My female Russian tortoise keeps pushing (shoveling

[ForestExotics]

My female Russian tortoise keeps pushing (shoveling
) the male Russian tortoise from behind what does that mean?

 

[Kristina]

Plainly put, it means "get away from me." Usually the males are the aggressors, but it can be the females too at times. If they are being aggressive like that, you either need a bigger enclosure with sight barriers and more hides or you need to separate them.

 

[GBtortoises]

First, are you positive that you female is a female? Females are sometimes more aggressive than males, not nearly as often with Russian tortoises as with Northern Mediterranean Testudo species, but it does happen. Normally male Russians are very aggressive in order to defend their breeding territory. Mature females (of Northern Testudo, the closest relatives to Russians) often show dominance when they are either with a group containing only females with no male present or are with a male and are ready to be bred. Smaller, inmature females are rarely, if ever aggressive.
Russian tortoises will often climb over, or in the case of a moveable object "plow through" it rather than going around something. It could just be a case of the female wanting to get to the other side of the male and pushing him to do so. This may be an indication that they require more space.

 

[ForestExotics]

I think she just wanted to get thru because is not doing it anymore.