Head Bobbing (between different breeds?)

[BellaMa]

This year and last year I've noticed my gopher tortoise (Shelly) keeps bobbing their head at my desert tortoise (Squirtle). The desert tortoise for the most part seems to be ignoring it, and will never bob back.

My research led me to two things,
- aggression/territorialism
- mating

Could it be anything else?

I've let Shelly bob their at Squirt for extended periods of time, but they never tried to mount the desert tortoise. Additionally, in research I've done, aggression seems to usually entail the other tortoise bobbing back. I've never seen them fight before. They'll eat out of the same pile of food without issue and during this past hibernation season, they burrowed together.

I have no idea what to do now. Should I be keeping a closer eye on them? Are they dangerous to each other; would I have to try to find one of them another home?

Additional information:
Desert tortoise has been a pet their whole life, they're about six or seven.
The gopher tortoise is a rescue, so we don't know how old they are. Shelly is full grown, though.
I have a video of it, but when I attach it to this post, it won't stay. if seeing it would help, I can show it.

 

[Yvonne G]

They should not be together. Each needs its own yard. Eventually there's going to be a fight, and if you're not there one may end up dead.

 

[TammyJ]

That's the long and short of it.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I see male Redfoot in my care do this if they happen to ever see one another.
I've also seen lizards do this as well.

 

[Tom]

This year and last year I've noticed my gopher tortoise (Shelly) keeps bobbing their head at my desert tortoise (Squirtle). The desert tortoise for the most part seems to be ignoring it, and will never bob back.

My research led me to two things,
- aggression/territorialism
- mating

Could it be anything else?

I've let Shelly bob their at Squirt for extended periods of time, but they never tried to mount the desert tortoise. Additionally, in research I've done, aggression seems to usually entail the other tortoise bobbing back. I've never seen them fight before. They'll eat out of the same pile of food without issue and during this past hibernation season, they burrowed together.

I have no idea what to do now. Should I be keeping a closer eye on them? Are they dangerous to each other; would I have to try to find one of them another home?

Additional information:
Desert tortoise has been a pet their whole life, they're about six or seven.
The gopher tortoise is a rescue, so we don't know how old they are. Shelly is full grown, though.
I have a video of it, but when I attach it to this post, it won't stay. if seeing it would help, I can show it.

Species should never be mixed, tortoises should never be kept in pairs, and its not legal to have a gopher tortoise in NV.

They need to be separated immediately.

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[Ray--Opo]

I have video that shows a gopher tortoise chasing and bobbing its head at another gopher tortoise. It was definitely a territory situation.
I don't know about Nevada, but here in Florida. If Florida Wild and Game catches someone keeping a gopher tortoise. The fines can be hefty. If a gopher tortoise moves onto your property. You can let it stay but need to have a way that it can leave your property whenever it wants to. If you don't want the gopher tortoise. You need to call FWG to come and remove. Your not supposed to relocate the tortoise yourself.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I agree with all the comments you are getting. Even with quick research you can find out:
1) Keeping gopher tortoise as pets is illegal unless you have a permit.
2) The tortoise is legally held in captivity if: the tortoise was acquired before August 4, 1989. Their progeny are also held legally. OR The tortoise was adopted officially through the Tortoise Group Adoption Program approved by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
If your not keeping it legally and you only have the facilities to keep one tortoise, I would look into options to re-homing him legally to some else who can take good care of him.

And mixing species and keeping tortoises in pairs are both never a good idea. Considering the head bobbing, a disaster is about to happen. There is bound to be more aggressive behavior if you don't separate them.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I agree with all the comments you are getting. Even with quick research you can find out:
1) Keeping gopher tortoise as pets is illegal unless you have a permit.
2) The tortoise is legally held in captivity if: the tortoise was acquired before August 4, 1989. Their progeny are also held legally. OR The tortoise was adopted officially through the Tortoise Group Adoption Program approved by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
If your not keeping it legally and you only have the facilities to keep one tortoise, I would look into options to re-homing him legally to some else who can take good care of him.

And mixing species and keeping tortoises in pairs are both never a good idea. Considering the head bobbing, a disaster is about to happen. There is bound to be more aggressive behavior if you don't separate them.

Here is a good thread about why you should NOT keep tortoises in pairs, aggression can develop overtime even though it might seem like a good idea at first. Groups or solitary tortoises are just safer and more natural: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/w...together-a-lesson-learned-the-hard-way.94114/