# Do tortoises like to have friends?



## Nonameredfoot (Jul 29, 2011)

I was wondering...not that I need double the trouble lol! I have plently on my plate right now stressing over this little guy andmaking sure im doing everything right...but do tortoises like to a have a friend or are they fine alone? Im always looking for ways to improve my animals lives and make them as happy as possible..I know some animals are happier independent and other like to be social. I dont mind getting mine a friend if it will make him happier. Also if I did I cant tell what gender mine is yet, what if I end up getting a male and it turns out to be a male...will they fight and need seperate enclosures? (because if thats the case theres no point in getting another one lol since my plan would be to get a "friend" for it). thanks


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## Laura (Jul 29, 2011)

for the most part. No. they are fine being alone. redfoots are the ones, tho that ive seen in herds here in pictures, and seem to do alright...
so..... 
i would take the time to get to know your new one... learn some more, ( we never stop !) and then consider adding later.


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## Tortoise (Jul 29, 2011)

My Red Foots do stick together. the male obviously interested in the 2 girls but they do seem to choose to be sleeping next to each other despite them having enough room to go their own way in the enclosure.

My male Hinges get on too well and there has never been any aggression but they have never been apart-I will continue to watch them like a hawk however as I will be willing to split them if ever necessary.

I know the Greeks are good with each other too and rarely the males fight etc-seem quite sociable generally speaking.

Hermanns males I know are notorious for being aggressive to other males and a real pest to one female.Maybe Russians are similar too.

_Those are the only species I really know about in terms of groups.
_
I have a friend that has a Sulcata that loves the Leopards too-no problem but I have seen here that they can be a problem together too 

so I guess some of it depends on the individuals involved.


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## Nonameredfoot (Jul 29, 2011)

Thanks for the input guys...I was wondering because my guy was with 2 siblings at the pet store when I bought him.


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Jul 29, 2011)

Pond turtles often congregate in groups, but box turtles and tortoises usually don't. Although tortoises are not gregarious, they do have a limited social life. My Russians each have separate pens, so that the male doesn't pick on the female. However, when they are outside, they do sometimes stick close together or touch noses. Of course, this can turn into the male trying to court the female by bobbing his head or even biting at her. Since they are both probably too young to mate, I separate them when I see this happening. Someday when they're older, I'll let them follow through, but for now, it's not worth it. So, tortoises don't really have friends, but I think they do like to interact with others of their own kind from time to time.


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## Tom (Jul 29, 2011)

They do fine all alone. I think that redfoots would be the most debatable in this respect. Many keeps feel that their redfoots are social and like the company of other redfoots. However, we are talking about groups, not pairs. Pairs seldom work out. I you want more get at least a trio, if not more. Redfoots are your best chance at success with multiple tortoise living together long term in my opinion.


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Jul 29, 2011)

Tom said:


> They do fine all alone. I think that redfoots would be the most debatable in this respect. Many keeps feel that their redfoots are social and like the company of other redfoots. However, we are talking about groups, not pairs. Pairs seldom work out. I you want more get at least a trio, if not more. Redfoots are your best chance at success with multiple tortoise living together long term in my opinion.



I agree that redfoots tolerate each other well in captivity, probably more so than most other tortoises, and I'm pretty sure more than Russians. However, I think redfoots are like other tortoises in that they don't live together in the wild. In South America, redfoots do aggregate around a food resource, like when there's a lot of fruit dropped around the base of a tree. However, unless they want to mate, then they're there for the fruit, and not each other's company! 

Someone mentioned in another thread a case of several redfoots cohabitating for a month in a burrow. I'm not sure if that was in the wild or in captivity. Either way, I think this example does show the ability of redfoots to accept one another's presence, but I don't think it means that they were a social unit.

Box turtles can cohabitate quite peaceably, too, although in my experience, they don't interact much unless they want to mate. I've read that young boxies, however, tend to be more aggressive with each other than adults.


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## lauren80 (Jul 29, 2011)

I bought my Russian tortoise (Pebbles) a friend (BamBam) because I felt sorry for her on her own...however, Pebbles turned out to be a boy as well, theres about a years differance in age and they have lived together for about a year now. The past couple of months I have found Pebbles acting aggressively towards BamBam, bobbing his head up and down, biting and chasing. when this happens I seperate them. when they are reunited they are seem fine, and most of the time they live happily side-by-side, eatting and sleeping. I am monitoring/worrying constantly and hoping that I don't have to permantly separate them as I don't have the space in my house to keep two homes for them! My advise would be research carefully, don't get two boys and give it alot of consideration! good luck!


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## Madkins007 (Jul 29, 2011)

To add to GeoTerraTestudo's answer- Red-foots also routinely share hides in the wild. Field notes from several people in several situations have all commented on the tendency to find Red-foots in dens in groups, often of mixed sizes. 

In fact, Red-foots leave scent trails to the hides, and other Red-foots have been observed following the trails, especially in the Gran Chaco region. This makes a lot of sense- scent trails would be helpful in areas where ground-level visibility is poor and finding a good hide in a hurry as the weather turns bad may be a life or death situation. 

Here is a link to an interesting article on this- http://www.chelidae.com/pdf/vinke2001.pdf (There was a better article as well that was on-line but I cannot find it now.)


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## boutselis (Jul 30, 2011)

I bet tortoises are used to being alone because you don't hear about herds or packs of tortoises and turtles roaming the country side

BUT.....


from observing Olivia < leopard tortoise> when she was penned with Albert <ran away red foot> Olivia seemed to like to be near Albert. Especially when it was time to tuck into the shell for the night. Albert would often bed down out side their little house and Olivia would almost Always go and get next to him. It was very cute. I don't think Albert cared one way or the other but Olivia sure seemed to. 

And now that Jeff < box turtle that i know isn't supposed to be near Olivia but i can't get rid of him> actually seems to like to be near Olivia. Jeff is the very first box turtle that has made himself at home in Olivia's house. He comes out when she does and always goes back in later on. 

so who is to say they don't like company. Some seem to like it. 

Unless your talking about Maddie who seemed to hate Olivia from the very start.


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