designing for two russians(moved)

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mira_kaylee

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designing for two russians

despite wise counsel, i've decided to try putting two russians together in one pen. as such i've begun to add in a few items that should ease stress in the environment, such as another hide and such. i also plan on adding in some visual barriers.
 

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lynnedit

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RE: designing for two russians

Good start,but I think you need a much larger enclosure for 2 adult Russians.
You may get lucky and they will get along well, but be fully prepared to separate them, as Russians can do significant harm to each other, or one will go into hiding and stop eating if being intimidated.
Any new tortoise should also be quarantined for at least 6 months anyway, as you want to keep Ayden healthy.
 

dmarcus

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RE: designing for two russians

I also think you will need a bigger enclosure for two adults and a few hides so they have there own space. Hoepfully it will work out and all will be good...
 

mira_kaylee

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i bought a planter (rectangular) and sawed it in half and they are on the far right end of the pen. they take up about 10inches of space at the back so they have decent hides :)
 

slowpoke

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Yea i would go bigger , even with my habitat being a L shape 5 foot by 2 foot on both ends slowpoke and sassy didnt get along at first but i found if i feed on two seperate dishes they stoped fighting , even though if she wants to lay where he is she will bug him and make him move but then he will do the same thing to her ...
 

lynnedit

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Yeah, you can clamp two plastic bins together side by side or in an 'L' shape and cut a doorway, or use a big piece of PVC pipe (8", for example) as a pass through doorway.
Or, you can get a bookcase (sides need to be at least 12") at a used store or on Craigslist and turn it on its side, remove shelving, and line with vinyl or plastic tarp.
Or there are some nice two story enclosure on here, with a ramp from the lower to upper levels.
 

GeoTerraTestudo

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Nice setup, but you may find that you have to separate them eventually. For one thing, a 55-gallon tub is the minimum size enclosure for a single Testudo, not two. Also, what sex are your Russian tortoises? Two females may get along fine, but two males would probably fight, and a male housed with a female will likely harass her to the point of stress or injury. Two tortoises may fight at feeding time as well. With the exception of Manouria, redfoots, and pond turtles, turtles are basically solitary animals that prefer to spend most of their time alone.

I initially housed our two young Russians (a male and a female) in a setup almost the same as yours. After a couple weeks, though, the male bit the female on the arm during feeding time. That's when I split them up, and now each one has its own 55-gallon tub for a home. Even when they're outside on the porch, the male may harass the female ... and they're not even old enough to mate yet! Basically, unless they are out front foraging in a wide open space, the male usually gives the female a hard time. That's why I either keep them separate, or else watch over them when they're together. If they haven't seen each other in a while, sometimes they sniff noses, and it's very cute. But I still have to supervise them, to separate them if the male becomes aggressive.

Someday when they're older, I'll let them go through courtship and mating. But until then, it's pointless to let the female get bitten for no reason. Depending on the sex of your tortoises, you might need to do the same.
 

Laura

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my one male is in a 4x8 area, outside 24/7.


you currently have the one? where and when are you getting the 2nd? ideally,,, you should quarantine any new tortoise and not house with your current..
What is the regular diet? Dark leafy greens and weeds is great..
 

mira_kaylee

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i currently have one tortoise, ayden, male. i plan on looking in the bigger town that is next to where i live to see if i find a female tortoise that i would like to get at the various petstores that are there as there are no breeders near me and i like to look at the tort that i get before i buy it. the regular diet is fresh green leaf lettuce that i buy, mixed with dehydrated tortoise vegetable mix and whatever greens that are ready to be picked from my garden (including kale, radishes, romaine lettuce, black seeded simpson lettuce, thyme, ect.)

my plan is to get another 50gallon tub and cut an opening to place some 8"inch pvc pipe through it to make a door way between the two. this will allow me to let the torts see each other and if they don't get along then i can take the pvc pipe out and cover the hole, making two separate pens. i will also get another food and water bowl that way i can separate them while they eat to cut down on fighting over food (i also hand feed my torts at least some of their food...)
 

Akronic

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one idea you could do if your gonna use the 8"(and it's black ABS) is get a cap to put on on end, they make rubber ones that slip over w/ a metal hose clamp or they make them to be threaded on wich will lessen the diameter of the pipe. unless you go w/ 10" ABS wich even like a 12" piece is gonna be spendy unless you know plumber who's got some laying around
 
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