# Can tortoises be gay?



## Farkle (Jan 7, 2018)

The title pretty much says it. Is it possible for other species besides humans to be homosexual? What about bisexual and asexual?


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## motero (Jan 7, 2018)

I believe not, they act out dominating behaviors, regardless of sex.


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## Big Charlie (Jan 7, 2018)

I don't think so. They operate by instinct sexually. They aren't selective.


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## Alaskamike (Jan 7, 2018)

My big Sulcata tries to have sex with a ️ soccer ball. 
He will jump anything that stands still.


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## Big Charlie (Jan 7, 2018)

Alaskamike said:


> My big Sulcata tries to have sex with a ️ soccer ball.
> He will jump anything that stands still.


Charlie completely deflated our soccer ball. Now he has a favorite rock.


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## ZEROPILOT (Jan 7, 2018)

I only have female RF tortoises (now)
And I have a female that has decided to act like a male and chase the others around. Even almost mounting them.
However, this behavior is very likely some sort of aggressive behavior and not sexual in nature.
Just like I have had males try to sexually dominate one another.
This establishes the groups alpha and isn't about actual mating.
So, I would say probably not.


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## Tom (Jan 7, 2018)

Farkle said:


> The title pretty much says it. Is it possible for other species besides humans to be homosexual? What about bisexual and asexual?


Why do you ask? Do you have a male mounting another male? That is not sexual. It is dominance. He's telling the other male to get out of his territory. Just like dogs. Even female dogs will mount to demonstrate dominance to other dogs. Just like female russian tortoises.


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## Farkle (Jan 7, 2018)

Tom said:


> Why do you ask? Do you have a male mounting another male? That is not sexual. It is dominance. He's telling the other male to get out of his territory. Just like dogs. Even female dogs will mount to demonstrate dominance to other dogs. Just like female russian tortoises.


No, nothing like that. I was just curious and figured an entire community of tortoise enthusiasts would know more than Google.


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## Yvonne G (Jan 8, 2018)

I don't know about tortoises, but I had a friend with a horse that had a different sexual orientation. The horses lived in a herd in a very large pasture. This mare always tried to mount other mares when they were in heat. The stallion that lived with the herd would chase her away and fight with her. He never bred her.


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## LeoTheTortoise (Jan 8, 2018)

I recall a discussion similar to this regarding the current oldest living tortoise, who appeared to be gay. I have heard and argument that it is evolutionarily impossible in non-social animals since many theories to explain how homosexual genes survived despite a lack of reproduction in those individuals propose that in primitive human social groups gay people tend to help care for sibling's offspring, thereby increasing the chances of those who share a recessive version of that genes' survival. Otherwise, I don't see why not.


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