Groups?

[Emily Contreras]

I have 2 baby sulcatas now. Both had VERY dry climates when they were born.
Since I have 2, and a VERY big enclosure, would it be better if I got a thrid one? Would that reduce the chance of them fighting? And possibly be able to keep them in one enclosure?
It would save me alot of time. But I will do what I need to, to keep them happy and healthy.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Males seem to be the troublemakers. They push the females around and "fight" other males for dominance. I think it is generally accepted that sullies should be kept apart. If you got a third, what assurance would you have that it wouldn't be a male? I've heard the theories that several kept together reduce territorialism. I am not of that mindset, and just assume play it safe.

 

[TechnoCheese]

A group would work better than pairs, but you will still have to quarantine all of them for a bit.

 

[Minority2]

I would say that it doesn't make that big of a difference if you have a female or male. Most tortoise species do not get along. Larger females can at times harass other tortoises just like males do. Groups are not a sure thing, especially not in small spaces.

Space, large amounts of it, may be one of the factors in how some groups remain relatively peaceful. Enough space to where it would take too much effort for a tortoise to travel just to harass someone. Your average tortoise owner is not going to be able to provide this.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Keep in mind these animals can get 150lbs. Also you said in your other post you have an Xmas tree tote and that is not a VERY big enclosure. No offense, but if you do not have have the means to get a $10-15 plastic tote from Walmart some substrate and another UVB, then what do you plan on doing with these animals when they become adults?

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Keep in mind these animals can get 150lbs. Also you said in your other post you have an Xmas tree tote and that is not a VERY big enclosure. No offense, but if you do not have have the means to get a $10-15 plastic tote from Walmart some substrate and another UVB, then what do you plan on doing with these animals when they become adults?

Perhaps you can bind several together and make one big one sorta like this guy did!

 

[Minority2]

Perhaps you can bind several together and make one big one sorta like this guy did!

I was very close to murdering my friend when we briefly lived inside a 20 foot shipping container. Would not recommend it.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

I was very close to murdering my friend when we briefly lived inside a 20 foot shipping container. Would not recommend it.

Really? Wow. There's gotta be one hell of a story behind that! Had to have been hotter than hades in there.

 

[Emily Contreras]

Keep in mind these animals can get 150lbs. Also you said in your other post you have an Xmas tree tote and that is not a VERY big enclosure. No offense, but if you do not have have the means to get a $10-15 plastic tote from Walmart some substrate and another UVB, then what do you plan on doing with these animals when they become adults?

I do have the means. And I do have the time and space. The walmart is atleast an hour away from where I live and I keep getting told about "clOSed chamber this, and that. And I have since moved saturn out of this enclosure. and into a larger one that I made myself. It IS very big.

And I have NO idea where you got me not being able to get substrate and a uvb. I can get that whenever. I have ALOT of land and whatnot that I can put them in when they are older. And that is what? 5-10 years from now? These animals don't always get 150 pounds. infact, that is a BIG tortoise.
Im just reluctant to do a whole other enclosure because I don't have so much space in my house. I am COMPLETELY fine with giving my tortoises different enclosures, but its not like I can pull 200 dollars from thin air to do so. I am positive these tortoises SHOULD be fine short term together. My neighbor that breeds these things dont have such big tortoises either, infact, they are on the small side for 10 years old. So I don't think mine are gonna get THAT big. And if they DO get that big, I have enough outside room to give them a happy life. And again, I will GLADLY give these tortoises seperate enclosures, but I wanted to see if there was a way to keep them together, for my sanity haha.

And "$10-15 plastic tote from Walmart some substrate and another UVB" is just half of it, I need hides, plants, waterbowls. food, ect.

 

[Minority2]

Really? Wow. There's gotta be one hell of a story behind that! Had to have been hotter than hades in there.

The air conditioning unit kept breaking. My roommate had a giant bag of protein powder and that stuff stank in the heat. Disgusting people with questionable hygiene practices. Your typical overseas assignment.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

The air conditioning unit kept breaking. My roommate had a giant bag of protein powder and that stuff stank in the heat. Disgusting people with questionable hygiene practices.

I can relate. My college roommate was the same way. Them dorms were hot, no ac, small, and.... you get the picture. I don't recall protein powder, but he kept a few boxes of protein bars on a shelf. lol

 

[Maro2Bear]

The air conditioning unit kept breaking. My roommate had a giant bag of protein powder and that stuff stank in the heat. Disgusting people with questionable hygiene practices. Your typical overseas assignment.

• Sounds like one of the high priced rentals the USG provides in Kabul and other forward deployed areas where we are quick to deploy to, high threat, maximum security, not much infrastructure.

 

[Minority2]

I do have the means. And I do have the time and space. The walmart is atleast an hour away from where I live and I keep getting told about "clOSed chamber this, and that. And I have since moved saturn out of this enclosure. and into a larger one that I made myself. It IS very big.

And I have NO idea where you got me not being able to get substrate and a uvb. I can get that whenever. I have ALOT of land and whatnot that I can put them in when they are older. And that is what? 5-10 years from now? These animals don't always get 150 pounds. infact, that is a BIG tortoise.
Im just reluctant to do a whole other enclosure because I don't have so much space in my house. I am COMPLETELY fine with giving my tortoises different enclosures, but its not like I can pull 200 dollars from thin air to do so. I am positive these tortoises SHOULD be fine short term together. My neighbor that breeds these things dont have such big tortoises either, infact, they are on the small side for 10 years old. So I don't think mine are gonna get THAT big. And if they DO get that big, I have enough outside room to give them a happy life. And again, I will GLADLY give these tortoises seperate enclosures, but I wanted to see if there was a way to keep them together, for my sanity haha.

