Pairs

[Tortmomma2]

So I already got advise from Tom (wonderful newby tort guide), but im wanting to ask around and get more feedback from other african sulcata parents. I have 2, 2 month old hatchlings together in an enclosure. What are your feelings/experience/thoughts? ?

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Although I don't have sulcatas, I know several people who keep more than one without an issue. That's not to say you won't have an issue someday though. If you already have two and they are getting alomg, I would just keep going until when/if you have an issue. I keep several Russian males, Hermann males, leopard males ... etc (all in their separate enclosures by species of course) with no issues. That's just my experience - I'm sure there are others with the opposite experiences. Good luck!

 

[ascott]

Never have had a pair work out....one will always need to be subservient to the other, and even then there is no real peace--just not a fair situation simply to satisfy a human...my 2 cents

 

[Baoh]

Depends on the temperaments of the individual animals, their sexes, and what kind of enclosure they have (size, sight barriers, and etcetera). I have had pairs work out numerous times, but prefer larger groups.

The member whose username is tiff3grl had a situation that did not work out so well.

 

[Yvonne G]

It has been my experience that more than one hatchling tortoise is a good thing. When little babies see other little babies eating, it encourages them to also eat. But once the babies get out of the tender hatchling stage its a whole new ball game. If you can set them up outside in a large habitat with many hiding places and lots of sight barriers, two tortoises will be able to live together. But two tortoises in an indoor habitat just has never worked for me.

I have been taking in unwanted, found, etc. turtles and tortoises for over 35 years. Many times I will get a pair of tortoises and one is ALWAYS bigger than the other. Sometimes there has been no overt bullying, but one is bigger than the other. And yet, when they are adopted out (singly), the smaller one grows at a normal rate and gets to be as big as his species gets.

 

[Tortmomma2]

Well we have decided to keep it to one baby. The new one kept bullying the other one and standing on tank and taking tank's food and cornering tank. So now tank is a single child. Thank you all for your feedback...much appreciated.

 

[ascott]

What did you do with the other tort?