What other animals get along with tortoises?

hollygaucas

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I have a pet tortoise, called Pickle, and 2 inside dogs, and a cat that would app possibly come into contact with him and would like to know whether they would get along.


I am also thinking about getting another pet, but am unsure which animal would get along with Pickle. Not including any breeds of lizards, because I am not very fond of these creatures.


Thanks!
 

Tom

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I have a pet tortoise, called Pickle, and 2 inside dogs, and a cat that would app possibly come into contact with him and would like to know whether they would get along.


I am also thinking about getting another pet, but am unsure which animal would get along with Pickle. Not including any breeds of lizards, because I am not very fond of these creatures.


Thanks!
I agree with TechnoCheese. Tortoises and dogs are a disaster waiting to happen. The mild mannered loving family dog who would never hurt a fly, is responsible for more maulings and deaths than I can count. Happens all the time, and do you know what the person always says: "He's never done that before…"

Keep your tortoise away from the dogs and teach the dogs and cats to stay away from the tortoise and leave it alone. They do not need to be "introduced" and they will not be "friends".
 
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orv

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Creatures of our animal world view and are viewed as either "prey" or "predator" creatures. Herbivores, such as our tortoises, for the most part, are prey, and react to the presence of other animals with their "fright" mode of either retracting into their shell, or by leaving the scene and finding a hide. Although our tortoise friends may be conditioned to accept our presence (especially with regard to food), they don't really covet our being there in the same manner as our other pets may. Dogs, by the same manner, are predator class animals and actively seek out prey. Although they may be conditioned to avoid our tortoises, their animal prey nature will always remain. Anyway, all I've done is to give you the "long version" of what TechnoCheese stated above. Although our tortoises have their own unique manner of warding off prey . . . the odds are stacked against them when they are displaced from their own environment in nature.
 

TobyAndMarissa

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We have three dogs and mostly keep them separate, but when they are around my tortoise, they never hurt him and the dogs are more scared of him then he is scarred of them.
 

Bambam1989

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We have three dogs and mostly keep them separate, but when they are around my tortoise, they never hurt him and the dogs are more scared of him then he is scarred of them.
Even though your dogs act afraid of your tort, I ask that you never turn your back on them when it comes to your tort. I had a dog once that was terrified of the broom, until one day we came home to the broom ripped to pieces by the very dog that would run away peeing its self as soon as it seen it. My point is, we can't read our dogs minds to understand why they behave in some ways but there is always a possibility that instinct will win out. I would hate the idea of anyone's tort being harmed by another animal whether it be attacked or because of some kind of contagion. It's easy to keep your tort separate from other pets and the tort won't mind at all.
 

orv

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We have three dogs and mostly keep them separate, but when they are around my tortoise, they never hurt him and the dogs are more scared of him then he is scarred of them.
Your dog's response is the result of conditioning. This doesn't negate the fact that your dog is , by nature, a predator . . . a fact that cannot be changed. I love and even trust my sweet puppy as well, but a dog is still a dog.
 

Tom

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We have three dogs and mostly keep them separate, but when they are around my tortoise, they never hurt him and the dogs are more scared of him then he is scarred of them.
This can change at any moment.

Don't risk your tortoise's life. Keep the dogs and tortoise separate.
 

hollygaucas

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Thanks! I understand what you are all saying but I believe that my little dogs and most loving cat ever will be able to get along great with little Pickle. As I have already introduced my cat and tort and they just minded their own business.


I have had many pets including dogs, hamsters, fish, etc. and my cat has gotten along with every single one of them. My cat always keeps to her own business.


I have two dogs, one of which doesn’t mind my tortoise and just sits and sleeps! Whereas the other is a bit more intrigued, so i will keep them apart.


I hope you all understand just like I did for you guys!

Thanks!
 

Toddrickfl1

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Im seeing this over and over in this forum. Op I mean no disrespect Im just trying to gain an understanding. People come to this forum and ask for advice, then disregard what everyone tells them. Op your original post was about whether your dogs and cats will get along with your tort. Multiple people commented this is a disaster waiting to happen. Why, because they have seen it over and over again where people say the same thing as you, then later comeback to the forum with "help my dog bit my tortoise leg off" or something similar. Now again I'm not trying to be rude, but if your not going to take the advice, then what was the point of the post?
 

TechnoCheese

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Thanks! I understand what you are all saying but I believe that my little dogs and most loving cat ever will be able to get along great with little Pickle. As I have already introduced my cat and tort and they just minded their own business.


I have had many pets including dogs, hamsters, fish, etc. and my cat has gotten along with every single one of them. My cat always keeps to her own business.


I have two dogs, one of which doesn’t mind my tortoise and just sits and sleeps! Whereas the other is a bit more intrigued, so i will keep them apart.


I hope you all understand just like I did for you guys!

Thanks!

They definitely should not be allowed to even know the tortoise exists. My cat is scared of everything, never leaves my room, and loves to snuggle. But the minute I brought my bearded dragon home, she broke the top of the tank and tried to eat him.IMG_0269.jpg
Other animals and tortoises DO NOT mix. Your tortoise does not “get along” with other animals, and they should never even come in contact. With other reptiles, this has a very high chance of leading to disease and sickness.

Please take everyone’s advice.
 

hollygaucas

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Im seeing this over and over in this forum. Op I mean no disrespect Im just trying to gain an understanding. People come to this forum and ask for advice, then disregard what everyone tells them. Op your original post was about whether your dogs and cats will get along with your tort. Multiple people commented this is a disaster waiting to happen. Why, because they have seen it over and over again where people say the same thing as you, then later comeback to the forum with "help my dog bit my tortoise leg off" or something similar. Now again I'm not trying to be rude, but if your not going to take the advice, then what was the point of the post?

I wasn’t disagreeing with anyone but I was was just seeing if giving a bit more information about my other pets would help out. And, honestly, even if you didn’t mean to sound rude, I found it rude. I really don’t seem to like this forum just because of the (what you guys think are) ‘polite’.
 

Toddrickfl1

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Sorry you took it that way

The purpose of this type of critique is to help the recipient improve and ensure that the same mistake will not happen again. Think of it as imparting a lesson, rather than making someone feel down
 

RosemaryDW

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I wasn’t disagreeing with anyone but I was was just seeing if giving a bit more information about my other pets would help out. And, honestly, even if you didn’t mean to sound rude, I found it rude. I really don’t seem to like this forum just because of the (what you guys think are) ‘polite’.

You asked for advice from a forum that is dedicated to tortoises and that is what you got.

I know it’s hard to hear that your sweet dogs might hurt a tortoise but it’s a fact. No long-term owner here will tell you different. We don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but we will be blunt when it comes to safety.

Again, I know that’s really hard to hear. :(
 

TriciaStringer

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A few days before driving many states over to get out first tortoise, I had a dream. I dreamt that our Grest Dane nonchalantly walked by our tortoise and just ripped off his head as he walked by. I’ve always been terrified. We have the laziest almost ten year old Great Dane ever. I still don’t trust him.
 

TechnoCheese

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A few days before driving many states over to get out first tortoise, I had a dream. I dreamt that our Grest Dane nonchalantly walked by our tortoise and just ripped off his head as he walked by. I’ve always been terrified. We have the laziest almost ten year old Great Dane ever. I still don’t trust him.

Man, I have dreams like that all the time! I need to stop stressing about my tortoise so much, lmao
 

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