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I have Wilson, a 10 month old sulcata, and I was wondering what would be a good match for him for a buddy, or if a buddy would be ago of idea.
A buddy?
- Thread starter Alsty
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You should read the posts on putting two sulcata's together, it's a debatable topic but a lot of members disagree with putting more than one sulcata in an enclosure together, due to the agressive behavior that they MIGHT have. Plus there is the issue on bullying if one get bigger than the other.
One thing to consider...if you want another tortoise for YOU, that's one thing, but if you want another tortoise for your tortoise, he doesn't want or need company. Tortoises are solitary animals and do very well all alone. That way they don't have to compete for the best hiding place or for the food. One exception to this rule is the redfooted tortoise. They seem to do very well in groups.
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- Aug 31, 2012
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Thank you! Seems like it probably won't be a good idea. Better to give Wilson all the attention and not turn him in to bully ha
Torts don't need nor want a buddy.
Ah, the great pairing question....
With sulcatas, its even more of a question. It all depends on sex, though. 1 female to 1 male? The male will likely breed her til she stresses to death....1 male to 1 male? Large possibility of bullying. 1 female to 1 female is pretty safe, however. But, at the age of your tortoise, you don't know its sex, nor the sex of any tortoise that will be the same size.
I disagree with anyone who says tortoises are not social animals....In the wild? Who really knows. I heard something about a study of the social patterns on aldabras in the Seychelles (their native habitat), but thats the only one I know of. We'll see what happens. For now, we mostly only know of captivity. It species specific, mainly. Some are social, some are not....
Just like anything, there is a risk you take.
The point is, in several years when you know for sure what sex it is, if it is a female, it my appreciate having a female buddy, but for now it is probably best to keep it alone. You could buy another the same age, as there will not be aggression at a young age, but you will have to be prepared to separate in the future, if problems arise. That means two enclosures, yada yada...
With sulcatas, its even more of a question. It all depends on sex, though. 1 female to 1 male? The male will likely breed her til she stresses to death....1 male to 1 male? Large possibility of bullying. 1 female to 1 female is pretty safe, however. But, at the age of your tortoise, you don't know its sex, nor the sex of any tortoise that will be the same size.
I disagree with anyone who says tortoises are not social animals....In the wild? Who really knows. I heard something about a study of the social patterns on aldabras in the Seychelles (their native habitat), but thats the only one I know of. We'll see what happens. For now, we mostly only know of captivity. It species specific, mainly. Some are social, some are not....
Just like anything, there is a risk you take.
The point is, in several years when you know for sure what sex it is, if it is a female, it my appreciate having a female buddy, but for now it is probably best to keep it alone. You could buy another the same age, as there will not be aggression at a young age, but you will have to be prepared to separate in the future, if problems arise. That means two enclosures, yada yada...
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