Amron
Well-Known Member
Hi everyone, just joined and can honestly say the information and advice on here is great. I have 2 herms and 1 horsefield. They get on great together but I'm unsure whether they should be together
Keeping my three together
- Thread starter Amron
- Start date
With torts, we don't recommend mixing species as a 'germ' that one species can tolerate and carries may kill a different one.
Russians are active torts and can be pretty territorially aggressive with any sharers. They're also pretty good at the silent bullying treatment too. Groups of 3 or more Russians MAY work in a large outdoor enclosure with plenty of sight barriers, but there are no guarantees.
Pairs are never recommended in any species. There is a dominant animal and a subordinate one and the subordinate animal has no way of escaping. Again groups of 3 or more of the same species may work, but...
You should assume that at some stage you will have to split these 3 , probably permanently.
Russians are active torts and can be pretty territorially aggressive with any sharers. They're also pretty good at the silent bullying treatment too. Groups of 3 or more Russians MAY work in a large outdoor enclosure with plenty of sight barriers, but there are no guarantees.
Pairs are never recommended in any species. There is a dominant animal and a subordinate one and the subordinate animal has no way of escaping. Again groups of 3 or more of the same species may work, but...
You should assume that at some stage you will have to split these 3 , probably permanently.
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- Apr 3, 2013
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Hello Amron
We don't mix different types of torts . And dogs and cats are great in pairs but torts do better in trio's .
We don't mix different types of torts . And dogs and cats are great in pairs but torts do better in trio's .
Linhdan Nguyen
Well-Known Member
Hi ! Welcome to the forum!Hi everyone, just joined and can honestly say the information and advice on here is great. I have 2 herms and 1 horsefield. They get on great together but I'm unsure whether they should be together
Tortoises of different species should not be kept together. Each species have different care requirements. I know you have 2 hermanns but pairs do not work well together. There will/can be bullying from the more dominant tortoise, which can cause stress to the other tortoise. Or if they are at a mature sexual age, the male can constantly mount the female, causing her to be very stressed to where she does not eat and becomes lethargic, constantly hiding.
There are always exceptions, just not many, and some tortoises seem to get along at first, but sooner or later there will be dominance and bullying.
My Russians were kept together for a little, they got along great, took naps together, but 2 weeks later, my female has been sitting in the food dish, trying to prevent the male from eating, and she has pushed him out the way or rubbed up against him when she is walking, etc. im currently working on building them separate enclosures. Theres no biting (yet) and the male isnt mature enough to start mounting the female so they are still kept together until I can finish the enclosure. They've been playing "nice" lately but i still prefer to keep them separate after ive seen the dominance.
Amron
Well-Known Member
Thank you for your advice xx
Amron
Well-Known Member
Thank you, from all the advice, looks like I'm getting another herms and two horsefield and more space x
Amron
Well-Known Member
Yes looks like I'm expanding, thanks for the advice x
Hi and welcome - you'll need a lot more space!!!
The more torts the bigger the floor space they need, 8'x4 is often recommended as the minimum for just one of the adult smaller tort species. Do you have room for outdoor enclosures too? (Just in case we get better weather this summer than last year) How old/big are your torts?
There are great caresheets for Russians and Hermanns too which will tell you all about diet temps humidity and substrate etc for both species.
The Beginners Mstakes thread (link below name) will help you avoid problems experienced by others and the Enclosures thread has great ideas.
www.thetortoisetable.org.uk will help you ID tort safe plants for food and enclosures.
Amron
Well-Known Member
Fred (herms) is 10, Shelby (horsefield) is 2 and Mars is 3 months. Yes they will go outdoors in the sun, at the moment they are all in together, they each have their own plantpot Mars goes in here and the other don't fit so she has peace, but more often or not she is climbing over them generally making sure they haven't forgotten her. I have seen Fred tear pieces of food into smaller bite size much nks for her so I'm sure he doesn't mind her (yet) thanks for the advice x
Any new torts you get MUST be kept completely separately in quarantine for a good 6 months to make sure that nobody makes anyone else ill.
Changing things round means the torts will establish new territories and you could easily end up with 6 that need housing separately rather than 3.
As Lyn said, 4'x8' is considered the minimum for a single Russian. You need something at least 3 times the size for 3, preferably bigger.
Tortoises are loners. In the wild they roam huge distances, meet up to mate and move on. They don't get lonely and don't want, need or particularly like company.
If you have acres of space, good luck and enjoy. Otherwise think carefully
Changing things round means the torts will establish new territories and you could easily end up with 6 that need housing separately rather than 3.
As Lyn said, 4'x8' is considered the minimum for a single Russian. You need something at least 3 times the size for 3, preferably bigger.
Tortoises are loners. In the wild they roam huge distances, meet up to mate and move on. They don't get lonely and don't want, need or particularly like company.
If you have acres of space, good luck and enjoy. Otherwise think carefully
Linhdan Nguyen
Well-Known Member
How cute !
But yes, ask questions, were all here to help. And upload pictures of your tortoises ! We LOVE pictures
Welcome to the Forum!
Speedy-1
Well-Known Member
Hi and welcome !
Warm welcome from Texas
Hello and welcome.
Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
Amron
Well-Known Member
Thank you, they make interesting reading
Amron
Well-Known Member
Thank you, they certainly are worth reading.
Amron
Well-Known Member
Can anyone tell me what the eye symbol is?
Eye symbol? Where do you see that?
Amron
Well-Known Member
On the introductions page next to my post