And "$10-15 plastic tote from Walmart some substrate and another UVB" is just half of it, I need hides, plants, waterbowls. food, ect.

Are you referring to your breeder neighbor, the one that refuses to take back the tortoises he may have released or let escape? That person and law breaker is definitely not a good example or reference to be compared upon. If I remember correctly, the tortoises you found along with your friend were severely dehydrated no?

In my opinion @Toddrickfl1 was suggesting that if a person is willing to buy, find, or take a tortoise, they should be responsible in providing a level of care that these tortoises deserve. And if some people are unable to do so, they should get out of the situation (re-home) before it gets any worse.

Multiple adult Sulcatas can be quite time consuming to care for. I wouldn't recommend having too much unless that person is planning on breeding or opening up a rescue.

I can relate. My college roommate was the same way. Them dorms were hot, no ac, small, and.... you get the picture. I don't recall protein powder, but he kept a few boxes of protein bars on a shelf. lol

You should've murder him too. No one would have blamed you.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

• Sounds like one of the high priced rentals the USG provides in Kabul and other forward deployed areas where we are quick to deploy to, high threat, maximum security, not much infrastructure.

Yeah... my dad was telling me similar horror stories about when he served in Dessert Storm.

 

[Emily Contreras]

Are you referring to your breeder neighbor, the one that refuses to take back the tortoises he may have released or let escape? That person and law breaker is definitely not a good example or reference to be compared upon. If I remember correctly, the tortoises you found along with your friend were severely dehydrated no?

In my opinion @Toddrickfl1 was suggesting that if a person is willing to buy, find, or take a tortoise, they should be responsible in providing a level of care that these tortoises deserve. And if some people are unable to do so, they should get out of the situation (re-home) before it gets any worse.

Multiple adult Sulcatas can be quite time consuming to care for. I wouldn't recommend having too much unless that person is planning on breeding or opening up a rescue.



You should've murder him too. No one would have blamed you.

hah I wish.

Yes they were very VERY dehydrated. It is questionable as of why he wont take the babies back.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Keep in mind these animals can get 150lbs.

 

[spoilers]

I don't know a whole lot about sullys but generally you want to keep tortoises apart not only for their safety, but for their mental health. Males fight for dominance, males try to mate with females nonstop. And females also fight each other for dominance. All situations usually lead to unneeded stress. I have heard stories of putting one male with 2 or more females but it doesn't always work out, and even if you go that route you have to be prepared to care for 3 or more very large tortoises and possibly make 3 or more separate enclosures if it doesn't work out. If you're trying to save money in the long run, I'd build the second enclosure and just keep them separate. It's better to keep them safe than risk their health and wellbeing in my opinion.

 

[Tom]

I think Spoilers spelled it out most excellently here.

Emily,
I would never house them as a pair. Its a recipe for disaster. Groups do better than pairs, so a trio is no a bad idea, but as was mentioned, any new one will need a quarantine and some fecal quacks before being able to share an enclosure. And sometimes they just don't get along, regardless of age.

The big problem comes when they begin reaching maturity:

1. No males = They might be okay. Females typically get along in groups.
2. One male = A baby making factory. 100 babies per year per female is not unheard of. If you are finding it daunting to house 2 or 3, what will happen when you have 200? Incubating, starting, raising and selling tortoise babies will be your new full time job. You'll need a whole lotta enclosures. Might be best to separate the male if this were to happen, and that means each female would need its own enclosure too, since they can't live as a pair.
3. Two or more males = A separate enclosure for each individual tortoise.

Males also reach maturity much sooner than females, so if there is one or more males in the group, you'll be needed to separate them within a year or two, while the females are still young and immature anyway.

 

[Emily Contreras]

View attachment 252168

Ive seen that. Ive seen the full size of these tortoises. I am saying the breeder who sells them has VERY small tortoises. But.. Still he might get big too.

 

[Emily Contreras]

I think Spoilers spelled it out most excellently here.

Emily,
I would never house them as a pair. Its a recipe for disaster. Groups do better than pairs, so a trio is no a bad idea, but as was mentioned, any new one will need a quarantine and some fecal quacks before being able to share an enclosure. And sometimes they just don't get along, regardless of age.

The big problem comes when they begin reaching maturity:

1. No males = They might be okay. Females typically get along in groups.
2. One male = A baby making factory. 100 babies per year per female is not unheard of. If you are finding it daunting to house 2 or 3, what will happen when you have 200? Incubating, starting, raising and selling tortoise babies will be your new full time job. You'll need a whole lotta enclosures. Might be best to separate the male if this were to happen, and that means each female would need its own enclosure too, since they can't live as a pair.
3. Two or more males = A separate enclosure for each individual tortoise.

Males also reach maturity much sooner than females, so if there is one or more males in the group, you'll be needed to separate them within a year or two, while the females are still young and immature anyway.

Thanks. I think I'll have to rehome my other tortoise because I really dont have the patience for 100 babies lol. its hard to keep a watch on two. They always want to go the seperate direction of eachother.

And the new baby isn't doing too good. I seperated them. But she is very tired. I have a feeling she was raised very dry. She stopped eating too. I guess I will just hold on. She might pull through.