# what age?



## maggi (Jul 16, 2011)

can you tell me at what age russians start to breed i have a male and female age 5 years and 6 years the male is very amorous but the female dosnt seem interested??


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## GBtortoises (Jul 16, 2011)

It's based more on size than age. Males usually have to be around 4.5"+ and females around 5.5" and usually larger, over 6". Just because they are big enough to begin breeding doesn't mean they will either. It's not usually automatic. Tortoises breed based on environmental triggers that tell them to do so such as temperatures, day light duration and intensity and to some degree possibly food availability and humidity (or lack of). Male Russians, as with males of many other species, will often attempt to breed females frequently or constantly. That doesn't mean much unless the female is receptive. The environmental triggers tell the female that she is ready. As often as a male may try, ultimately it's up to the female when sucessfully breeding will take place.


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## maggi (Jul 16, 2011)

thanx for that,they are difinately the right size then so will just have to wait and see,she does go and look for the male sometimes and they actually look as if they are having a goold chat lol ...


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## maggi (Jul 21, 2011)

why is the breeding process so aggressive,i have never seen this before as i have always only had one tortoise i now have four russians and while my male wants to mate he always wants to bite and bang shells,i have been seperating them should i leave them to it?? ...


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## ascott (Jul 21, 2011)

LOL...male tortoise are generally little gladiators, they are brutes when it come to, well, you know  They generally do not have any manners, they are non stop pests to the female...they can do harm to the female by the biting and ramming of shells...they can also cause undue stress to the female due to their relentless desires...I think as on your other post/thread...you will likely have to do a little trial and error with how you will set up your two males/females....might I suggest maybe giving the female extra places to "get away" from the male while you are working out the logistics of them....


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## Yvonne G (Jul 21, 2011)

Male Russian tortoises are very aggressive breeders. I guess in the wild with all the space the female has to get away from him, he has to be very aggressive in order to subdue her. I've seen females with their eye lids bitten off and the spurs on the front legs bitten off and bleeding.

Male/female ratios work better when you have more females than males, and its even better when they're in a large outdoor habitat with lots of places for the females to get away from the males.


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