2 Female Red Foot Tortoises

[AB2017]

Hi,

Can someone please help me?
So, I have a 5 inch (carapace length) long female red foot tortoise, that will be residing in a 5x3 ft enclosure. I want to rescue a 6 inch (carapace length) long female red foot tortoise, that has a great personality and a damaged shell. I want to know if its possible to put these two girls in the same enclosure? I know I will need more space in the future and additional hides/food bowls, but is there any reason why I shouldn't put them together? I'm restricted on indoor space, but I would love to rescue this sweet little girl. I just don't want my current tortoise to be hurt or permanently stressed.

Please help!!

 

[Zoeclare]

Hi its great you want to rescue this tortoise! However there is a few reasons why you should not house them together. First of all, although female redfoot sometimes work in groups, pairs of tortoises are not a good idea, your indoor enclosure is on the small side and having two will cause stress and aggression, one tortoise will end up getting dominated and harassed by the other one. Also, a new tortoise will need to be quarantined for a few months to ensure it does not pass on any illnesses or parasites to your original tortoise so will need separate indoor and outdoor enclosures. Is there any way you can direct the owner to this forum to educate them on how to care for their tortoise? Sorry to be a downer!

 

[AB2017]

Hi its great you want to rescue this tortoise! However there is a few reasons why you should not house them together. First of all, although female redfoot sometimes work in groups, pairs of tortoises are not a good idea, your indoor enclosure is on the small side and having two will cause stress and aggression, one tortoise will end up getting dominated and harassed by the other one. Also, a new tortoise will need to be quarantined for a few months to ensure it does not pass on any illnesses or parasites to your original tortoise so will need separate indoor and outdoor enclosures. Is there any way you can direct the owner to this forum to educate them on how to care for their tortoise? Sorry to be a downer!

I can definitely pass on this forum. So are you saying three tortoises would be better then a pair?? Well as long as there is plently of space. What about a male and female pairing? If I increase the enclosure size, would I be able to house a pair?

Thank you so much for replying.

 

[Zoeclare]

Yes groups will sometimes work with plenty of space, however even then there can be aggression. @ZEROPILOT has a group of females with lots and lots of room. I don't think a male/female pairing would work as the male would be continually mating with a lone female which would result in stress and injury.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yes groups will sometimes work with plenty of space, however even then there can be aggression. @ZEROPILOT has a group of females with lots and lots of room. I don't think a male/female pairing would work as the male would be continually mating with a lone female which would result in stress and injury.

In my humble opinion, an adult male Redfoot should have at least 3 adult females nearby.to stop any one female from constant mating agression.
However, I have all females. And even then it isnt a 100% guarantee that they'll get along.
And PLEASE don't attempt multiple tortoises without several hundred square feet of room.
This is almost never going to really work indoors.
Making things "convenient" for us sometimes means giving our animals a pretty bad and way too small enclosure.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

@AB2017 Where is Avondale?
Are you able to make an outdoor enclosure?
This 12x12 was just $70 to put up.
With plants and barriers, it would be a great Redfoot home.

 

[Minority2]

In my humble opinion, an adult male Redfoot should have at least 3 adult females nearby.to stop any one female from constant mating agression.
However, I have all females. And even then it isnt a 100% guarantee that they'll get along.
And PLEASE don't attempt multiple tortoises without several hundred square feet of room.
This is almost never going to really work indoors.
Making things "convenient" for us sometimes means giving our animals a pretty bad and way too small enclosure.

I wish I could pin that sentence into all the care sheets in tortoise forum.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I wish I could pin that sentence into all the care sheets in tortoise forum.

It's all about bad information and unrealistic expectations.