Baby Tortoise Head Bobbing, FIGHTS! (pics)

[Skyler Nell]

Hello Everyone
So I recently adopted another Desert Tortoise (Ca/Texas mix?)

anyways, She/He(if anyone can tell???) is doing very well and becoming very well acclimated to its new settings.
In case you guys forgot, I have 2 other Ca desert tortoises. 1 is 4 years old and the other is 2.

My original 2 have an indoor tortoise table, and the new one came with a 2ftx2ft glass aquarium. Well I didn't really like the aquarium so I asked my dad to help me build an outdoor area

So after I quarantined the new tortoise, I began putting both her/him and my larger Desert tortoise outside in that ^ enclosure all day.
That worked out very well, hadn't seen any fighting or problems.
Then today I started to feel bad because my little Desert tortoise is stuck inside all day, while the others roam outside. So I decided to bring him out and introduce him. (I was planning on sitting outside and studying so I could keep an eye out, since their isn't any protection from birds and what not) Well this was when all hell broke loose! It was actually sort of funny. I sat my little guy, now lets remember he's only a baby vvv

a few feet away from the largest and newest desert tortoise(I was worried he'd get trampled...HA) Well Frankie(the baby) started bobbing his head like crazy! I've never seen any of my tortoises do this before, it was the typical mating bob! Then Frankie charges and begins circling the big guy/girl, I'm surprised but decide to let it play out, Frankie rounds back towards the big one's head and gives it a couple head buts. The big one looks at Frankie like "Oh please? what are you doing?" Then shoots it's head out and gives Frankie a quick bite to the head (no damage, thankfully) this is when I interveined and moved Frankie. So I'm wondering...what does this mean? Can head bobbing be an assertation of dominance? I thought it was just a mating thing... That's my story! Thanks for reading

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And a couple questions if anyone could answer, I'd be so appreciative

Do you think the newest tortoise is CA desert tortoise or Texas tort or a mix?
Can you tell male or female?
And any thoughts why the little guy threw such a fit?

Thank you!!!

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If anyone could help me out with a couple questions, I'd really appreciate it!

Do you think its a Ca desert or Texas or mix?
Do you think male or female?
And what may have caused my baby to act so strangely??

Thanks!!!

 

[Skyler Nell]

no one??

 

[Kristina]

Head bobbing is absolutely a dominant behavior. As to whether it is a mix, I have no idea, and I don't believe that would have any bearing on how it acted. The behavior wasn't "strange," some are just more aggressive than others.

 

[Skyler Nell]

Head bobbing is absolutely a dominant behavior. As to whether it is a mix, I have no idea, and I don't believe that would have any bearing on how it acted. The behavior wasn't "strange," some are just more aggressive than others.

Thanks kristina
uh oh, i guess I'll have to watch out when he grows up lol
any idea on sex for the biggest guy? top pics

 

[Kristina]

Looks female to me.

 

[ascott]

Skyler, please please please...do not house these three guys together....

CDTs (males) are very aggressive towards one another, I have only met one male that does not have the aggressive behavior...the head bobbing is not a mating thing, it is absolutely a sign of a challenge...and the little one will be mangled with very little effort from the others....not only is this in my opinion....but truly the way they are....they are absolutely and completely happy in their own enclosures....

I have 4 males and each of them have their own yards, two of my males use to be hosted by one of my prior bosses and they use to be in the same enclosure----my old man and my other male Herman...Herman has flipped the old man for no apparent reason a couple times (one time the old man had no idea it had even happened until I flipped him back over) and the only thing that prevented an all out gladiator match was the the old man has such a docile personality that even after being flipped he just went back to sleep....

Skyler, it is one of the things that has to be contended with when you obtain more than one male CDT, individual enclosures and I am not in any way---really---trying to tell you what to do....I just know how these guys operate in regards to their machismo ......

Your guys are all beautiful by the way oh yeah, I believe you have a male there in the pics with your hand.....

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Head bobbing is absolutely a dominant behavior. As to whether it is a mix, I have no idea, and I don't believe that would have any bearing on how it acted. The behavior wasn't "strange," some are just more aggressive than others.

Thanks kristina
uh oh, i guess I'll have to watch out when he grows up lol
any idea on sex for the biggest guy? top pics

Guessing female

Wonder if your tortoise is a Tex/CA mix, how the law views it...would it still a legal "no-no" to cross state lines w/ it?