African tortoises
- Thread starter Benjtort
- Start date
Bambam1989
Well-Known Member
I personally don't think it is a good idea.
Each species lives in its own area and natural contact in the wild is unlikely. Therefore they may still pose a risk of spreading diseases.
Another reason is that most have different needs.
The omnivorous hingebacks have a hugely different diet compared to the other herbivorous torts.
Pancakes shells are not hard like the others and could easily be hurt by a sulcata or leopard. They also prefer a rocky environment.
The most likely candidates would be leopards and sulcatas. There have even been hybrids of the two. But their personalities vary greatly and you still risk illness. Sulcatas will most likely grow at a more rapid rate also.
There are probably even more reasons that are not coming to mind at this moment.
Each species lives in its own area and natural contact in the wild is unlikely. Therefore they may still pose a risk of spreading diseases.
Another reason is that most have different needs.
The omnivorous hingebacks have a hugely different diet compared to the other herbivorous torts.
Pancakes shells are not hard like the others and could easily be hurt by a sulcata or leopard. They also prefer a rocky environment.
The most likely candidates would be leopards and sulcatas. There have even been hybrids of the two. But their personalities vary greatly and you still risk illness. Sulcatas will most likely grow at a more rapid rate also.
There are probably even more reasons that are not coming to mind at this moment.
I agree with Bambam 1989. Species should never be mixed mainly for all the reasons they stated.
Possible? Yes.
A good idea in any way? No.
Its a huge risk and there is tremendous potential for disease and disaster.
A good idea in any way? No.
Its a huge risk and there is tremendous potential for disease and disaster.
I heard that hinge backs were omnivorous once but i thought they were just tripin out. lol
most tortoises are omnivorous, in the wild and given a chance and having the need - yes they will eat a corpse...
Omnivorous is not the same thing as opportunistic.
true
I have seen a number of african species be in the same enclosure. I believe that diseases come from being exported. I sell tortoises for a reptile company on the daily and as long as the tortoises are highly being monitored when it comes to feedings and they are very close in size then they should be okay. Most of these tortoises are babies of course and I separate grassland torts from omnivores (red & yellow footed) But species like the sulcatas and leopards are okay with each other. As long as long as they are similar in size and monitored when it comes to feedings.
Ever seen a disease outbreak in a tortoise colony? I have. They can get diseases from each other whether or not they are imported, exported or captive bred. Mixing species increases the likelihood of this happening.
Additionally, different species are not behaviorally compatible. Regular leopards tend to be mild mannered and shy. Not compatible with a boisterous bold sulcata. SA leopards, and leopard mixes with SA genes tend to be more bold and these are not compatible with sulcatas either. If I put one of my male leopards in with my sulcata herd, it would be a blood bath.
Please tell me the name of the company you sell for so I can be sure to never buy a tortoise from you or them.
This thread does a good job of explaining further:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/mixing-species.139808/
I have seen a disease outbreak. And it was for totally different reasons such as improper breeding and management.
And i absolutely agree. If you put a leopard with a herd of Sulcatas. Those sulcatas would literally “rape” the leopard.
But when it comes to one or two of each and they are similar size and also heavily monitored then i see no problem with it.
If it was up to me, i would house separately but do not see a problem letting them roam during the day in the same proper enclosure (while being heavily monitored).
I will keep my company confidential from this site.
And i absolutely agree. If you put a leopard with a herd of Sulcatas. Those sulcatas would literally “rape” the leopard.
But when it comes to one or two of each and they are similar size and also heavily monitored then i see no problem with it.
If it was up to me, i would house separately but do not see a problem letting them roam during the day in the same proper enclosure (while being heavily monitored).
I will keep my company confidential from this site.
You're gonna' do what you want to do. Just be aware it is not natural for different species of tortoise to inhabit the same territory, and there is a chance of harm or illness.
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2012
- Messages
- 5,173
- Location (City and/or State)
- South of Southern California, but not Mexico
Report from the field.
Even when they are in the same general vicinity, say Angulate tortoises and tent tortoises & leopard tortoises, they still partition habitat. The angulates stayed in the dry stream beds, the tents stayed in the upper flat part of an alluvial plain, and the leopards stayed on rather steep slopes. All within several hundred yards of each other, yet separate. The area was sanitized with natural UV many hours a day as well. In times of food stress (no rain for a few years) they invade these areas that are not 'normal' places to be, 'cuase they are hungry. But for the most part they do not mix so much in the wild.
Even when they are in the same general vicinity, say Angulate tortoises and tent tortoises & leopard tortoises, they still partition habitat. The angulates stayed in the dry stream beds, the tents stayed in the upper flat part of an alluvial plain, and the leopards stayed on rather steep slopes. All within several hundred yards of each other, yet separate. The area was sanitized with natural UV many hours a day as well. In times of food stress (no rain for a few years) they invade these areas that are not 'normal' places to be, 'cuase they are hungry. But for the most part they do not mix so much in the wild.
Omnivorosity is generally opportunistic as most protein food is actively moving around and found accidently or if dead is found the same way. In nature that is.
