# housing different species together



## Mel (Feb 24, 2013)

The evidence shows that my guys mainly ignore the other. Their only concern is food and shelter. The Russian in picture had a moment of curiosity then off he went.


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## Thalatte (Feb 24, 2013)

But aren't Russians known for caring diseases?


The issue with housing multiple species isn't the attitude of each tort and their ability to get along. It's that each species has different bacteria or illnesses that don't harm that species but can be fatal to other species.


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## cherylim (Feb 24, 2013)

Also, different care requirements.


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## mctlong (Feb 24, 2013)

In addition to what Thalette wrote, Russians can be super-territorial and outright aggressive toward other torts. I'd keep a very close eye on those two.

There's also the issue of Russians and Yellowfoots having very different environmental (temp/humidity) needs.


Yes, what cherylim wrote.


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## Thalatte (Feb 24, 2013)

Also their habitat needs. Russians and redfoots have different have different diets. Russians are mainly grazers with a mostly greens diet where as redfoots need fruits, veggies, greens, and I think they eat animal protein as well.


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## bigred (Feb 24, 2013)

A few years back I use to let my Moms Sulcatas, my 6 ornate box turtles and my redfoots all run around together with no problems. I downsized and now just have redfoots and radiated. I will not let different species run around on the same grass anymore. Some keepers do let different species together with no problem. I decided for me it wasnt worth the risk. I know a guy in california that had several tortoises die from doing this. He probably didnt have them checked out properly before putting them together


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## Madkins007 (Feb 24, 2013)

I am reading a book about exploring the Amazon, and a big part of the discussion is how diseases carried by the explorers decimated tribes they came in contact with. The same scenario has been played out in US history, African exploration, etc. 70-90% of entire tribes wiped out by diseases that left the survivors so overwhelmed or weakened that they could not even bury the dead. Diseases we don't even think about killing hundreds of thousands of people.

The same thing happens to animals. It is fuzzier in pet trade animals that have been so routinely raised so haphazardly that many are indeed now resistant to many of the more common pathogens- breeding facilities that raise dozens of species side-by-side have an accidental side effect of making the animals more resistant, but that does not apply to all species or all individuals. Russians, for example, are still commonly brought in wild and are considered 'dirty' as far as parasite and pathogen loads go.

After reading these stories, the idea of death or debilitation by pathogen seems all that much more real.


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## ascott (Feb 24, 2013)

I would not do it at all. 

Also, that first pic here clearly shows that the russian is sizing up the other tort and clearly is being aggressive...I would not house an outward personality (nice way of saying agressive, tenacious species) with a species that can be inverted and not usually agressive....such an unfair situation.

These two species of torts do have difference in environmental needs as well as dietary needs....so I do not see the benefit for either tort here....


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## RedfootsRule (Feb 24, 2013)

Your two species there have completely different dietary and environmental needs. As a second factor, russians are a reputed carrier of diseases.
The chances are good that your tortoises will die if you continue this.


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## Tom (Feb 24, 2013)

"Evidence"? The first picture is a classic example of tortoise aggression.

This topic has been argued so many times here. Not worth going into it again. Just realize that you are taking a big risk. A gamble. You might get away with it, or you might not. Time will tell.


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## Mel (Feb 25, 2013)

The Russian likes one enclosure while the YF enjoys the other enclosure. Naturally I'm not an expert and surely know less than many here. I have not found the dietary or envoronmental needs to be so completely different in the research I have come across. I live in Houston. We don't have much of a winter but when it's cold they come in. These are not Torts from the wild. However I will tell my husband the concerns listed here. Ultimately it is up to him. Sorry the topic offends some. Only post if you want to share knowledge please.


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## Cowboy_Ken (Feb 25, 2013)

I have 6 russian tortoises, but I have zero experience with yellow foots. My understanding though is that yellow foots come from central/northern South America. I know that russians come from Afghanistan, and others of the stan regions and that their environmental needs are of a more temperate zone than one would encounter in yellow foot country. Also, although it would seem the yellow foot diet consists of some fruit, I've never offered my russian tortoises any fruit due in part to the fact they would rarely encounter fruit in the native environment. My horses would gladly eat nothing but treats for food, but as their caretaker, I would be irresponsible to allow them to do so.


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## Spn785 (Feb 25, 2013)

To my knowledge, which I don't know much about yellow foots, Russians need a lot less humidity and cooler temperatures than yellow foots. Russians should only have 40-60% humidity and I believe Yellow Fotts need upwards of 80%. Their diets are different in that Yellow Foots need Fruit and protein, whereas a Russian should not have any fruit or protein. These two are too different to house together, I would not recommend it, especially since Russians are such an agressive species.


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## Cowboy_Ken (Feb 25, 2013)

These are not Torts from the wild. 

Please explain...


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## Spn785 (Feb 25, 2013)

Cowboy_Ken said:


> These are not Torts from the wild.
> 
> Please explain...



They are probably captive bred, at least that's what I'm assuming, but this doesn't make any difference in their interactions with other species and the affects of diseases they might be carrying.


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## RedfootsRule (Feb 25, 2013)

Mel, no one posted to offend you. We want to warn you the dangers of what your doing, and the end result. This is the knowledge we are sharing with you...


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