# Keeping different species of baby tortoise together



## Louise&Fluffybabytorts (Jul 10, 2018)

Last spring I got one baby sulcata tortoise soon after I decided to get a baby leopard tortoise. I kept them in the same cage and they have been best buddies every since. They always sleep in the same hides at night and always follow each other around. I have a 6 foot by 2 foot enclousure for them and they both have half the cage meant for them, one side has a humidifier and more shade, while the other side has lots of basking spots and is a dryer area. Strangely though they both sleep in the more tropical hide one night and the next they usually sleep in the other hide. The only issue between them is once in a while the bigger tortoise crawls over the smaller one trying to just walk around the cage, it isn't much of a problem because it is just slightly bigger right now. I have. Separated them but then they both are very inactive and they just lay around all day, when they are together again though they act all excited, so I feel bad for separating them. I have read that is not good to keep tortoises together, espicaly if they are the same species. I also might get another tortoise soon, a red footed tortoise, so I am deciding what to do?



There is one time where my sulcata just walked over my leopard tortoise while getting food, not fighting over food the have different food dishes the leopard tortoise was just basking. In the picture


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## ascott (Jul 10, 2018)

Louise&Fluffybabytorts said:


> Last spring I got one baby sulcata tortoise soon after I decided to get a baby leopard tortoise. I kept them in the same cage and they have been best buddies every since. They always sleep in the same hides at night and always follow each other around. I have a 6 foot by 2 foot enclousure for them and they both have half the cage meant for them, one side has a humidifier and more shade, while the other side has lots of basking spots and is a dryer area. Strangely though they both sleep in the more tropical hide one night and the next they usually sleep in the other hide. The only issue between them is once in a while the bigger tortoise crawls over the smaller one trying to just walk around the cage, it isn't much of a problem because it is just slightly bigger right now. I have. Separated them but then they both are very inactive and they just lay around all day, when they are together again though they act all excited, so I feel bad for separating them. I have read that is not good to keep tortoises together, espicaly if they are the same species. I also might get another tortoise soon, a red footed tortoise, so I am deciding what to do?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



There is too much a size difference with your two tortoise....walking over is not an ooops...it is a disregard for the others presence....not desirable if you are the one walked on.


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## Louise&Fluffybabytorts (Jul 10, 2018)

It have only seen it happen twice


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## TechnoCheese (Jul 10, 2018)

You absolutely need to keep them separated. EVERYTHING you just described as “cute” and “affectionate” is clear tortoise aggression. Sharing a hide, cuddling, and following is one tortoise trying to stress, ram, and chase the other out of its territory, not a loving gesture. These tortoises are not friends, they are rivals that want each other out of their territory.

In addition to this, species should NEVER be mixed. That is a HUGE risk of spreading disease, because a bacteria that is fine for one tortoise and naturally in its territory, could be deadly to the other.

They should never, ever be put together, and they ABSOLUTELY need to stay separated. They are solitary animals that literally cannot make friends. The reason they were inactive was likely because they were getting used to their new enclosure, or having the enclosure to themselves, not because they are “lonely.”

Please give these a read and come back with questions-
How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0 https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...ealthy-Sulcata-Or-Leopard,-Version-2.0.79895/ 

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata... https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/For-Those-Who-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/ 

Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/


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## Tom (Jul 10, 2018)

TechnoCheese said everything I was going to say. Saved me some typing! 

There is a lot of bad advice given out there in the world. It can be tough to know who to believe. We just want your tortoises to be happy and healthy and we've seen what goes wrong over and over again.

By all means get a red foot if you want one. They are great tortoises. But they have very different environmental needs and dietary needs than the other two species. They should all three have their own enclosures.


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## Louise&Fluffybabytorts (Jul 11, 2018)

Thank you for the information I have Separated the tortoises


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## ascott (Jul 11, 2018)

Louise&Fluffybabytorts said:


> It have only seen it happen twice



Well, perhaps your separating them will allow you to observe different behavior with both....I believe that there will be positive behavior on both and you can then enjoy their different personalities.....


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## Louise&Fluffybabytorts (Jul 12, 2018)

ascott said:


> Well, perhaps your separating them will allow you to observe different behavior with both....I believe that there will be positive behavior on both and you can then enjoy their different personalities.....


Okay, Thank you


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## Pearly (Jul 13, 2018)

Louise&Fluffybabytorts said:


> Thank you for the information I have Separated the tortoises



Glad you were able to do that. Now just watch them grow. I’d be curious if the little one stars growing and putting on weight at faster rate


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## ascott (Jul 14, 2018)

Pearly said:


> Glad you were able to do that. Now just watch them grow. I’d be curious if the little one stars growing and putting on weight at faster rate



HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Diamond (Jul 14, 2018)

Happy Birthday


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