah divide & conquer just to be on the safe side. Poor flippy I put for temporary in with the box turtle 16x20 area & she got bit on the leg by our box turtle. Thank goodness she didnt get hurt, but I told her she is really having a hard day & my husband & I worked in 1000% humidity & feel like temp of 110 to fix this situation at least til it gets cooler. Not fun. Lesson learned no tort gets along with each other. My husband is happy, less mowing, me more gardening. But I like it most days.