2nd tortoise?

[Whitmore]

I currently have a horsefield tortoise (4 years old) who is living in a vivarium (I think it is called). It has all the requirements of a good home for him to sleep in at night and enjoy during the day if he’s not outside. His home is sized at 36x20x20. (inches) He has plenty of room to move about and I was curious if this size would be big enough for me to have another tortoise who is similar age. As I feel quite guilty leaving him alone sometimes all day.

soo the question im asking is 'is his home big enough for 2'??

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Whitmore:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

In my opinion, your tortoise needs to be outside. Russian tortoise are wanderers. In the wild they wander over quite a large area searching for food. To keep an adult Russian tortoise indoors and in a vivarium, in my opinion, isn't a good idea.

So, in answer to your question, no, I don't think your habitat is big enough to support another tortoise.

Another thing to consider is the fact that Russians are aggressive breeders and aggressive fighters.

 

[Whitmore]

Hello my name is James and i am from Stoke on trent

I do let my tortoise into my garden outside and let him run around whenever i can, weather allowing
I also have a big pen outside for him as my garden is quite open.
I just have him inside over night and when it is too cold.

 

[Yvonne G]

In that case, a plain, old cardboard box is good enough for indoors. But, of course, a habitat is much nicer.

Russian tortoise males fight with each other. They need a large habitat if they are going to live together, and even then, you may see a lot of fighting. If you go with a male/female combination, then he would be trying to breed the female all the time. They get pretty aggressive with the females, biting off their eyelids and leg scales to force them into cooperating.

Actually, tortoises don't need others of their kind in order to be happy. They much prefer to be alone so they don't have to compete for the best hiding place or the food.

If you still want to get another tortoise, just be prepared that you MAY need to have two habitats if it doesn't work out.

 

[Whitmore]

okay thank you very much for your advice
needs a lot of hard thinking

 

[dmarcus]

Hello James and welcome to the forum.

 

[Angi]

Hello. I hope you continue to be part of the forum. It is a great place to learn and talk to other tortie lovers

 

[Whitmore]

Hello and thanks for the warm welcome

Another question i could do with some help with

From other peoples past experience what is the best combination to have? i already have one male Russian
so if i were to have another tortoise would it be best to go for two males or one male and one female

 

[wrmitchell22]

I felt the same way when I got my Sulcata, I thought he would be lonely. I read up a lot and realized he is probably happier on his own and since I don't have a full acre, 1 sulcata is enough for us

 

[Fernando]

Hi!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Hello and thanks for the warm welcome

Another question i could do with some help with

From other peoples past experience what is the best combination to have? i already have one male Russian
so if i were to have another tortoise would it be best to go for two males or one male and one female

2 males would eventually tear one another up badly...Russians are VERY territorial!

If you want breed them, plan on 3 females and one male, because (to put this in Brit vernacular) RT's are VERY "randy"...one male/one female is VERY hard on the female, and sometimes is fatal.

If your current tortoise is a female, one more female will often work, so long as there's plenty of room (8' X 3' is about minimum).

And, as previously noted, tortoises are perfectly happy solitary.

 

[Jacqui]

I would go with another one of the same sex as your current one, if your going to get another Russian. The two may get along well, then again as you have been warned they may fight and need to be separated. Having lots of room, hides, and visual barriers will help lower the chances of fighting.

 

[Whitmore]

Thanks guys for you advice and i have decided for the time being that my tortoise 'hugo' will be my only one for the time being.
Would it be possible to not breed with one male and one female

 

[dmmj]

Welcome
A male russian will breed with any female it finds, over and over and over and over again. If you want another tortoise get it for you, don't get it for the tortoise, they often (most species) don't mind being alone, and often see other tortoises as competition. Am ale will hound a single female to almost death, often times inflicting injuries, when keeping multiples of the same species in the same enclosure you need a lot of space, so they can escape one and another and not be bothered, also more females will distract the male russian for a time.

 

[Whitmore]

well my tortoise seems to be getting what i would say horny quite a bit, as he keeps getting his gentiles out to be honest.
so was wondering if female tortoise would suit him, but i dont partcicular want them to breed.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

well my tortoise seems to be getting what i would say horny quite a bit, as he keeps getting his gentiles out to be honest.
so was wondering if female tortoise would suit him, but i dont partcicular want them to breed.

That's how young males act...it'll pass.

 

[dmmj]

well my tortoise seems to be getting what i would say horny quite a bit, as he keeps getting his gentiles out to be honest.
so was wondering if female tortoise would suit him, but i dont partcicular want them to breed.

That's how young males act...it'll pass.

I don't seem to recall doing that when I was younger.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

well my tortoise seems to be getting what i would say horny quite a bit, as he keeps getting his gentiles out to be honest.
so was wondering if female tortoise would suit him, but i dont partcicular want them to breed.

That's how young males act...it'll pass.

I don't seem to recall doing that when I was younger.

We can't all be Captain Awesome...