About five years ago I got a Russian Tortoise, and it's lived alone in a pretty good sized enclosure her whole life. Over the summer (I work at a summer camp) some kids found a Russian Tortoise in a cove (part of the ocean pretty much) who must have gotten loose for he moves around constantly (as opposed to my female Babushkin who barely moves at all). We call him Craig. I'm not sure if they're the same species but they look very similar with slight differences; I think Craig is male and Babushkin is female. Craig always climbs around on Babushkin and she doesn't really care. I thought it was so he could get closer to the heat lamp we have in our enclosure.
I took Craig in the car with Babushkin in a quite small enclosure with some mulch, and he kept running towards Babushkin and getting really close, always getting his head near hers. He for a few minutes was violently bobbing it at her. He settled down but spent a lot of the car ride right up with his head near hers. She kept her head partially in her shell the whole time.
I am concerned that they may mate although Babushkin doesn't seem interested. (She probably doesn't need to consent, though...) Will they, in a homemade enclosure? If so, what should I do and what would happen with the eggs? I'd prefer them not to mate but I have to keep them together.
Craig on the left and Babushkin on the right
I took Craig in the car with Babushkin in a quite small enclosure with some mulch, and he kept running towards Babushkin and getting really close, always getting his head near hers. He for a few minutes was violently bobbing it at her. He settled down but spent a lot of the car ride right up with his head near hers. She kept her head partially in her shell the whole time.
I am concerned that they may mate although Babushkin doesn't seem interested. (She probably doesn't need to consent, though...) Will they, in a homemade enclosure? If so, what should I do and what would happen with the eggs? I'd prefer them not to mate but I have to keep them together.
Craig on the left and Babushkin on the right