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KQ6AR · 02-03-2010, 04:13 PM

We had a 60F day today & 2 of my adult marginatas have awaken. Its only 2 weeks ahead of their usual wake up time.

All of my Russians are still asleep.

Stephanie Logan · 02-03-2010, 07:08 PM

Cool!

How do they act when they first wake up? Hungry? Cranky? Bad breath? Wink

Maybe it means that spring is coming early this year. Big Grin

kimber_lee_314 · 02-03-2010, 09:17 PM

Off topic - but two of my Hermann's came up yesterday too.

GBtortoises · 02-04-2010, 05:25 AM

It will be 60 degrees here too--in about 2 months! It's 18 degrees right now.

dreadyA · 02-04-2010, 01:11 PM

Wow, I'm really glad we(Californians ) had a short and warm winter. I think the lowest it was getting was in the low50s were I live Big Grin

KQ6AR · 02-04-2010, 05:25 PM

Hi Stephanie,
Basically they just sit around in the day, & co back in the hide at night. They have mallow growing in the greenhouse, & water. but aren't touching either one right now.

To All,
It would help if more people put their location in their signature file.so much of what we discuss has to do with climate.

Stephanie Logan · 02-04-2010, 06:19 PM

Sounds like my teenagers. Cool

Are you sure they're awake yet? Wink

Seriously, I am curious how long it takes the tortoises to get back into hungry mode. Tongue

KQ6AR · 02-05-2010, 05:02 PM

It all depends on the weather, I'm guessing it will be a couple weeks before the boys start getting frisky.
I don't expect them to get too active until I see a few more waking up, these two are just the early birds. Some of the males that wake up later will probably be ready for business within days of the time I see them.

-EJ · 02-06-2010, 03:28 AM

You've bred marginateds... do they do much damage to each other when they do?

I'll be willing to bet you corresponded with a doctor in AZ who bred them for years and he had horrid stories.

(02-04-2010 05:25 AM)GBtortoises Wrote: It will be 60 degrees here too--in about 2 months! It's 18 degrees right now.

KQ6AR · 02-07-2010, 02:32 PM

Hi,
I have 2 males, & 5 females. The males have never done any damage to the females. They are a lot better behaved than my russians.

My Russians are a different story. I've had females with large chunks of flesh missing on their legs.

(02-06-2010 03:28 AM)-EJ Wrote: You've bred marginateds... do they do much damage to each other when they do?

[/quote]

-EJ · 02-08-2010, 02:51 AM

I was asking GB but if you've bred Marginateds...

How big are your tortoises? Can you describe their breeding behavior and how do you keep them?

(02-07-2010 02:32 PM)KQ6AR Wrote: Hi,
I have 2 males, & 5 females. The males have never done any damage to the females. They are a lot better behaved than my russians.

My Russians are a different story. I've had females with large chunks of flesh missing on their legs.

(02-06-2010 03:28 AM)-EJ Wrote: You've bred marginateds... do they do much damage to each other when they do?

[/quote]

GBtortoises · 02-08-2010, 04:43 AM

My experience has been that compared to other Northern Mediterranean species and Russians, Marginateds are fairly unaggressive breeders. I've seen very little courting activity. Never much ramming, in some cases none. Very little biting as long as the female if receptive. I have seen a few times where a female won't submit right away and the male becomes more aggressive the longer he follows her. In those few cases the male begins very aggresively biting at the females feet. I have one female that is missing most of her claws and some scales on both front feet because of this aggression. But that has not been the normal case.

I used to keep males of all species seperate from females except for a couple of weeks in the spring, mid summer and early fall for breeding. Because of not having enough space to do so, I have for the last few years kept the sexes together 24/7. In doing so I've also noticed a drop in successful breeding too. The plan is to build about a half dozen more enclosures this spring so I will hopefully go back to keeping them seperate msot of the time. Indoors before hibernation I have also been keeping them together which I would prefer not to do. I'm hoping by next year to not do that either.

-EJ · 02-08-2010, 04:52 AM

From reports from keepers in past years, Marginateds kept outdoors 24/7/365 are damaging aggressive.

GB, have you read any of these notes?

(02-08-2010 04:43 AM)GBtortoises Wrote: My experience has been that compared to other Northern Mediterranean species and Russians, Marginateds are fairly unaggressive breeders. I've seen very little courting activity. Never much ramming, in some cases none. Very little biting as long as the female if receptive. I have seen a few times where a female won't submit right away and the male becomes more aggressive the longer he follows her. In those few cases the male begins very aggresively biting at the females feet. I have one female that is missing most of her claws and some scales on both front feet because of this aggression. But that has not been the normal case.

I used to keep males of all species seperate from females except for a couple of weeks in the spring, mid summer and early fall for breeding. Because of not having enough space to do so, I have for the last few years kept the sexes together 24/7. In doing so I've also noticed a drop in successful breeding too. The plan is to build about a half dozen more enclosures this spring so I will hopefully go back to keeping them seperate msot of the time. Indoors before hibernation I have also been keeping them together which I would prefer not to do. I'm hoping by next year to not do that either.

GBtortoises · 02-08-2010, 06:22 AM

No I haven't.

But mine also aren't kept outdoors year round and up until very recently males and females weren't kept together (and won't be in the future). As I said, I have seen aggression with mine, but I am comparing them with the levels of breeding aggression of the other species that I keep. By that comparison the Marginateds are mild mannered.

KQ6AR · 02-09-2010, 04:53 PM

Hi,
Mine are outdoors 12 months a year, & hibernate in the winter. They are young adults about 9".
The area where they live is large about 40' x 15'. I intend to move them to a larger are, where my WC russian group was living. This will give them, & my second generation russian group more room. I have a lot of large plants & hides in the area, which helps the females get away.

Maybe I've been lucky so far.