Lady Ashthorn

New Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario
Ok, I have several related questions. I currently have a baby redfoot who is going to be 3 months tomorrow. I have seen that this is a debatable topic, but would I be able to house multiple (specifically 2) baby to yearling tortoises together.
  1. Are pairs ok?
  2. Can a yearling and a hatchling be in the same enclosure at the same time?
  3. How long would I need to quarantine?
  4. Can a cherry head and a redfoot be housed together if supervised carefully?
  5. If they are raised from an early age will they still get territorial?
  6. If they end up being a male/female pair will they try to mate when they are young?
  7. Is that bad/ would it actually work (I don't want that at too young an age)
  8. When they are old enough can they safely breed?
  9. My single CB Redfoot is in a 3x2" enclosure, how long could it or a pair stay in my current setup?
Hehe, sorry for all the questions and if they seem amateurish/obvious.
Thank you all again for your help.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
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Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Ok, I have several related questions. I currently have a baby redfoot who is going to be 3 months tomorrow. I have seen that this is a debatable topic, but would I be able to house multiple (specifically 2) baby to yearling tortoises together.
  1. Are pairs ok?
  2. Can a yearling and a hatchling be in the same enclosure at the same time?
  3. How long would I need to quarantine?
  4. Can a cherry head and a redfoot be housed together if supervised carefully?
  5. If they are raised from an early age will they still get territorial?
  6. If they end up being a male/female pair will they try to mate when they are young?
  7. Is that bad/ would it actually work (I don't want that at too young an age)
  8. When they are old enough can they safely breed?
  9. My single CB Redfoot is in a 3x2" enclosure, how long could it or a pair stay in my current setup?
Hehe, sorry for all the questions and if they seem amateurish/obvious.
Thank you all again for your help.
Hello. We are here specifically to talk tortoises. To ask and answer questions. No need to apologize, and your questions are great. Many people reading will learn from the answers given.

  1. No. Emphatic no. Everything else from the source where you read this should be suspect as well.
  2. No. That is a recipe for disaster. We had one member decide to not heed our warmings on this, and one ate the tail and back leg of the other one.
  3. Most vets that know tortoises recommend at least 6-12 months. Depends on the source and how much diagnostic testing is done during the quarantine period.
  4. They shouldn't. I don't speak from first hand experience, but what I've seen here on the forum is that cherry heads tend to be more aggressive in general. Exceptions abound. House like with like, and only in groups, not pairs.
  5. Yes, but they won't "get" territorial. They already ARE territorial. The hormones of maturity just make it worse, and sometimes more noticeable.
  6. The male will harass and relentlessly pursue the immature female and it will cause both of them a tremendous amount of stress.
  7. Yes, it is really bad, Chronic stress hampers the immune system. Females that are bred when too small can get egg bound and die. Once they are large enough for the sexes to be known, females should be separated out to grow up in peace.
  8. Yes, but not different types. Only breed like to like. Cherry head to cherry head, or RF to RF.
  9. Tortoises should never be housed in pairs. Enclosure size doesn't matter. Growth rate can vary tremendously, but a 3x2 is about as small as I'd recommend for a tiny hatchling. That size shouldn't last a single tortoise more than a few months.
 

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
1. Sometimes
2. Tortoises are not social and shouldn't be housed together
3. I quarantine for 2 months
4. Shouldn't
5.Yes
6. maybe
7. probably
8.. ?
9. That's pretty small.
 

Lady Ashthorn

New Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario
Hello. We are here specifically to talk tortoises. To ask and answer questions. No need to apologize, and your questions are great. Many people reading will learn from the answers given.

  1. No. Emphatic no. Everything else from the source where you read this should be suspect as well.
  2. No. That is a recipe for disaster. We had one member decide to not heed our warmings on this, and one ate the tail and back leg of the other one.
  3. Most vets that know tortoises recommend at least 6-12 months. Depends on the source and how much diagnostic testing is done during the quarantine period.
  4. They shouldn't. I don't speak from first hand experience, but what I've seen here on the forum is that cherry heads tend to be more aggressive in general. Exceptions abound. House like with like, and only in groups, not pairs.
  5. Yes, but they won't "get" territorial. They already ARE territorial. The hormones of maturity just make it worse, and sometimes more noticeable.
  6. The male will harass and relentlessly pursue the immature female and it will cause both of them a tremendous amount of stress.
  7. Yes, it is really bad, Chronic stress hampers the immune system. Females that are bred when too small can get egg bound and die. Once they are large enough for the sexes to be known, females should be separated out to grow up in peace.
  8. Yes, but not different types. Only breed like to like. Cherry head to cherry head, or RF to RF.
  9. Tortoises should never be housed in pairs. Enclosure size doesn't matter. Growth rate can vary tremendously, but a 3x2 is about as small as I'd recommend for a tiny hatchling. That size shouldn't last a single tortoise more than a few months.
Thanks so much! Ez will stay a solo tort, unless I have them with a "creep" when they are full grown.
 
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