russian and sulcata

[ehopkins12]

hi, I am planning on getting an additional tortoise. Right now I have a little Russian. I was thinking a red foot at first but now i'm leaning toward a sulcata. I would keep them in separate enclosures inside. But would it be ok for them to occasionally be in contact? For instance out in my yard from time to time?

 

[Yvonne G]

no

 

[Yvonne G]

Naturally, they're your tortoises, and you certainly can do whatever you want to with them.

I've told you about the micro-organisms and pathogens that each species of tortoise carry, and that they might make each other sick or even dead. If you want to take that chance, then go ahead.

Can you be sure the tortoises aren't going to poop, pee or drip saliva on the grass they will share?

Personally, its a risk I'm not willing to take with my animals.

 

[goReptiles]

It's not ideal to mix completely different species. As mentioned above about pathogens that some species may be immune to so to speak that others may not be. What may not make one species sick, may make another.

 

[Kayti]

It's not ideal to mix completely different species. As mentioned above about pathogens that some species may be immune to so to speak that others may not be. What may not make one species sick, may make another.

That's not really how it works. The danger comes from even perfectly healthy tortoises contaminating each other with the healthy bacteria they use to digest their food. Animals from different parts of the world have different stomach bacteria that can make each other sick.

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/mixing.htm

Mixing species from drastically different climates is always a bad idea. That said, I have Russians and a Sulcata, and I have no problems keeping them separated.

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You can try it, buy if they fight make sure to separate them. But over all no.

Don't even try it.

 

[goReptiles]

I wasn't being literal as to that's how it works, but general.