# My Sulcata's are breeding



## Some-Guy (Oct 18, 2014)

I have two Sulcata's, only six years old and the last month they have been breeding. They're both pretty good size for only being six years old but isn't that too young for her to lay eggs?


----------



## wellington (Oct 18, 2014)

Not sure if they are too young or not, I think it is though. However, I think you should seperate them, he may try breeding her to death if there are only the two. Pairs dont do go good together in most species.


----------



## G-stars (Oct 18, 2014)

Agreed sometimes mounting is a sign of domination. 


— Gus


----------



## russian/sulcata/tortoise (Oct 18, 2014)

for torts its size that indicates when they can breed. also wellington is right you should never keep 2 sulcatas together.


----------



## Yellow Turtle01 (Oct 18, 2014)

russian/sulcata/tortoise said:


> for torts its size that indicates when they can breed. also wellington is right you should never keep 2 sulcatas together.


It really depends on the malevsfemal ratio, more females=less stress on one. And, of course, the yard size


----------



## Yellow Turtle01 (Oct 18, 2014)

Yes, she might get very stressed out! Male torts can get very harassing. 
Also, even if the eggs aren't fertile (let's take a looksee at if they were) Sulcata's lay A LOT of eggs. You could expect 30+ babies running around in a few months... there is also a pretty big crisis with 'captive' sulcata's right now, no one wants them when they get big, so they are way too many looking for homes right now. In a few years, your little babes might end back up on the market because someone didn't do the research


----------



## Yvonne G (Oct 18, 2014)

You may not even have a male and a female. When two tortoises are kept together you always have a dominant and a submissive. Tortoises are territorial and they don't want other tortoises in their territory. Besides fighting and turning each other over, mounting is part of the dominance show.

If you DO have a female, she might not be big enough to pass eggs and may become egg bound. 

It's really not a good idea to keep two in the same yard.


----------



## Some-Guy (Oct 18, 2014)

Thanks for all the advice, I didn't even know they were male and female, they were both babies when I got them, they sure grew fast in six years! if she is going to lay eggs I will have to build another pen for her, they are currently together but no place for her to dig, the bottom is paved, it's a pretty large pen surrounded by cinder blocks and a house for them to go into.


----------



## Yvonne G (Oct 18, 2014)

Wow! You've done a real nice job raising them up. They look beautiful! If you'll turn them over and take a picture of their undersides including the tail, we can tell you if you have males or females or one of each.


----------



## Tom (Oct 18, 2014)

They should not be living as a pair. It is pretty unusual that you have not had more problems before now, so you've been lucky.

Males can reproduce at 14" and this can happen in as little as two years in some cases. Females can reproduce typically at 17-18", but on rare occasion 15". THis can happen as early as 3-4 years. I have a 19" 4 year old female right now.

Where are you, Some Guy?

Welcome to the forum!


----------



## Some-Guy (Oct 18, 2014)

Thanks! they were raised in Florida and I recently moved to Laguna HIlls CA, I'll try to get a couple of pictures later today. I haven't weighed them but they are both much heavier then a cinder block, currently they are going through a 25lb bag of Mazuri tortoise food every 4 months, plus thats not all they eat!


----------



## Some-Guy (Oct 18, 2014)

I managed to get a photo of the one I believe is female, there is no doubt the other one is male because that's the ugliest penis I've ever seen


----------



## Tom (Oct 18, 2014)

Yep. You've got a female there.

I forgot to mention that its not a good idea to house them on concrete or pavement either. Its much too hard and abrasive and over time it will wear through their feet and damage their plastrons. We've seen the bloody worn feet here many times. As they age and get heavier, it gets worse.

What are you doing for night heat and shelter for them?


----------



## Some-Guy (Oct 18, 2014)

I didn’t know that about the pavers, I had then in another pen with grass but the one tried to dig out and I was afraid I’d come home and one would be missing. I was bringing them inside when it got too cold, in Florida I had a large back room that I wasn’t using and I put a small child size swimming pool in the room and that’s where they stayed in the winter. I don’t have that here in Laguna, I’ll have to think of something for them and soon!


----------



## Tom (Oct 18, 2014)

Sulcatas don't "dig out". They just dig down at approximately a 45 degree angle. They usually start their burrows in very inconvenient places for us, like at the base of a wall or house. They spend 98% of their lives underground in the wild, so its natural fro them to want to have a burrow when they live here, half a world away from where they came from. That works okay in summer, but its too cold in winter. Its also too cold if you live within a few miles of the beach. Inland can work though.

Here is where mine hang out in summer. Our temps are near or above 100 all summer long with nights around 65-70. Average burrow temps are around 80. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sulcata-burrows.50846/

Here is were they live most of the year:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/daisys-new-enclosure.28662/

Hopefully one of these will inspire you with ideas. You need something right away. We've been having cold nights lately. Cold and damp will get you a sick tortoise quick. If your female is already stressed from the males constant attention, then she is most likely to show symptoms first.


----------



## leopard777 (Nov 4, 2014)

a pair from the same breeder ?


----------



## Some-Guy (Nov 4, 2014)

leopard777 said:


> a pair from the same breeder ?


No, I got them about three months apart from two different breeders. 

So far no eggs, I'm currently looking for a home for the male. I've decided I won't part with the female, I got her first, but since I shouldn't have the two together I will find a good home for him.


----------



## Team Gomberg (Nov 4, 2014)

Don't feel bad if you have to rehome the male. It's better for them to have proper living conditions (even if that means only keeping 1) than to keep both for the sake of "forever home" yet they suffer for it.

Besides, just 1 will keep you plenty busy! Especially as she grows into the massive tank she was designed to be!


----------

