keeping other animals above tortoises?

[tinkthetortoise]

hi everyone, i'm looking into getting a gecko or chameleon etc and the only place best to keep it would be above my tortoises enclosure - it's a wooden tank and the two animals would never come into contact. would this be okay? they'd never see each other either i just wanted to make sure this is alright and won't stress either of them out.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

I am not able to tell, is this one large enclosure, or one enclosure stacked above the other?

Common wisdom is to not mix species, in captivity many 'natural services'* are not present so the potential for overload of problems is much higher.

*natural services are sun to sanitize, other animals (not the intended enclosure animals) that consume/eat feces or shed bits of skin, rain to wash contaminates away, etc.

I worked at a zoo, and mixed species exhibits are more than twice the work to keep everything clean. It would also seem that even tortoises and geckos can become bored and start fussing with enclosure mates.

So, it can work, but it's more work, and you ought to have an enclosure in standby in the event some problem comes up you did not anticipate. I'm thinking this would be the quarantine cage you used before just putting the gecko directly in with the tortoise.

I don't know what kind of tortoise Tink is, but you might consider a gecko that will match the 'weather' of your enclosure. It is often difficult to get the weather right for the tortoise, adding another animal's needs might make it more than difficult.

I'd go with a gecko, most are easier to manage than chameleons. You might consider one that does not want to be on the ground to reduce conflict with the tortoise. Keep in mind also most (not all) geckoes eat insects. I'd also look for one that is captive bred as that may well reduce the chance that you will be introducing some pathogen or parasite to the enclosure.

 

[Tom]

hi everyone, i'm looking into getting a gecko or chameleon etc and the only place best to keep it would be above my tortoises enclosure - it's a wooden tank and the two animals would never come into contact. would this be okay? they'd never see each other either i just wanted to make sure this is alright and won't stress either of them out.

In separate enclosures, yes, no problem. In the same enclosure, no, I wouldn't do that.

 

[tinkthetortoise]

I am not able to tell, is this one large enclosure, or one enclosure stacked above the other?

Common wisdom is to not mix species, in captivity many 'natural services'* are not present so the potential for overload of problems is much higher.

*natural services are sun to sanitize, other animals (not the intended enclosure animals) that consume/eat feces or shed bits of skin, rain to wash contaminates away, etc.

I worked at a zoo, and mixed species exhibits are more than twice the work to keep everything clean. It would also seem that even tortoises and geckos can become bored and start fussing with enclosure mates.

So, it can work, but it's more work, and you ought to have an enclosure in standby in the event some problem comes up you did not anticipate. I'm thinking this would be the quarantine cage you used before just putting the gecko directly in with the tortoise.

I don't know what kind of tortoise Tink is, but you might consider a gecko that will match the 'weather' of your enclosure. It is often difficult to get the weather right for the tortoise, adding another animal's needs might make it more than difficult.

I'd go with a gecko, most are easier to manage than chameleons. You might consider one that does not want to be on the ground to reduce conflict with the tortoise. Keep in mind also most (not all) geckoes eat insects. I'd also look for one that is captive bred as that may well reduce the chance that you will be introducing some pathogen or parasite to the enclosure.

I am not able to tell, is this one large enclosure, or one enclosure stacked above the other?

Common wisdom is to not mix species, in captivity many 'natural services'* are not present so the potential for overload of problems is much higher.

*natural services are sun to sanitize, other animals (not the intended enclosure animals) that consume/eat feces or shed bits of skin, rain to wash contaminates away, etc.

I worked at a zoo, and mixed species exhibits are more than twice the work to keep everything clean. It would also seem that even tortoises and geckos can become bored and start fussing with enclosure mates.

So, it can work, but it's more work, and you ought to have an enclosure in standby in the event some problem comes up you did not anticipate. I'm thinking this would be the quarantine cage you used before just putting the gecko directly in with the tortoise.

I don't know what kind of tortoise Tink is, but you might consider a gecko that will match the 'weather' of your enclosure. It is often difficult to get the weather right for the tortoise, adding another animal's needs might make it more than difficult.

I'd go with a gecko, most are easier to manage than chameleons. You might consider one that does not want to be on the ground to reduce conflict with the tortoise. Keep in mind also most (not all) geckoes eat insects. I'd also look for one that is captive bred as that may well reduce the chance that you will be introducing some pathogen or parasite to the enclosure.

thank you for all of this information!! it's all great. if we do go ahead they'll be in separate enclosures anyway, just wanted to make sure that even that is okay. thank you again - i'm sure others will find all of that helpful too! interesting stuff.

 

[tinkthetortoise]

In separate enclosures, yes, no problem. In the same enclosure, no, I wouldn't do that.

separate enclosures of course! thank you.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

separate enclosures of course! thank you.

I'm sure in certain circumstances where there is little room that this is done a lot.