male sulcata aggressive with female

[ctorrez]

Help...I have a 30yr old male sulcata, and a recently acquired a 7yr old female. The male is very aggressive with the female, he rams her and chases her. Not sure what to do, it has been cold so both haven't roamed too much but now that weather is warmer they are roaming and encountering each other.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Separate them.

He can't beat her up if he doesn't have access to her.

 

[ascott]

A male tortoise will pester, ram, bite and attack a female...not just a male, but for other reasons...

The male can harass and harm the female to the point she can die. It is imperative that you separate them. You will want to assure they can each have their own enclosures/yards....the male now knows there is another tort, and if you are correct and do indeed have a female, and will be driven to get to the female, so please make certain the two yards/spaces are secure for each....

 

[sibi]

When you separate them, and you must do this now, make sure you use material that will be solid enough to withstand any ramming to gain assess to the female. They can smell another tortoise, and if he senses she's behind a wall, he'll may ram it until he breaks through. Best thing is to not let him see what you're planning!

 

[Tom]

And are you sure your "female" is a female? Post pics showing the anal scutes and tail and we can help you verify.

Generally they are not going to do well in pairs. In most cases a mature male sulcata will need at least 2 or 3 females in its enclosure if you don't want it to harass a single female to death. And it needs to be a very large enclosure with all sorts of turns, hills, sight barriers, other "furniture" and places to hide and get away from each other.

 

[tortoisetime565]

I agree, seperate them. Sulcatas are solitary. Most tortoises are. There is a lot of stories on here about housing torts together and it not going well. If he can't see her he can't get her.

 

[ctorrez]

And are you sure your "female" is a female? Post pics showing the anal scutes and tail and we can help you verify.

Generally they are not going to do well in pairs. In most cases a mature male sulcata will need at least 2 or 3 females in its enclosure if you don't want it to harass a single female to death. And it needs to be a very large enclosure with all sorts of turns, hills, sight barriers, other "furniture" and places to hide and get away from each other.

Thank you all for responses. My property is 1.5 acres, so was hoping to not have to build enclosures, allowing them full access. However it looks like that is not an option. I was told as long as it was a female comparability shouldn't be a problem, but the links you provided give great info on how wrong that is. I will send a pic later today when she comes out roaming to confirm sex. Now... in terms of enclosures, what would be proper size? He is 85lbs, she is approx. 50lbs. Where he has established he burrow has no grass, and not likely to get any...very rocky. Suggestions? I see lots of advice for indoor enclosures but not much for adult outdoor enclosures. Thanks!!

 

[tortoisetime565]

It could be because the male is much older and used to solitary. He feels like someone is intruding on his turf. In the wild they fight and ward off other tortoises from their turf. Sometimes fighting to the death.

 

[Yvonne G]

Since the female is the new one in the territory, I'd build her an enclosure and just let him stay wherever he's been for the while you've had him. So her enclosure will take up part of his, be he will still feel like he's in his original spot. But make the fencing secure, as has been said before. I have 4x4 posts in the ground with 8' corral boards between them, stacked three boards high. My 100lbs sulcata breaks them down to get to any tortoise I may put on the other side of the fence. I have had to stop using the pens next to his pen as rescue pens, and now I use the back yard instead. And he was never shown that there is a tortoise in there. He just smelled them.

 

[ctorrez]

Since the female is the new one in the territory, I'd build her an enclosure and just let him stay wherever he's been for the while you've had him. So her enclosure will take up part of his, be he will still feel like he's in his original spot. But make the fencing secure, as has been said before. I have 4x4 posts in the ground with 8' corral boards between them, stacked three boards high. My 100lbs sulcata breaks them down to get to any tortoise I may put on the other side of the fence. I have had to stop using the pens next to his pen as rescue pens, and now I use the back yard instead. And he was never shown that there is a tortoise in there. He just smelled them.

Thanks, appreciate the info.

---

It could be because the male is much older and used to solitary. He feels like someone is intruding on his turf. In the wild they fight and ward off other tortoises from their turf. Sometimes fighting to the death.

Makes a lot of sense, he has never been with another tortoise, thanks!

---

When you separate them, and you must do this now, make sure you use material that will be solid enough to withstand any ramming to gain assess to the female. They can smell another tortoise, and if he senses she's behind a wall, he'll may ram it until he breaks through. Best thing is to not let him see what you're planning!

Thanks Sibi, while he was searching for her in the back property where her burrow is I put her in a temp enclosure until can do something more permanent, he never went looking for her (so far) in the temp location, probably since it is not her normal hang out. It is almost like he lays in wait, he hung out at the front of her burrow for a long time. I had no idea he would display this behavior. Everyone's responses helpful. Thanks.

 

[motero]

Welcome to the world of adult male Sulcatas, all the above advice is very good. I would like to ad, don't get any ideas about taming or training the male to do any different. It won't work.

Side story: I had large males that wanted to kill each other. So I built a wall between them, and made them dirt hills away from the wall. They could look at each other over the wall when on top of the hills. They would sit on the hill and get mad run down to the fence and ram it then go back and sit on the hill. I was hoping they would mellow out being in close proximity but not able to harm on another. It never worked they were never happy with the other one nearby.

 

[Tom]

Welcome to the world of adult male Sulcatas, all the above advice is very good. I would like to ad, don't get any ideas about taming or training the male to do any different. It won't work.

Side story: I had large males that wanted to kill each other. So I built a wall between them, and made them dirt hills away from the wall. They could look at each other over the wall when on top of the hills. They would sit on the hill and get mad run down to the fence and ram it then go back and sit on the hill. I was hoping they would mellow out being in close proximity but not able to harm on another. It never worked they were never happy with the other one nearby.

That's funny!

I always move mine to separate areas on the ranch.

 

[ctorrez]

Welcome to the world of adult male Sulcatas, all the above advice is very good. I would like to ad, don't get any ideas about taming or training the male to do any different. It won't work.

Side story: I had large males that wanted to kill each other. So I built a wall between them, and made them dirt hills away from the wall. They could look at each other over the wall when on top of the hills. They would sit on the hill and get mad run down to the fence and ram it then go back and sit on the hill. I was hoping they would mellow out being in close proximity but not able to harm on another. It never worked they were never happy with the other one nearby.

Thanks. I appreciate the additional info. He is definitely persistent. good side story.

 

[ascott]

It is almost like he lays in wait,

LOL...sounds like a male tortoise for sure....