Tortoise Keeps biting my other tortoise

tilly1003

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Hi, if anyone could offer any advice it would be greatly appreciated!

When i decided to get my tortoises about 4 years ago now, naively i did very little research and am regretting this now. I bought a male and female russian tort (which was a mistake) and they have been fine together for the first three years.

However the male has grown much quicker than the female and has recently started biting her quite often. I’ve now realised that it would’ve been better to get one tortoise however don’t know what to do about the problem.

I don’t want the male terrorising the female as she obviously doesn’t like it and has been trying to get away from him.

However I don’t quite know what to do about it. there’s no way I can cover the cost to by a separate enclosure with the lighting and dont ahve enough room. I love both my torts and would rather not get rid of one of them. Any suggestions?
 

nicoleann2214

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Hi, if anyone could offer any advice it would be greatly appreciated!

When i decided to get my tortoises about 4 years ago now, naively i did very little research and am regretting this now. I bought a male and female russian tort (which was a mistake) and they have been fine together for the first three years.

However the male has grown much quicker than the female and has recently started biting her quite often. I’ve now realised that it would’ve been better to get one tortoise however don’t know what to do about the problem.

I don’t want the male terrorising the female as she obviously doesn’t like it and has been trying to get away from him.

However I don’t quite know what to do about it. there’s no way I can cover the cost to by a separate enclosure with the lighting and dont ahve enough room. I love both my torts and would rather not get rid of one of them. Any suggestions?
What do you have them in now?
 

Toddrickfl1

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Hi, if anyone could offer any advice it would be greatly appreciated!

When i decided to get my tortoises about 4 years ago now, naively i did very little research and am regretting this now. I bought a male and female russian tort (which was a mistake) and they have been fine together for the first three years.

However the male has grown much quicker than the female and has recently started biting her quite often. I’ve now realised that it would’ve been better to get one tortoise however don’t know what to do about the problem.

I don’t want the male terrorising the female as she obviously doesn’t like it and has been trying to get away from him.

However I don’t quite know what to do about it. there’s no way I can cover the cost to by a separate enclosure with the lighting and dont ahve enough room. I love both my torts and would rather not get rid of one of them. Any suggestions?
They need to be separated asap before one ends up dead. It's not fair to the animals to let it continue.
 

method89

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you may need to just cut the enclosure in half or add more sight barriers
 

Tom

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a tortoise table which measures about 10x7, they also go out in a much larger enclosure most of the day on sunny days
If the enclosure is 10x7 feet, you can simply divide it in half and make two 5x7' enclosures. That is plenty big for a Russian tortoise.

Just know that they have never been fine together and things like cuddling, sleeping together, eating together, following each other, etc... are all signs of tortoise intimidation and aggression. They should never have been kept as a pair, and you need to separate them ASAP before permanent damage is done and one or both of them end up scarred or missing an eye. Or worse.

If you can't provide separate (or divided) enclosures for them then you need to regime one ASAP. There is no way to make them live together peacefully as a pair.
 

Yvonne G

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I have personal experience with how aggressive male russian tortoises can be towards females. I've seen females with no eyelids, tails bitten off, bloody front legs. Before you have to take the female to be treated by a vet, get that male out of there!
 
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tilly1003

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I have personally experience with how aggressive male russian tortoises can be towards females. I've seen females with no eyelids, tails bitten off, bloody front legs. Before you have to take the female to be treated by a vet, get that male out of there!
i have been trying to convince my parents that separating them would keep the torts safe and have been saying how dangerous it is. However neither of my parents seem to be not worrying that much and are saying “they’ll stop soon” even when i know they won’t. They’re convinced that separating them isn’t a good idea.
 

nicoleann2214

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i have been trying to convince my parents that separating them would keep the torts safe and have been saying how dangerous it is. However neither of my parents seem to be not worrying that much and are saying “they’ll stop soon” even when i know they won’t. They’re convinced that separating them isn’t a good idea.
Tell them if they don’t their gonna have a bunch of tortoise babies running around their house LOL
 

Braeden p

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i have been trying to convince my parents that separating them would keep the torts safe and have been saying how dangerous it is. However neither of my parents seem to be not worrying that much and are saying “they’ll stop soon” even when i know they won’t. They’re convinced that separating them isn’t a good idea.
You need to find a way to those poor torts keep telling your parents and just keep doing that I did that a lot then my parents decided to let me build a pen for Betty and that it needs a lid because of my dogs.
 

kanabella

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Or a big vet bill. Do a Google image search for russian tortoise breeding injuries and show the pix to your folks.
Show your parents all these suggestions and they may understand ... I have 2 females herbarium have been together for 20 years and they are fine . If I ever saw them hurt one another it would be to give one away
 

Chefdenoel10

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Hi, if anyone could offer any advice it would be greatly appreciated!

When i decided to get my tortoises about 4 years ago now, naively i did very little research and am regretting this now. I bought a male and female russian tort (which was a mistake) and they have been fine together for the first three years.

However the male has grown much quicker than the female and has recently started biting her quite often. I’ve now realised that it would’ve been better to get one tortoise however don’t know what to do about the problem.

I don’t want the male terrorising the female as she obviously doesn’t like it and has been trying to get away from him.

However I don’t quite know what to do about it. there’s no way I can cover the cost to by a separate enclosure with the lighting and dont ahve enough room. I love both my torts and would rather not get rid of one of them. Any suggestions?
i have been trying to convince my parents that separating them would keep the torts safe and have been saying how dangerous it is. However neither of my parents seem to be not worrying that much and are saying “they’ll stop soon” even when i know they won’t. They’re convinced that separating them isn’t a good idea.

YOU NEED TO PUT A BARRIER BETWEEN THEM AT THE VERY LEAST!!!!!
Did you not listen to the other posts?!?!?!
THEY WILL KILL EACHOTHER!!!!
Do it for the torts!!!!
Defy your parents!!!!
I am sure it will not be the first time.
I do NOT want to read your post that says
“Oh well... one of them finally died..”??????????????????????????????
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

Guest
easy way to separate them... put the basking spot in the middle of the table. Put something in the middle of the basking spot that neither can climb over that splits the table down the middle.. a few cinderblocks.. a shelf on it's side, etc. Then just get a shoe box or something to add a 2nd hiding space in the new partition, and a small saucer for water. THEN you can petition the parents for whatever permanent solution you are going for (permanent separator screwed into table, new fancy 2nd hide, adding 2nd CHE and basking lamps, etc).


other option (I don't recommend, but might be easier to sell to parents since it doesn't require their money or work)... is rotate the torts between indoor and outdoor enclosures. Male stays indoors one day, Female is outdoors. then next day flip it - male outdoors, female indoors. Problem with that is 1) adds stress coz the tort can smell the other tort's tracks in the enclosure. 2) illnesses can spread between torts easily, since they come in contact with the same environment.
 
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Obbie

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Please separate them as soon as possible. No judgement ?????
 

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