# Just a quick random question about breeds/breeding!



## HannahVictoriaxo (Mar 8, 2012)

I own two male hermanns tortoises, and I couldn't sleep last night for insomnia, and I got to thinking!
Can two different species of tortoise mate? :S I know that you aren't meant to keep two species of tortoise together because one of them could get ill ect, but I was just wondering. 
For example if I got a female Egyptian tortoise and put her in with my male hermanns tortoise, would they successfully mate? Would they fight?
Again, I wouldn't do it, it's just a random question. Just pure curiosity! 



- Hannah.


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## DanaLachney (Mar 8, 2012)

Someone on here has some Leaprucattas (leopard and Sulcata) but they are experienced tort owners. I personally wouldn't recommend it considering different torts come from different parts of the world and so on..


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## Yvonne G (Mar 8, 2012)

Hi Hannah:

Were you having trouble with your other username?

Two different species of tortoise CAN interbreed, but they have to be close to each other in the species genus. I doubt a Hermann's and a pancake could have viable offspring. Would he mate with her...probably. Same holds true if you put the right size rock in with him.


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## Madkins007 (Mar 8, 2012)

The more you know about taxonomy, the more sense this will make. Animals are grouped by characteristics (imperfectly- I know. Let's not quibble about that for now.) 
- Kingdom- Animalia, as opposed to plants, micro-organisms, etc. Humans and Hermann's torts are both animals.
- Phylum- Chordata. They have a spinal cord. More specifically, they also have spinal columns so are in the sub-phylum 'Vertebrata'. Humans and Hermanns are vertebrates.
- Class- Humans are Mammalia, tortoises are Reptilia. Other classes are birds, fish, etc.
- Order- Humans are Primates- a specific type of mammal, Hermanns are Testudines- the turtles.
- Family- Humans are Hominidae (hominids), Hermanns are Testudinidae, the tortoises
- Genus- Humans are Homo, Hermanns are Chersine (or Testudo)
- Species- Humans are Homo sapiens, Hermanns are Chersine hermanni 
- Sub-species- Humans have no sub-species. There are two Hermann's sub-species.

OK, now, the further you go UP the ladder, the less likely the animals can successfully mate and have fertile off-spring.

Two different subspecies of the same species can almost always mate and produce fertile offspring.

Two closely related species can sometimes mate, and sometimes have fertile offspring. The less closely related they are, the less likely this is to happen.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Mar 8, 2012)

*Welcome!*


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## MORTYtheTORTY (Mar 9, 2012)

DanaLachney said:


> Someone on here has some Leaprucattas (leopard and Sulcata) but they are experienced tort owners. I personally wouldn't recommend it considering different torts come from different parts of the world and so on..



REALLY?? what do they look like? I am curious...that's crazy LOL


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