# Colony



## Dave Dela Rosa (May 25, 2018)

Hello! I’m thinking I’m ready to have my second/third tortoise. My question is, I currently have a leopard tortoise that is 1 years old. Would I be able to buy two more in total of having 3 in a big enough enclosure? Obviously if they fight im going to have to move them ans change their enclosures. Is there any other tortoise other than PANKCAKE tortoise that could live in a colony? Or lives with others.


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## TechnoCheese (May 25, 2018)

Redfoots?


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## Tom (May 25, 2018)

Dave Dela Rosa said:


> Hello! I’m thinking I’m ready to have my second/third tortoise. My question is, I currently have a leopard tortoise that is 1 years old. Would I be able to buy two more in total of having 3 in a big enough enclosure? Obviously if they fight im going to have to move them ans change their enclosures. Is there any other tortoise other than PANKCAKE tortoise that could live in a colony? Or lives with others.


Most tortoise species can live together in groups when they are juveniles. Its pairs that are a problem. Trios or more are usually oaky until they start getting closer to maturity and the male hormones kick in. At that time, for many species, its best to have only one male in any enclosure.

Regular leopards tend to be pretty peaceful, but if you get SouthAfrican mixes, it might not go so well. I had to separate my SA leopards at about 18 months old.


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## Dave Dela Rosa (May 26, 2018)

Tom said:


> Most tortoise species can live together in groups when they are juveniles. Its pairs that are a problem. Trios or more are usually oaky until they start getting closer to maturity and the male hormones kick in. At that time, for many species, its best to have only one male in any enclosure.
> 
> Regular leopards tend to be pretty peaceful, but if you get SouthAfrican mixes, it might not go so well. I had to separate my SA leopards at about 18 months old.



Hey Tom, are snow leopard tortoise or high white/ high yellow ivory leopard tortoise, are those the southafrican mixes? btw sorry for arguing with you in the beginning, you were one of the first ones to help me out with my leopard tortoise and i was kind of rude to you, but thank you for helping out! helped a ton and my tortoise if blossoming.


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## Dave Dela Rosa (May 26, 2018)

TechnoCheese said:


> Redfoots?




thank you! ill definitely check em out


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## ZEROPILOT (May 26, 2018)

If given enough room....As in a couple hundred square feet...Redfoot colonies work. But even then issues can arise with different individuals.
They key would be one male and three females in a large, fully planted outdoor enclosure.
This has worked for me. But since Redfoot and most other species can't be easily sexed until they are rather large, you need to be prepared to ad or remove one here and there. Arrive at a harmonious group. And then stop adding.
This is my experience and my suggestion.


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## Redfool (May 26, 2018)

Have had Redfoots in a 1:4 colony for over twenty years. Their pen is a 60x20 with curved corners (keeps them moving) and plenty of sight line obstructions. Water and food stations are in the middle since they seem to mostly walk the perimeter. Warm house is a 6x3. I have a good and productive group of RFs now although I had to swap away some males early on.


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## Yvonne G (May 26, 2018)

I live on an acre of land. I have no front, side or back yards, just tortoise yards. So each species that I keep has its own large yard. I keep 1.3 Russians, 1 sulcata (and, by the way, his yard is the largest of all of 'em), 2.1.4 SA leopards, 1.2.1 babcock leopards, 1.4 YF, 2.2 RF, 1.1 Manouria emys emys, .0.4 Manouria emys phayrei, .3 radiata, too many box turtles to count (and each sub species lives in its own yard). I never see any fighting, and the only time I have to turn one over from being on its back is when a rescue tries to climb a fence. The trick is, you have to have them in a large yard. There should be plenty of hiding places and cover.


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## Tom (May 26, 2018)

Dave Dela Rosa said:


> Hey Tom, are snow leopard tortoise or high white/ high yellow ivory leopard tortoise, are those the southafrican mixes? btw sorry for arguing with you in the beginning, you were one of the first ones to help me out with my leopard tortoise and i was kind of rude to you, but thank you for helping out! helped a ton and my tortoise if blossoming.


Thanks for the apology Dave, but I honestly don't remember you being unkind in any way. I don't mind people arguing with me. That's how we learn, and sometimes I'm wrong and need to be argued with. Will, Yvonne, Mark and many others correct me all the time (argue…) and in most cases they are right and I thank them for the correction.

About your question: I have no experience with "snow leopards", "ivory leopards", or anything other than the normal colored leopards. I've had a few that were lighter than others, but it was not anything intentional. This being the case, I don't know where the tortoises you are asking about originated. If you are able to track down more info on the subject please come back and share, as I'd like to learn.


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## ZEROPILOT (May 26, 2018)

Redfool said:


> Have had Redfoots in a 1:4 colony for over twenty years. Their pen is a 60x20 with curved corners (keeps them moving) and plenty of sight line obstructions. Water and food stations are in the middle since they seem to mostly walk the perimeter. Warm house is a 6x3. I have a good and productive group of RFs now although I had to swap away some males early on.


I had one male in particular that was an absolute love machine!
He perused the ladies all day and all night. Every day and every night...CLUCK, CLUCK, CLUCK.
It was insane.
I passed him off to a member with 8 females.
Never heard from him again.


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