Male Russian tortoise… help!

[Grace-Sophia]

Hello all! I have a 20 year old Russian tortoise who I’ve had since 2020, he has never shown any signs of sexual behavior but over the last few days he’s been eating a TON and is now constantly trying to mate with a rock in his enclosure 🤦‍♀️ 😳

He’s been going at it all day today and takes brakes to eat 😂
Is there anything I should know about this, does it mean his husbandry is incorrect or correct, and is even breeding season for them? He lives alone and has never (at least while he’s been with me) seen a female of his species. Tips appreciated 😅

 

[wellington]

I would remove the rock just so he doesn't hurt himself on ot. He has hit sexual maturity more so than he might have earlier.

 

[Grace-Sophia]

I would remove the rock just so he doesn't hurt himself on ot. He has hit sexual maturity more so than he might have earlier.

Thank you for the advice!
I was also wondering if this is indeed sexual behavior, as I haven’t seen his “tool” come out yet, all he wants to do however is mount the rock and “do a little dance” if you know what I mean 😂

Will you please explain to me what it means that he might have just hit sexual maturity? He’s 20, I thought that happens at around 10?

 

[wellington]

It probably did happen a lot longer ago. I'm not sure of why, but some seem to really get hit harder at different times. A member used to have one that was so bad, if I remember correctly, they had to have him neutered as medication I believe stopped working. Theirs seem to be worse than yours and was all the time. Hopefully yours is just going thru a phase and will stop until next time.

 

[Grace-Sophia]

It probably did happen a lot longer ago. I'm not sure of why, but some seem to really get hit harder at different times. A member used to have one that was so bad, if I remember correctly, they had to have him neutered as medication I believe stopped working. Theirs seem to be worse than yours and was all the time. Hopefully yours is just going thru a phase and will stop until next time.

Geeze! Thank you so much!