i currently have a 4" hermmanns tortoise roaming my yard. i will soon have an 8" sulcata. i know that some people say you should never mix different species of tortoise. but i wanted to know if i could have the two of them share the yard.
Besides different diseases possibly being transmitted, sullies while awesome tortoises can be bullies, why stress out your hermann? separate IMHO is almost always better. Especially given the size difference.
Ironically, my Western Hermann's male used to bully the heck out of my subadult/adult female sulcatas when they shared the same area. My sulcatas didn't bother him. However, a male or tortoise of a different personality could have easily turned the tables on him. In any case, I separated them to avoid having him stress my females.
4" versus 8" would not represent a big issue for me, but provisions should be made for separation at some point anyway, as that size disparity will only become exacerbated over (a relatively short period of) time.
I have no problems mixing species, but everyone is free to choose their own road on that. I do wish there was less mythology around it, though.
NO! Especially with a sulcata...there may be no problem now...but when the sulcata reaches maturity (and maybe a little earlier)...there will be nothing left of your Hermanns! Wrod of note...female sulcatas can be as aggressive as males at times.
Baoh wrote~I have no problems mixing species, but everyone is free to choose their own road on that. I do wish there was less mythology around it, though.
My Question to you: Although I am 100% in the mind of not mixing species, I am always curious about learning other peoples' viewpoints. Why do you believe there should be less mythology around it? Is there new research that suggests otherwise?
DeanS~ I 100% agree with you. One of my adult female Sulcatas is the complete opposite of my other. She is extremely dominate, rams, acts like a male completely. My other adult is sweet as can be and would never ram or have a dominate part in her body.