# Pet relationships.



## Thomas tortoise (Feb 27, 2022)

I was recently at a reptile show and I noticed a Russian tortoise with a bearded dragon in the same enclosure! The owners claimed they tried separating them and the tortoise stopped eating for a year! Then they put them together again and the tortoise started gaining weight and was eating fine. So they were selling them together only. So if y'all are wondering why I posted this then I'll answer your question now. I was wondering if a Russian tortoise can actually go a year without eating and still be fine and not get sick or die! And second. Wouldn't the bearded dragon give the Russian sickness! And most of all! Wouldn't they fight/be aggressive towards each other! Because they were in a very small enclosure you would think they would be they would be very territorial. So if anyone can answer those questions then I would appreciate it a lot!


----------



## jeff kushner (Feb 28, 2022)

I do NOT know the answer but my guess, made at the risk of being wrong....would be that a well cared for Tortoise could live for a year w/o food, if in conditions that lowered his food requirements....no running, no playing tag with the other turtles etc.....

This is only a guess!

Now I can sit back and get educated!


----------



## ZEROPILOT (Feb 28, 2022)

You seem to have a fascinating with keeping different species together.
You are correct that people do just that.
I've seen at least four American zoos that do that and countless YOUTUBE videos with many likes.
But we are collectively trying to discourage doing that because there's just too much that can happen.and none of it is necessary if species are kept apart.


----------



## wellington (Feb 28, 2022)

If you can provide an area as big as the wild the two animals come from, which needs to be the same area, then yes you can do it. Animals in the wild is very different then our enclosures no matter how much room you give them. You can never give them the room the wilds of their territory can.
The people selling these two animals together and thinking they need each other are idiots plain and simple.


----------



## Thomas tortoise (Feb 28, 2022)

wellington said:


> If you can provide an area as big as the wild the two animals come from, which needs to be the same area, then yes you can do it. Animals in the wild is very different then our enclosures no matter how much room you give them. You can never give them the room the wilds of their territory can.
> The people selling these two animals together and thinking they need each other are idiots plain and simple.


okay, when you put it that way I understand it much more. thanks!


----------

