Female Redfoot?

[johndev]

Hi I have a female redfoot tortoise 6 inches or less long. I want to buy a new redfoot tortoise that I already saw at the store. Its a female and its a 4 to 5 inches baby redfoot tortoise. Ive had my redfoot for 2 years and I am buying a new crate (cage etc.) I want to know if they will fight or the old one will kill the new one. Remember both are females. Please help and thank you.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forum! pairs do not work well so do not keep them together. the bigger one will become dominant. also if you do get the new tort you have to quarantine her for 6 months to 1 year, so no contact from the other tortoise.

 

[Jacqui]

Normally and remember that's normally, not a hard and fast always rule, two redfoots will get along. A good rule to follow is: any time with any species, if your planning to add another animal to the mix or if your getting a group, be ready at a moments notice to be able to isolate one. The reasons may be suddenly they stop getting along, one who is struggling to keep up growth wise, one gets sick, one changes genders, ect. Just so many possible reasons you may need to separate them. So always make sure you have adequate room for another separate enclosure and that your not going to crowd them into one enclosure, that instead you do have plenty of room for them together in one enclosure if they do get along.

Also remember you will need to keep them separated for quarantine.

 

[johndev]

Do they change gender? My redfoot is a female and always and usually is hiding when I put her out side she is active. She is a bit nervous and i dont know but once my dog attacked her and tried to chew her shell. She did survive and has some scrafs. But if she was once attacked by my dog when I recently got my tortoise. Will she be shy to meet a smaller female tortoise?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Do they change gender?

no, but when they are small they all appear female.

 

[Jacqui]

They don't actually change genders , but we humans often think they are one sex and then when they are fully grown, we realize we were mistaken in our guess and they are actually the other sex. They don't all LOOK like the sex they are, when they are young.

 

[johndev]

How can you tell? Tail?

 

[johndev]

If both are female (if) would in my case they get along?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

How can you tell? Tail?

the size of the tail small and if the plastron is smooth are female characteristics. if you post some pics we might be able to say what gender.

 

[johndev]

Size in one minute I will send you the tail picture i have to look in my gallery

 

[johndev]

She or he was hiding it

 

[johndev]

Ive seen her stick out the tail and its really small

 

[johndev]

Hmm

 

[johndev]

Boy or girl?

 

[johndev]

I do not know its gender it has a small tail for me. And will 2 females will get along?

 

[tortdad]

We need some better shots of the tail

Females typically do well together but I'm small groups of 3 or more.


Most species of torts don't do well in pairs but Redfoots do okay. You just have to watch them very closely and learn the signs of bullying so you can separate and the beginning signs.

 

[stojanovski92113]

Hello I'm not one to help with identifying sex, I just wanted to offer a suggestion about your tortoises beak...maybe put foot on a slate or rock which will help naturally file your tortoises beak. It's pretty long. Do you have a cuttlebone in your tortoises home?

 

[johndev]

Well he does not have cuttlebone yet I am getting one. When I got the tortoise, the first owner didnt pay much attention to him, he even had symptoms of respiratory infection. He is now healthier than before but its my first tortoise and I am trying my best.