9 year old male Hermann, ready to mate?

[alexfresco]

Hi,

I've got a 9 year old male Hermann, he's very 'active' and I think he may be ready to mate. I've never done this before so does anyone know the process to finding a female for him? How do I know they are suitable? etc...

Thanks!

 

[tglazie]

Whether or not your male is ready to breed is more dependent upon size than age, though five to seven inches is usually good. Also, finding an adult hermann female is, I'm sorry to say, virtually impossible. Most folks don't want to give up an adult female, and when they do, they usually ask a hefty price, hefty at least when compared to a male. Even more difficult is finding a suitable animal, but I would say that finding a mate on the basis of similar markings is probably best. It would be better if you knew where the animal originated.

The best advice I can give is to search the For Sale tab on the forum for female Hermanns. I know Hermanni Chris had one or two a few days ago, but I would figure he probably sold them by this point, given that the animals he produces are of the highest quality and usually don't last on the For Sale forum. Obtain a younger animal (because younger ones are usually all that is available), and wait. That's what I did with my margies. I have a marginated group that is 2.1, and when Chris put up his ad for temp sexed margie females, I snatched them up as soon as I saw them. Everyone has males, because no one wants extra males in their colony, given how pugnacious they are.

Lastly, you should consider whether or not you're truly interested in breeding your male. I know the thought of hatchling tortoises sounds attractive, and as someone who has hatched baby tortoises, I must say that yes, it is. But I'm very fortunate in that I have a half acre of land on which to house my expanding group as well as the resources to grow their food and keep the little ones warm and active during the winter chill. When you have tortoises laying eggs, you quickly discover that their rising numbers and rapid growth start eating up more and more of your time and energy planning new enclosures, especially if you live in an area like I do where interest in baby tortoises can be described as tepid at best. Oh, to live in California, where there are actually clubs and societies centered around the keeping of these awesome beasts!

But yeah, a lot to consider. Take it from me, when I was younger, I wanted nothing more than to breed tortoises. It was my ultimate goal, all I ever thought about when considering the hobby. But, after I reached the goal, I realized that I never truly appreciated how awesome it is just to have these guys running around. There's nothing wrong with keeping a single tortoise, and though I do encourage people with the means and the passion to get into captive breeding, it is by no means absolutely necessary. But yeah, keep in mind that though breeding these guys is rewarding, it is very difficult, and even if you follow all the good advice on this forum, you will still be met with challenges, setbacks, and surprises.

T.G.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Alex:

It's a moot point because if you do find a female, you have to keep her in quarantine for 3 to 6 months before putting them together. Don't worry. You're not going to miss your chance. If he's ready now, he'll still be ready in 6 months.

Please consider that if you do get ONE female, the male is just going to pester and pester her until she finally stays hidden in order to get away from him. A better ratio is 2 females and one male, and the BEST scenario is a very large outdoor habitat with plenty of hiding places and sight barriers.