Housing Two Torts Together

[caymaria]

I purchased my ibera greek about a month ago from a supplier. My current tort is healthy and active and almost 1 year old. The supplier has some tortoises from the same batch as mine (same size) as well and I am considering purchasing another one while they are still both small (about 2.25 inches).

Right now they would be in a lg. rubbermaid together, but I do plan to expand as they grow.

I am reading different opinions on the matter...would it be an issue to house them together now or present problems in the future? Right now, I am unable to determine the gender so I do not know if they would both be male or female or one of each.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Tom]

Sometimes they get along and sometimes they don't. The safest way would be to set up another enclosure and just keep them separate. Since you have to have another enclosure ready to go anyway, in case they don't get along, you might as well just keep them that way.

Also, just to be safe, you might want to quarantine the new one in his/her own enclosure for a few weeks.

If you do decide to introduce them, it would be best to do this in a neutral area, where neither of them have been before.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Main things to consider are:

(1) Two males will eventually fight 'til one is hurt or dead.

(2) Two females will probably get along fine...the key word is "probably".

(3) A mixed couple will be problematic as the male will periodically "put the moves" on the female MUCH. MUCH more ofrten than she'll appreciate, which is why breeders keep them in groups of 1 M/2 (or more) F...I'm thinking a 1 M/3 F ratio is the least amount, to keep the females stressed less...1 M/10 F ratio would probably be your typical male tort's idea of "win", though.