mixing species

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tortoise5643

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I have a cage for each species of my tortoises. However I am planting grass seeds because they have eaten up all the grass. I was wondering if i could move them all into a single enclosure for just a couple of weeks until grass is growing. I would probably move the Russian tortoises with box turtles then put redfoots in the Russian tortoise cage then plant in the redfoots cage. The move box turtles with Russians and plant in box turtle cage. Then move Russians in with box turtles and plant in Russian tortoise cage. I have heard mixing species is always bad but I am sure that they are all healthy and parasite free. Thank you
 

jjsull33

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I think you will find that most opinions on this forum will say not to, and I agree with that opinion I wouldn't mix species.

Sometimes it works but it isn't recommended. Tortoises have different flora in their stomachs and when they pass excrement the flora is present in that. Tortoises like to eat poo and if they eat the poo of another species its possible they will get very sick as one bacteria that helps one species digest food may be deadly to another. Plus a lot of tortoises can be very aggressive, especially russians, and may hurt or kill the other species just for being there.

Instead of housing them together I would suggest planting a few trays of grass/seeds and when they grow enough put the whole tray into the enclosures, and start growing some more, that way when the tray is demolished by the tortoise you can swap out the whole tray for another and not need to group them for a few weeks.
 

Ferretinmyshoes

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Being healthy apart does not mean they will be healthy together. Tortoises can harbor pathogens that they will not get sick from, but can be very dangerous to other species if exposed to it. (See herpes viruses in African vs Asian elephants for an example of this.) I use disposable pie dishes and grow grass in those. Once the grass is long enough I can put those into the tortoise pen and they mow it down, then I cycle that one out for a new one. That's a much easier, and safer, way to do it.
 

Tom

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I agree with all of the above. They should not even share common areas, even if its one species at a time.

And I can guarantee that not a single one of your tortoise is parasite free. They may be symptom free, but all of them are carrying around all sorts of "bugs", mine included.
 

Terry Allan Hall

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Plant grass/weeds in shallow trays and put a tray in my torts' enclosure until it's eaten down, then put in a fresh one...I grow 4 trays, and rotate 'em after a week, so each tray can grow for three weeks before my torts get to 'em. Mostly I plant parakeet seed, which is a mixture of various grass and weeds seeds.

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Might offer your torts St. Augustine...my Hermann's torts seem to like it a lot, and I plan to cover the ground of their outdoor enclosure with it when I build a new one next winter/spring.
 
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