Housing male Russians together ?

[acrowe]

Can anyone help me with a question? I have a 6 year old male russian tortoise that I have had for two years. He is very happy and lives most of the time inside in his 4'x4' table.. I recently just pick up another male russian that someone found on the road.. My question is after his Quarantine will they ever be able to be houses together ?? Or should I just make a separate table for the new russian.. Thanks

 

[hunterk997]

After quarintine, you can attempt to allow them live together. But they need a very large enclosure with many sight barriers. But you should have a seperate enclosure ready for the second tortoise in case it doesn't work out (which it probably won't.)
Also, 4x4 is kind of small for two russians.

Sent from my Ipod using the tortoiseforum app

 

[Tom]

I wouldn't even try putting two male russians together in an indoor enclosure. It is very unlikely to end without blood shed.

I am considering trying to keep a "bachelor" herd with several males in a very large, well planted outdoor enclosure with lots of obstacles. Don't know if it will work or not, but I'm going to give it a go at some point.

 

[GBtortoises]

Very rarely ever does it work out for two sexually mature male Russian tortoises (or other male Testudo species) to be able to peacefully live together within the same enclosure. Barriers, hide areas and so on are going to be of little help. The more dominant male is going to very likely seek out and pursue the submissive male relentlessly to the point of injury and exhaustion. Testudo species males are usually extremely territorial and this is especially true of Russian tortoise males.

 

[MikeCow1]

I'm with Tom and wouldn't even try it except, possibly, in a huge outdoor enclosure. Males are very territorial and don't do well in one on one situations. 4X4 is too small for even one Russian,IMO, they are movers and walk around almost all the time.

 

[pam]

just make a separate table for the new russian

 

[Laura]

He is very happy and lives most of the time inside in his 4'x4' table

don't disturb his life... two separate enclosure is you cant find the owner for the found one...

 

[acrowe]

Thanks everyone for the help! I am in the process of building Turvy ( my fist male) a bigger home anyway.. So I will just build another one for my new guy