Hello all, I'm new, and hoping this is the right place to post!
I've had a pair of spur thighed tortoises (George and Harry) for over 10 years, and only recently discovered that they're almost certainly a male and female (after having different opinions from different vets!). They've lived together this whole time pretty happily (basically ignoring each other!), but today my male has been shell butting the female, and mounting her with his mouth wide open. This looks like mating to me!
I have a few questions:
1) These two live together, will I need to separate them now if the male is sexually active?
2) The breeder told me they share a father but not a mother, if they were to successfully breed, would that cause problems?
3) I never intended to breed tortoises, I've been happy with just two. However, if they were to lay eggs, are they incredibly difficult to look after? I'd hate for them to die because I didn't know how to look after them. Obviously I'm tempted by the idea of baby tortoises, but I don't know if I'm knowledgeable enough (or if I have enough money) to raise them if it would require lots of equipment.
Any help would be appreciated, I love my tortoises, and want to do all I can to make sure they're happy. I'm just not sure whether it's best to separate, or let them get on with it!
They live indoors in a large tortoise table, but go to the garden in a run during the day when it's nice weather. The rest of the time they have a heat lamp.
Thanks
I've had a pair of spur thighed tortoises (George and Harry) for over 10 years, and only recently discovered that they're almost certainly a male and female (after having different opinions from different vets!). They've lived together this whole time pretty happily (basically ignoring each other!), but today my male has been shell butting the female, and mounting her with his mouth wide open. This looks like mating to me!
I have a few questions:
1) These two live together, will I need to separate them now if the male is sexually active?
2) The breeder told me they share a father but not a mother, if they were to successfully breed, would that cause problems?
3) I never intended to breed tortoises, I've been happy with just two. However, if they were to lay eggs, are they incredibly difficult to look after? I'd hate for them to die because I didn't know how to look after them. Obviously I'm tempted by the idea of baby tortoises, but I don't know if I'm knowledgeable enough (or if I have enough money) to raise them if it would require lots of equipment.
Any help would be appreciated, I love my tortoises, and want to do all I can to make sure they're happy. I'm just not sure whether it's best to separate, or let them get on with it!
They live indoors in a large tortoise table, but go to the garden in a run during the day when it's nice weather. The rest of the time they have a heat lamp.
Thanks
