is she bullying

[jjsull33]

My smallest redfoot May be bullying a little, she's like 4 inches smaller than the biggest but she's always right next to her. I've never seen ramming or biting but she seems to always want to eat what the big one is eating, is this just her being friendly/herd tendencies? Or is she being territorial and bullying?

 

[ascott]

Or is she being territorial and bullying?

Likely yes, pairs are a hard thing to promote a harmonious environment...just not usually in their nature.

 

[jjsull33]

There are 3 of them total and she only does this to the one.

 

[ascott]

I would still suggest that you keep an eye on that one....what size of enclosure to they occupy?

 

[jjsull33]

Too small right now... it's 3 50 gallon totes connected, I'm in the process of building real enclosures but they aren't ready yet. I'm going to add a 4th tote once I figure out how to position it and have the 20 bucks to get it.

 

[JoesMum]

I have just read another thread of yours where you appear to be saying that the smallest tortoise is the original resident and that the other two are relatively new.

If this is the case, your little tort is objecting to the invaders to his territory and is trying to get rid of both of them... like most bullies, he is picking the easiest target first... defending HIS home against all comers, but picking his battles.

I am afraid that he is going to need a separate home long term to be happy... If you can provide a very large enclosure with lots of sight barriers that is new to all of them then things might settle down... or they might not.

 

[jjsull33]

Yea, I posted this first and then watched them eat and she was doing it again so I put that in the other post, luckily no one is getting hurt but I'm going to give her her own place. I only had her about 2 weeks before the other two, and she had lived with them previous to that so I figured it would be fine but she seems to be telling me otherwise.

 

[redfoot7]

I was in a similar situation. I had one cherry head that grew faster than the other two and was behaving similar to yours. One day I saw it biting the shell of one of the other ones when it was trying to eat. The other two were not growing nearly as fast. Long story short, I had to give up on the group idea and found new homes for the smaller two, so now I just have one grouchy cherry head. If I had room for another enclosure I would of kept them, but I didn't so it is what it is.

 

[jjsull33]

Luckily I have the room, so I am actually starting to build 2 new enclosures so all 3 can live alone. I am going to save up for next year and try to build a big greenhouse in my backyard for them, we will try living together again then but when inside it will be best for them if they live alone. They have to deal with each other for a few more weeks but will be moving asap.

 

[JoesMum]

Re: RE: is she bullying

Luckily I have the room, so I am actually starting to build 2 new enclosures so all 3 can live alone. I am going to save up for next year and try to build a big greenhouse in my backyard for them, we will try living together again then but when inside it will be best for them if they live alone. They have to deal with each other for a few more weeks but will be moving asap.

Well done