One day (couple months ago - just now grabbing pics off my camera), I walked outside to see my juvenile redfoot "Moby" climbing on the back of the lame one "Lobo."
Here are some pics.
Now, before anyone chews my head off, I am totally aware of the potential risks of putting these two together when there is so great a size difference. The older one is a lame tortoise who has been a little depressed since I got him (lethargic, not eating a whole lot), and I thought perhaps the presence of another might perk up his activity a little. Moby there is pretty spunky and was itching to get some outdoor time, so every now and then, I'd put him outside in Lobo's pen. My main concern was that the larger tortoise may act territorial, but given the general "social" nature of redfoot, Lobo's handicap (which makes him slower than the average tortoise), and Moby's youth (which makes him speedier and easier to avoid Lobo), I figured it would okay. As it turned out, by the photos above, the opposite resulted: the younger tortoise follows the larger one most of the day, perhaps even pestering him!
Here are some pics.
Now, before anyone chews my head off, I am totally aware of the potential risks of putting these two together when there is so great a size difference. The older one is a lame tortoise who has been a little depressed since I got him (lethargic, not eating a whole lot), and I thought perhaps the presence of another might perk up his activity a little. Moby there is pretty spunky and was itching to get some outdoor time, so every now and then, I'd put him outside in Lobo's pen. My main concern was that the larger tortoise may act territorial, but given the general "social" nature of redfoot, Lobo's handicap (which makes him slower than the average tortoise), and Moby's youth (which makes him speedier and easier to avoid Lobo), I figured it would okay. As it turned out, by the photos above, the opposite resulted: the younger tortoise follows the larger one most of the day, perhaps even pestering him!
